Meet the SIBA Board: Rayna Nielsen, Book Banter Books, New Orleans, Louisiana

Tell us about your store and your role at the store.

I am the owner of Book Banter Books, a free-range bookstore focusing on pop-ups and events. I am a one-woman show, so my role is all of the above. :)

What is your favorite part of your job and why?

When a reader comes back to talk about a book I recommended to them. Knowing that a book had an impact on them is a special connection with a stranger that you don’t often experience.

What do you see as the most important challenges facing booksellers today?

First and foremost to me is the mental morale around reading. People think “bookstores are dying” and “no one reads anymore” because they are told that in the memes and articles repeated online. When people only hear the negative, they lose hope. When they lose hope, they stop trying. Stop trying to talk to their friends and family about books, stop trying to go out of their way to support bookish causes, stop trying to buy books as gifts, Stop trying to read books outside their comfort zone…

So, when you hear that 40% of Americans didn’t read a book last year, remember 60% DID. Be in that number.

What inspired your decision to be on the SIBA Board?

I love being an indie bookseller, and I have always been inspired by the way indie booksellers work together for the greater good. The opportunity to serve an organization that truly believes a rising tide lifts all boats was an easy decision for me. And the challenge of figuring out how to keep the tide rising for all of us is one I am excited to be part of.

What are you most excited about working on as a SIBA Board member?

Developing more avenues for outreach to the membership and working with the other board members to continue to create an organization that works for all the bookstores in our region no matter what size town you are based in or what your square footage may be.

Will you be at NVNR and what are your goals there?

I will be at NVNR this year! I have always enjoyed reconnecting with fellow booksellers and since being on the SIBA Board that has taken on a whole new meaning. So, I am most looking forward to connecting with friends and SIBA members to hear about what is going on in your lives in and out of your bookstores.