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IndieBound Literary Liberation Underway
June 12, 2008
 IndieBound,
the American Booksellers Association's new community-oriented movement celebrating
the value of independent businesses, is underway. On Monday, a Literary Liberation
Box, including tools that booksellers can use to promote IndieBound in their
stores and in their communities, was shipped to all independently owned ABA
member stores. Booksellers on the East Coast began receiving the box on Tuesday,
and all stores should experience Literary Liberation within the next several
days.
"IndieBound reflects the excitement of localism and the appreciation of
independent business spreading across the country today," said Meg Smith,
ABA Chief Marketing Officer. "And it provides ABA members with a new, fresh
way to promote themselves to their customers, as well as to align with other
independent businesses in their communities."
Smith added, "When the Literary Liberation Box arrives in stores, we hope
owners will take the opportunity to spread the excitement among staff by opening
the box in their presence." (Here's a look at what booksellers
will find in the Liberation Box.)
Thus far, bookseller response to IndieBound and the Literary Liberation Box
has been enthusiastic. "I think it's fantastic," said Christine Onorati
of WORD bookstore in Brooklyn, New York. "I am totally excited about it.
[IndieBound] has exceeded my expectations, and it is customizable, and that
is really important." She added that the "edgy" look is "well
done. I'm very impressed."
Farley's Bookshop in New Hope, Pennsylvania, displays the IndieBound "Eat.
Sleep. Read." poster on its doorstep and the "Declaration of IndieBound"
in the front window. |
Onorati, who two months ago started forming an informal independent business
alliance, said, "This will help me. I can go right into the stores, give
them signs, and show them all of this stuff, and start getting something together."
In the bookstore, she placed the "Here's
What You Just Did" sign up "right away, and called the bag company
and ordered the recycled bags."
At Farley's Bookshop in New Hope, Pennsylvania, Alexis Kaelin told BTW,
"I was very excited -- it's a neat box, and a neat transformation [from
Book Sense]. It's inspired me to shop at other local stores, too." Farley's
put most of the materials from the Literary Liberation Box out on Wednesday,
with the bookmarks, bookplates, and other items placed at the cash wrap. "People
are excited about the book plates," Kaelin said.
"We love it," said Stephanie Anderson of Moravian Bookshop in Bethlehem,
Pennsylvania. "Our head buyer is wearing the pin with the IndieBound logo
on it. And we like everything that says 'Eat. Sleep. Read.' on it."
The timing of the box's arrival was good, Anderson reported, because the Sustainable
Business Network of the Greater Lehigh Valley (SBNLV) just kicked off its yearlong
Think Independent campaign. "So we're going to use a lot of IndieBound
stuff that we will display in-store and in our window and combine that with
the Think Independent campaign."
The Village Bookshop in Bradenton, Florida, is proudly IndieBound.
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In Bradenton, Florida, Doug Knowlton, owner of The Village Bookshop, immediately
displayed his IndieBound materials and sent an e-mail blast with a link to IndieBound.org
to the 300 or so customers on the store mailing list. "A member in my writing
group has already signed up for a t-shirt," he said. "And I'm going
to need a lot of the bags ... maybe some with our logo."
After reading more about IndieBound at lunchtime, "I got even more excited,"
Knowlton said. "And I don't get excited."
The Village Bookshop's
MySpace page now features IndieBound and invites customers to a rally, where
they can sign the Declaration of Independents.
Here's a look at what booksellers will find in
the Literary Liberation Box:
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Rally
Cards. These pull readers in with a cool image on the
front, while the back gives more info on what IndieBound is all about.
These cards give customers the information they need to turn around
and spread the word. Booksellers can find more great designs and messages
at Bookseller
DIY, the home for all customizable IndieBound stuff.
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Palm
Cards. These cards fit in the palm of the hand. The
great design catches the eye, while the back carries a powerful message.
Booksellers can hand them out like business cards -- or like candy
-- near the register, at events, or get their customers involved to
spread the word further. Booksellers can use them to start a conversation
about IndieBound, and about why independent businesses matter.
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Shopping
Bag Samples. The box contains a sample of new shopping
bag designs made from recycled craft paper and styled with the IndieBound
look. These use more spirit lines, like "Peace. Love. Books."
There's also a smaller bag size for children's books, proclaiming
the pride booksellers take in "Raising Passionate Readers."
Booksellers will receive a bag order form, where booksellers can get
either size bag, flat or with handles, and customize them to feature
their store logo.
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Bookmarks.
The bookmarks have fun designs -- and a great reminder on the
back of why shopping at Indies is so important There are more designs
available in the Bookseller DIY, and each design includes a space
for their store's name. Print it, stamp it, and pass it out to all
their customers.
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IndieBound
Bookplates. These speak directly to customers
-- literally. These messages are memorable and funny, and there's
room for a bookseller's store's stamp on the front.
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The
Staff Shirt. This red T-shirt with white lettering
reads, "This is the part where I save the day." There's
only one per box, so booksellers will have to decide who gets it.
There are other shirt designs not only in the Bookseller
DIY, where booksellers can print their own templates and
customize shirts any way they like, but at a members-only, wholesale
Printfection
Online Shop booksellers can find tons of T-shirts, plus
baseball shirts, hoodies, even some for the kids.
All the shirt designs feature IndieBound
spirit lines, cool sayings, and tag lines that get the
message across. All the suggestions are listed in the Bookseller DIY,
but these are just suggestions. Booksellers can come up with their
own lines and use them everywhere -- and send any great ideas to paige@bookweb.org!
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Window
Decals. The box contains 10 "We're IndieBound"
window decals These are a great way for booksellers to start a
conversation with their indie retail neighbors about IndieBound, and
why the independent and local movement is so important. ABA will supply
an unlimited number of basic decals to member stores. There's also
a customizable version housed in the Bookseller DIY, with space for
the store's logo, or an independent business alliance logo. Booksellers
can get together with their local print shop to produce a version
just for their community, and see how far it spreads.
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And much, much more.
A separate package will contain three posters:
a 17" x 22" print of the Declaration
of IndieBound; an 18" x 36" red IndieBound banner;
and a 36" x 72" Eat.
Sleep. Read. poster. All three of these, plus variations and
more great poster designs, are available on the Bookseller
DIY page. These files are print-ready as is, but high quality
and easily customizable. Booksellers can add their logo, or change the
colors to suit their store's decor.
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Topics: News - Bookselling, IndieBound,
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