Independent Booksellers Week 2008

The inaugural Independent Booksellers Week between 1st-8th July. Independent Booksellers Week is a celebration of independent bookselling, and has been organised by the Small Business Forum of the BA. Independent Booksellers Week is funded by Bertrams|THE, Gardners Books, National Book Tokens and the BA and is supported by The Times and The Book Partnership, with additional help from Galaxy and Readers’ Digest. Jacqueline Wilson, former Children’s Laureate, and much loved author, is also supporting the campaign.

Independent Booksellers Week is an opportunity for booksellers to celebrate in their shops, with and for their customers. Booksellers can use the IBW in whatever way they choose – and are encouraged to plan events throughout the week, inviting authors for signing sessions, planning school visits for storytelling, having a children’s party, having a Reading Group Party – whatever gets your customers into your shop and celebrating what you do best. The heart of the campaign is booksellers in their communities holding events.

We are delighted to announce that Kate Mosse, number one bestselling author, broadcaster and journalist, will act as the figurehead for the Independent Booksellers Week. Kate says “What a wonderful idea Independent Booksellers Week is, and it’s high time that we celebrate our vibrant independent bookshops. I’ve always admired and shared independent booksellers’ passion for books and reading, and I feel they play a crucial role in local communities. I love knowing that whenever I visit an independent bookshop it will have its own character and individual flair, with wonderful hand-picked ranges of books, and booksellers who will go out of their way to find the perfect book. I hope that this initiative will encourage people to visit their local bookshops and discover for themselves what makes them so special.”