 The Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association (GLIBA) announces a groundbreaking shift in its leadership structure, moving away from traditional human staff and board of directors to a revolutionary AI-driven management system. This move marks a significant advancement in leveraging technology to streamline operations and enhance efficiency within the association. Effective immediately, GLIBA will transition its decision-making processes and day-to-day operations to an advanced artificial intelligence system. This strategic decision reflects GLIBA's commitment to innovation and adaptation in an ever-evolving landscape.  "We are thrilled to embark on this transformative journey as we entrust the reins of GLIBA to cutting-edge AI technology," said new Executive Director, Larry-62978. "By harnessing the power of artificial intelligence, we aim to optimize our operations, increase responsiveness, and better serve our members and the independent bookselling community at large." The decision to transition to an AI-driven model comes after careful consideration of the evolving needs and challenges facing GLIBA. By removing traditional human staffing and the board of directors, GLIBA anticipates greater agility and the ability to adapt swiftly to changes in the industry.  "We believe that embracing AI as our primary decision-making mechanism will enable us to remain at the forefront of innovation in the independent bookselling sector," added new Executive Coordinator February-82539. "This bold move underscores our commitment to embracing technology as a catalyst for progress and growth." GLIBA assures its members that this transition will not compromise the association's dedication to its mission of supporting and advocating for independent booksellers. The AI system has been rigorously developed and tested to ensure alignment with GLIBA's values and objectives.  We are excited about the possibilities that lie ahead with our AI-powered leadership model. This marks a new chapter for GLIBA, and we are confident that it will empower us to continue serving our members with excellence and innovation.
To order a shirt with our new logo or for more information and updates on GLIBA's transition to AI-driven leadership, please visit gliba.org.
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This is your invitation to participate in 2024's Michigan Book Hop for Indie Bookstore Day!2/23/2024  We'll be doing another event similar to last year's, in which participating stores were part of a Bingo card that customers could stamp as they visited. At the end of the Hop, customers turn in their Bingo cards to be eligible for a drawing. Last year, we had several regional prizes of $20 to spend in a store of their choice AND a state-wide prize of $300 to spend at Bookshop.org.
You can find details on last year's event here -- I can't speak for every store, but in 2023 Detroit Specials had several new-to-us customers who visited us as part of the Book Hop, some of which have since become regulars. One young woman even traveled to EVERY Book Hop store in the state, and she's planning to do so again this year. What are we asking from participating stores?
If you'd like to help with the planning or just want to learn more about the Book Hop, please join one of the MI Book Hop communities - we have one on Discord and one on Facebook. If you aren't active on either of those platforms please reach out to either me or Laura Harvey of Adventure, Ink ([email protected]) so we can make sure you have access to all of the information you'll need. The deadline to register at the above link is FEBRUARY 29.  We are thrilled to welcome February to GLIBA! Her background in English and teaching, coupled with her experience managing a student-led cooperative and her current role as a bookseller at RoscoeBooks, reflects a passion for literature and community building. We believe her unique perspective, coupled with her dedication to lifelong learning, will make a valuable contribution to our organization. We look forward to the positive impact February will undoubtedly bring to our region. Together, we look forward to forging stronger connections with our community and many new ventures.
About February: February moved to the Chicagoland area from Boston, MA in 2023. She studied English and Psychology at Wellesley College, and is currently a candidate for her Master's in Fine Arts from Randolph College. After managing a student-led cooperative for several years as well as beginning her professional career as an English teacher, February is now a bookseller at RoscoeBooks, and is eager to continue building a career grounded in her lifelong love of reading. Everything you need to know about February can be summarized by the two books that changed her life: Beloved by Toni Morrison and Soft Science by Franny Choi.  2023 has been an extraordinary year marked by fresh challenges, growth, and a deep sense of community. As we conclude this year's holiday season, stores throughout our region have experienced growth in sales, navigated the return to pre-pandemic levels of in-store activity. and maneuvered the new challenges on how best to support their communities and freedom of speech. This year witnessed a concerted effort by stores to amplify underrepresented voices and combat book bans. Encouragingly, GLIBA has observed a remarkable surge in BIPOC-owned and alternative model bookstores opening—a beacon of hope for the future. Our region is growing and passionate. Heartland Fall Forum in Detroit achieved record-breaking attendance, becoming the highest-attended regional fall show in the country. Kicked off by one of the biggest and coolest events we’ve ever hosted, Jack White in conversation with Hanif Abduraqqib. We saw the second year of our Summer Catalog. And our first ever Holiday Catalog Cover Art Contest. We held Spring Forum at the iconic Two Dollar Radio in Columbus, OH. And we hosted Rep Night in Chicago on a basketball court. Thank you to everyone that came out. This year was met with the contagious enthusiasm of new booksellers coupled with the heartfelt joy of seasoned stores reuniting. It created an atmosphere of joy, gratitude, and optimism that will stay with me. Here's to the continued success and resilience of our vibrant community of bookstores. A heartfelt thank you to the GLIBA Board of Directors President; Tim Smith, Vice President; Alyson Jones, Secretary; Nina Barrett, Treasurer; Melissa Weisberg, Chris Conti, Gary Lovely, Maxwell Gregory, Zach Matelski and Shay Carroll. This was a year of tremendous challenges and successes that the GLIBA board met with grace, dignity, patience and passion. This year would not have been possible without them. GLIBA wishes you a wonderful and prosperous rest of the holiday season! As the year concludes we hope that you and your loved ones can take some time for yourself and rest. This will be last Making Waves of the year. It's an honor to serve the bookstores of GLIBA. We have some very exciting new ventures to announce soon, and I eagerly anticipate reconnecting with all of you in 2024! Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! - Larry Law, Executive Director of GLIBA  GLIBA BOARD OF DIRECTORS  2023 HIGHLIGHTS
 Job Title
Executive Coordinator Location Chicagoland area or remotely from Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio or Wisconsin Terms Part Time / 20 hours per week Rate $20 per hour About Us The Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association is a non-profit bookstore advocacy organization based in the Great Lakes and Midwest. Covering Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. We provide education, events, social networking opportunities and marketing programs annually. About the Role We are seeking an Executive Coordinator to handle day-to-day tasks of the organization as well as planning and execution of annual events. Responsibilities Assist the Executive Director Manage day-to-day tasks of the organization Newsletters, advertising, invoicing, social media, etc. Bookstore and publisher outreach Trade Show and small to large-scale event planning and execution Booking events, reservations, attendee and exhibitor logistics, marketing, registration, etc. Experience Bookselling and or publishing experience Marketing experience Budgeting Event planning Small to large-scale events Familiarity or expertise in the following programs and platforms Constant Contact Microsoft Office AirTable QuickBooks Threads Adobe Illustrator Adobe Photoshop TikTok To Apply Please email your resume to [email protected]  We are thrilled to extend our warmest welcome to CALIBA, our newest partner! Collaborating with new stores, publishers, and embracing all the fresh opportunities they bring is something that truly excites us. Stay tuned for even more exciting announcements coming your way soon!
RAMP (our catalog consortium) partners annually to produce our Summer and Holiday Catalog. Our catalogs benefit hundreds of of independent bookstores in our regions. RAMP includes the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association (NAIBA), the Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association (GLIBA), the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA), and the JUST ADDED California Independent Booksellers Alliance (CALIBA)! (more info)  The Midwest Independent Publishers Association (MiPA) is on the lookout for enthusiastic booksellers to join our esteemed panel of judges for the Midwest Book Awards! Let’s build a community of book enthusiasts celebrating the best of Midwest literature. Read more and apply here
Libro.fm is in a unique position for last-minute gifting. We expect our bookstore partners to have their biggest audiobook day of the year again on December 24th.
Libro.fm audiobook credit bundles come in 2- 3, 6, 9, 12 and 24-credit packs. This year, customers save 5% on the 12 and 24-credit bundles through December. Customers can also give individual audiobooks as gifts.
We'e also running a Credit Bundle Sale from 12/5-12/7: All credit bundles will be 10% off, which only happens once a year. Link: Libro.fm/gift Assets: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/16Xs5h8YmCFV1pWK07oqReDBST4D_zE4W?usp=sharing Partner shops can visit Libro.fm/hub for additional key links and resources throughout the season. Please let me know if you have any questions or feedback! How School Book Bans May Implicate Civil Rights Laws Enforced by the Office for Civil Rights
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights recognizes that book bans may violate federal civil rights laws in certain circumstances. In this webinar, OCR will introduce the office, the laws it enforces, and the process to resolve potential violations. The Office for Civil Rights enforces several federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in schools, colleges and universities that receive federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Education. Federal laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), disability, and age. Any individual can file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights. Learning Outcomes: Attendees will learn about:
TUESDAY, October 17, 2023
Schuler Books Westgate Shopping Center 2513 Jackson Avenue Ann Arbor, MI 48103 6:30pm: Local Michigan Romance author Erin Hahn https://www.schulerbooks.com/event/friends-don’t-fall-love-erin-hahn Schuler Books Gateway Center 7260 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Twp, MI 48322 6:30pm: Linda Kass, author and owner of Gramercy Books in Columbus https://www.schulerbooks.com/event/bessie-linda-kass Source Booksellers 4240 Cass Avenue #105 Detroit, MI 48201 7pm: The Future of Bookselling – A Book Launch and Conversation with Danny Caine and Josh Cook, with refreshments from Biblioasis (beer + pizza) https://www.eventbrite.com/e/future-of-bookselling-launch-and-conversation-tickets-723955940707?aff=oddtdtcreator WEDNESDAY, October 18, 2023 27th Letter Books 3546 Michigan Ave. Detroit, MI 48216-1007 6:00pm: A constellation of poets hits the 27th Letter Books stage: visiting poet Kevin Cantwell, John (Cal) Freeman, and Christina Kallery https://www.27thletterbooks.com/event/halogen-moon-starlight-kevin-cantwell-cal-freeman-and-christina-kallery THURSDAY, October 19, 2023 Third Man Records 441 W Canfield Ave Detroit, MI 48201 7pm: WDET’s Ann Delisi’s Essential Conversations: Nabil Ayers @ Third Man Records https://wdet.org/event/ann-delisis-essential-conversations-nabil-ayers-third-man-records/ Friday, October 20, 2023 DSO Orchestra Hall Presented by Source Booksellers 6:00pm: Jada Pinkett Smith – Worthy Book Tour Source Booksellers presents: Jada Pinkett Smith at DSO Orchestra Hall https://www.facebook.com/events/843517647184017 Every ticket to this event includes a copy of Worthy (on sale: October 17, published by Dey Street!! Tickets Available in Eventbrite or in store at Source Booksellers |
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