GLIBA Regional Newsletter: July 25, 2025

Important Links & Deadlines

• Board of Directors Nomination Voting -- closes July 28th
• Heartland Fall Forum Attendee Registration
• HFF Hotel Booking Link -- September 20th, 5pm EST
• HFF Author Pitch Submissions -- July 31st

Heartland Fall Forum Registration is Now Live!!

Join us in Indianapolis, Indiana for a three-day celebration of independent bookselling, including awards celebrations, author events, bookstore tours, education, networking, and a vibrant trade show floor where booksellers and our industry partners can do business together and get to know one another. Heartland Fall Forum is hosted collaboratively by the Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association and the Midwest Independent Booksellers Association. We can't wait to see you all in Indy!

Hotel Booking Information

Heartland Fall Forum has a block of rooms reserved for attendees at the location of the conference:

​The Indianapolis Marriott Downtown:

350 W Maryland, Indianapolis IN 46225

View Heartland's booking link

$239 per night, booking deadline September 20, 2025 at 5pm EST

Subject to availability, our group rate is available to attendees for three days prior to, and three days after the dates of the show. 

Exhibitor Registration is Open!

Thank you for supporting this event! We have lots of info on the way for exhibiting at and/or attending Heartland Fall Forum 2025 in Indianapolis. Click HERE for a full list of exhibitor table cost and options. If you have any questions, please email Larry Law [email protected] or February Spikener, [email protected].

GLIBA Board of Directors Nominates Uriel Perez of Penguin Random House

Please vote to confirm our incoming board member, who will begin their term prior to the annual membership meeting on at Heartland Fall Forum in October 2025 in Indianapolis, IN. Click here for the link to the voting form. 

Monday, July 28th is the last day to vote! If you have any questions, please reach out GLIBA Executive Director Larry Law at [email protected].

About Uriel Perez

Uriel Perez is a native Texan living in Chicago, IL. He has been working in books since 2016, holding various positions at BookPeople in Austin, TX and later in the marketing and events department at the University of Texas Press. He has been serving indie bookstores in the Midwest as a sales rep for Penguin Random House since 2023.

Cover to Cover Children's Books (Columbus, OH) Featured In USA TODAY!

Every week, USA Today spotlights an independent bookstore on theUSA Today Books page!For an opportunity to be featured, ABA member bookstores can fill out this google form and pitch your bookstore to USA Today. Read the profile on Cover to Cover here and enjoy the preview below!

What’s your store’s story?

Cover to Cover Children's Books is one of the oldest children's bookstores in the United States. Founded in 1980, the bookshop has a long history of serving children, families and educators. We are a welcoming bookshop located in a historic, 100-year-old building, and we have hosted many unique events with internationally recognized authors and illustrators.

What makes your independent bookstore unique?

Cover to Cover is proudest of fostering a love of reading over generations. Children who grew up going to Cover to Cover events with legends like Eric Carle and Helen Oxenbury are now parents who instill a love of stories in their children. Customers love our welcoming and inclusive shop, and they appreciate our active involvement in the community through our kindness initiative and events like the Columbus Book Festival, which draws tens of thousands of people.

What book do you love to recommend to customers and why?

We absolutely love "The Green Kingdom" by authors Cornelia Funke and Tammi Hartung with illustrations by Melissa Castrillon. This middle grade novel for ages 10 and up has it all – mystery, history in a contemporary setting, a beautifully diverse cast of characters and a satisfying ending.

Heartland Fall Forum Virtual Office Hours

Below are the sessions for August 2025:

• August 5th & 19th, 10am & 4pm CST: Attendee and Exhibitor Registration

Click here for the Google Meet link for sessions, or click the button below to the Events page on the GLIBA site. For any questions, reach out to Executive Coordinator February Spikener at [email protected].

Professional Bookseller School: Bookstore Year One

The Professional Booksellers School has a great new project in development: Bookstore Year One!

This will be year-long learning community for new store owners; new members can join any month and stay for the full year. Each month they'll cover a different topic, with videos and other learning materials created by experienced owners, then host meetings via Zoom to ask questions and get advice.

The course will go live in the fall of 2025. By signing up now you are expressing interest and ensuring you'll be the first to get news about costs and registration dates. Sign up now and you'll be given a private, pre-enrollment period!

BIPOC BOOKSELLER AWARD NOMINATIONS OPEN

The annual Duende-Word BIPOC Bookseller Awards nominations are open through July 31. This award celebrates three booksellers whose dedication to supporting the economic success of storytelling from the margins has positively influenced the industry. Awards are issued in the categories of Activism, Innovation and Leadership. Everyone is welcome to nominate! It doesn't matter whether you are a colleague, a bookseller, a community member, reader, customer, author - all are welcome, including self-nominations. The winners will receive honors during #MarginsBooksellingMonth, a plaque, and a $1000 prize.

4th Annual Black Lit Weekend

The 4th annual Black Lit Weekend will be held in Newark, NJ from August 14th - 17th, and be a weekend of community building, development, and empowerment. Register today!

Early bird registration pricing ends on June 30th, and space is filling up fast. Additionally, if you’re planning to book your stay in Newark, be sure to reserve your room under our discounted hotel block at Tryp Hotel by July 23rd. Rooms are first come, first served, and availability is limited. Use Group Name: Black Lit Weekend or code: 081425BLA Read More

Interested in being a sponsor for Black Lit Weekend 2025? This is a fantastic opportunity for brands and organizations to support and gain visibility and build relationship with Black-owned bookstores. For more information on sponsorship, tabling or other activation opportunities, please reach out to [email protected].

Apply for the Sisters in Crime

"We Love Bookstores" $500 Award

Sisters in Crime, an organization of crime writers and readers, has a long-standing commitment to supporting and partnering with bookstores. In addition to publishing the We Love Bookstores Newsletter, the organization also gives six bimonthly $500 We Love Bookstores Awards to bookstores in the United States, Canada, the UK, and Europe, where Sisters in Crime has local chapters. Find the easy online application on SinC's website here.

Please send questions about Sisters in Crime or the WLB Award application to Susan Hammerman, [email protected].

Sign Up Now For Bookstore Romance Day

Bookstore Romance Day is a day designed to give independent bookstores an opportunity to celebrate Romance fiction—its books, readers, and writers—and to strengthen the relationships between bookstores and the Romance community.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, August 9, 2025 -- the seventh celebration of Bookstore Romance Day! Click here for information and to sign up to participate!

Indie-to-Indie Playlist:

Women in Translation

Publisher members of the Independent Publishers Caucus have curated a lists of titles to help populate and distinguish your displays this month. The theme for August is Women in Translation. Click here to View the list in Edelweiss!

Send us your store's news to be included in our future newsletters!

Professional Booksellers School Links



A Learners' Guide to PBS Independent Study

Basic Bookselling Self Guided

Basic Bookselling Store Subscription

Bookstore Financial Literacy Bundle

Upcoming Courses

BINC Links



Binc Mental Heath Wellness Program

Financial Assistance for BOOKSELLERS from Binc

Scholarship Opportunities

ABA Links

Apply for Winter Institute 2025 Scholarships

Take the Annual Membership Survey Now

Independent Bookstore Day Planning Guide

ABFE: ABA's Free Expression Initiative

Indies Take the Gold Campaign Assets

Current and Previous ABACUS Data

Monthly Marketing Calendars

Nominate Someone for the ABA Board

Download the Bookseller Resources Poster

ABA Event & Program Calendar

Indie Next List Deadlines

Report Sales to New York Times, Indie Bestseller Lists

ABA Affiliate Partnership Offers for Members

GLIBA Regional Newsletter: July 18, 2025

Important Links & Deadlines

• Heartland Fall Forum Attendee Registration
• HFF Hotel Booking Link -- September 20th, 5pm EST
• HFF Author Pitch Submissions -- July 31st
• Heartland Booksellers Award Semi-Finalist Voting -- TODAY, July 18th

GLIBA 2025 Heartland Booksellers Award

Semi-Finalist Voting Ballot

This is our Heartland Booksellers Award long list. Titles were submitted by publishers and booksellers in our region. Your vote here will help us determine our top finalists from each genre for the 2025 Heartland Booksellers Award.

Please select your top three choices in each category. If you did not read any titles in a category or choose not to vote in a category, you may leave that section blank. Semi-Finalist voting ends Friday, July 18, 2025. 

Heartland Fall Forum Registration is Now Live!!

Join us in Indianapolis, Indiana for a three-day celebration of independent bookselling, including awards celebrations, author events, bookstore tours, education, networking, and a vibrant trade show floor where booksellers and our industry partners can do business together and get to know one another. Heartland Fall Forum is hosted collaboratively by the Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association and the Midwest Independent Booksellers Association. We can't wait to see you all in Indy!

Hotel Booking Information

Heartland Fall Forum has a block of rooms reserved for attendees at the location of the conference:

​The Indianapolis Marriott Downtown:

350 W Maryland, Indianapolis IN 46225

View Heartland's booking link

$239 per night, booking deadline September 20, 2025 at 5pm EST

Subject to availability, our group rate is available to attendees for three days prior to, and three days after the dates of the show. 

Exhibitor Registration is Open!

Thank you for supporting this event! We have lots of info on the way for exhibiting at and/or attending Heartland Fall Forum 2025 in Indianapolis. Click HERE for a full list of exhibitor table cost and options. If you have any questions, please email Larry Law [email protected] or February Spikener, [email protected].

Loganberry Books Author Alley is August 2-3

Your Favorite Local Authors at Loganberry!

The official Author Alley lineup is here! Catch your favorite local authors selling and signing their books on Saturday and Sunday, August 2 and 3 from 1-5 PM in the Loganberry Books alleyway. Say hello to some fan favorites and meet new writers who will inspire you. The event is both a general book fair and a chance for writers to network. Scroll down to view the full author lineup. 

Come on down to Larchmere on Saturday, August 2 at 5 pm for the Author Alley Reception, hosted by Dan Chaon! The reception will feature a gameshow-style competition. Authors will compete in a fast-paced Q&A that will provide both a preview to their books and answers to craft questions: every budding writer should attend! Reception includes light refreshments and has a suggested donation of $5 at the door.

Heartland Fall Forum Virtual Office Hours

Below are the sessions for July & August 2025:

• July 22nd, 10am & 4pm CST: Author Pitches; Registration
• August 5th & 19th, 10am & 4pm CST: Attendee and Exhibitor Registration

Click here for the Google Meet link for sessions, or click the button below to the Events page on the GLIBA site. For any questions, reach out to Executive Coordinator February Spikener at [email protected].

BIPOC BOOKSELLER AWARD NOMINATIONS OPEN

The annual Duende-Word BIPOC Bookseller Awards nominations are open through July 31. This award celebrates three booksellers whose dedication to supporting the economic success of storytelling from the margins has positively influenced the industry. Awards are issued in the categories of Activism, Innovation and Leadership. Everyone is welcome to nominate! It doesn't matter whether you are a colleague, a bookseller, a community member, reader, customer, author - all are welcome, including self-nominations. The winners will receive honors during #MarginsBooksellingMonth, a plaque, and a $1000 prize.

4th Annual Black Lit Weekend

The 4th annual Black Lit Weekend will be held in Newark, NJ from August 14th - 17th, and be a weekend of community building, development, and empowerment. Register today!

Early bird registration pricing ends on June 30th, and space is filling up fast. Additionally, if you’re planning to book your stay in Newark, be sure to reserve your room under our discounted hotel block at Tryp Hotel by July 23rd. Rooms are first come, first served, and availability is limited. Use Group Name: Black Lit Weekend or code: 081425BLA Read More

Interested in being a sponsor for Black Lit Weekend 2025? This is a fantastic opportunity for brands and organizations to support and gain visibility and build relationship with Black-owned bookstores. For more information on sponsorship, tabling or other activation opportunities, please reach out to [email protected].

Simon & Schuster Seeks Marketing Manager

Simon & Schuster’s Independent Retail Team is looking for a marketing manager for our dynamic, energetic, collaborative team that sells to independent bookstores. This is an excellent opportunity for a book lover and an independent bookstore lover to marry their passions. Details and link to apply

Winter Institute 2026 Scholarship Applications Are Open! 

The Winter Institute 2026 (Wi2026) scholarship application form is now live!

Scholarship recipients will receive waived registration fees to Winter Institute 2026, a comped hotel room during the Institute, and up to $600 reimbursement for travel to and from the Institute. Wi2026 will take place February 23–26 in Pittsburgh, PA. Scholarship applications are due by Thursday, July 24.

Apply for the Sisters in Crime

"We Love Bookstores" $500 Award

Sisters in Crime, an organization of crime writers and readers, has a long-standing commitment to supporting and partnering with bookstores. In addition to publishing the We Love Bookstores Newsletter, the organization also gives six bimonthly $500 We Love Bookstores Awards to bookstores in the United States, Canada, the UK, and Europe, where Sisters in Crime has local chapters. Find the easy online application on SinC's website here.

Please send questions about Sisters in Crime or the WLB Award application to Susan Hammerman, [email protected].

Sign Up Now For Bookstore Romance Day

Bookstore Romance Day is a day designed to give independent bookstores an opportunity to celebrate Romance fiction—its books, readers, and writers—and to strengthen the relationships between bookstores and the Romance community.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, August 9, 2025 -- the seventh celebration of Bookstore Romance Day! Click here for information and to sign up to participate!

Indie-to-Indie Playlist:

Climate Change

Publisher members of the Independent Publishers Caucus have curated a lists of titles to help populate and distinguish your displays this month. The theme for July is Climate Change. Click here to View the list in Edelweiss!

Send us your store's news to be included in our future newsletters!

Professional Booksellers School Links



A Learners' Guide to PBS Independent Study

Basic Bookselling Self Guided

Basic Bookselling Store Subscription

Bookstore Financial Literacy Bundle

Upcoming Courses

BINC Links



Binc Mental Heath Wellness Program

Financial Assistance for BOOKSELLERS from Binc

Scholarship Opportunities

ABA Links

Apply for Winter Institute 2025 Scholarships

Take the Annual Membership Survey Now

Independent Bookstore Day Planning Guide

ABFE: ABA's Free Expression Initiative

Indies Take the Gold Campaign Assets

Current and Previous ABACUS Data

Monthly Marketing Calendars

Nominate Someone for the ABA Board

Download the Bookseller Resources Poster

ABA Event & Program Calendar

Indie Next List Deadlines

Report Sales to New York Times, Indie Bestseller Lists

ABA Affiliate Partnership Offers for Members