Bookstore Checklist for September/October
Things to do / Things not to miss
1. Request a Banned Books Toolkit
Banned Books Week is October 4–10. The 2026 edition of SIBA's Banned Books Toolkit has been updated with new material and will be available for bookstores on September 15. Request your copy here.
2. Vote!
Voting is underway for the 2026 SIBA Board. Every current SIBA member bookstore can vote. The ballot closes September 25. Read more about the slate here.
3. Prep Your Winter Catalog displays and promotions
Winter catalogs land in stores the first week of October. SIBA is offering participating stores a $50 credit towards their membership dues when they send in pictures of their catalog displays. Read more here.
4. Mark your calendars
There are two important events coming up in October:
10/14: Lunch and Learn with Libro.fm at Noon Eastern, on Zoom, Lee Hooyboer will talk about the ways bookstores use Libro as a profitable revenue stream, and as tool to enhance community engagement.
10/29: SIBA's Annual Meeting is at 1:00 p.m. Eastern, on Zoom. This is a chance for SIBA members to talk to the Board, raise their top-of-mind issues and concerns, and hear about the state of SIBA and its plans for the future.
5. The Southern Book Prize is coming up
The Southern Book Prize (SBP) season starts October 2 with the announcement of the finalists for this year's prize. SBP has an accelerated schedule, with voting on the finalists opening on October 2 and winners announced on November 16. Bookstores will have a month to promote the finalists and encourage their customers to vote, and then the peak holiday shopping season to promote the winners.
And something to look forward to: the Southern Book Prize Social Media Scavenger Hunt will take place on October 5–9. Watch for the announcement and sign up to participate.
6. March Madness: Looking ahead to 2027
SIBA is looking for bookstores to host events during the Spring 2027 March Madness Bookseller Series. Hosting brings publisher and bookseller attention to the store and is a great networking opportunity. It is a time to show off and share what your store does well. The deadline to submit your store is October 15, 2026. Read more / Submit.