The indies are all right
Independent Bookstore Day and the power of community
This year’s Independent Bookstore Day was one for the books! Founded in 2014, the annual celebration champions the essential role of indie bookstores as community hubs. More than 1600 bookstores across the US and Canada participated, with many indies reporting their highest single day of sales EVER.
With lines down the block at opening and empty shelves at closing, this outpouring of support demonstrated the power of individuals actively choosing to stand up for small businesses. The collective voice of consumers standing strong against Amazon asserted the importance of local community action and emphasized the value of accessible, diverse books for all.
The many independent bookstores that partner with Silent Book Club to host local chapters are more than just retail spaces; they are vital threads in our community fabric, fostering a sense of belonging and offering connections and discoveries that algorithms can't replicate.
Scrolling through social media, we saw so many examples of the connections that are forged when people gather in person to support shared passions. The energy was electric! We hope you’ll continue to champion local independent bookstores not just on the last Saturday of April, but all year long. Our support ensures their survival and enriches us all.
Happy reading,
Guinevere & Laura
New map, who dis?
Big news! We’ve updated the map on our website to make it easier to connect with a local chapter near you. You can search by location, filter by venue type, or join an online gathering. If there’s a chapter missing from the map, or a listing that’s no longer active, please let us know.
Books we loved this month
Break the Frame: Conversations with Women Filmmakers, by Kevin Smokler
Nesting, by Roisín O'Donnell
The Change, by Kirstin Miller
The Correspondent, by Virginia Evans
Bookmarks
Book-related links and other good stuff online
Happy 225th birthday, Library of Congress! LoC
“There is no way to play three-dimensional chess with bigots” Lithub
Word warriors fight back Press Democrat
Importance of Federal Library Funding IMLS (YouTube video)
Celebrate Arab American Heritage Month with Books New Arab
A History and Future of School Librarianship Book Riot
"As close to magic as you can get" The Quiet Life
A Love Letter to Libraries in Our Darkest Hour EveryLibrary Institute
White House to ask Congress to cut $9B in funds, including for NPR, PBS The Hill
10 emerging writers win Whiting Awards NPR
381 Books Removed From the Naval Academy Library NYTimes
Students Sue Department of Defense Schools Over Book Removals SLJ
Book bans are not a hoax PEN
Students Fighting Book Bans Are the Focus of New Documentary Teen Vogue
International Booker prize shortlist announced The Guardian
Most Americans want to read more books NPR
The competition in e-readers The Verge
SBC in the news
The hottest new social scene might be a book club NBC News
The anti-book club, book club USA Today
An introvert’s guide to Lakeland LAL Today
Introvert-approved: a Brookline library book club where silence isn’t awkward Brookline.news
CNY Silent Book Clubs are offering a new take on nightclubs The Post Standard
10+ book clubs in Toronto for every kind of reader that you can join today Streets of Toronto
The Most Unique Bookstores In Seattle Secret Seattle
Reads Well with Others The Reading Room (~26 minutes in)
El Paso embraces World Book Day El Paso Times
