American Booksellers Association

06/07/2026

Members, assets for the June Indie Next List and May/June Kids’ Indie Next List are live on BookWeb! 💻✨

Share them on your store's social media pages to let customers know they can purchase the hottest new titles at your store.

INL: https://www.bookweb.org/indie-next-list-june-1-pick-assets-3
KNL: https://www.bookweb.org/kids-next-list-mayjune-1-pick-assets-2

06/07/2026

The Find Waldo Local map is now live! 🔎📚

Readers can now see which stores are participating and start planning their summer scavenger hunt fun! ➡️ https://www.indiebound.org/waldo

Find Waldo Local takes place every July in partnership with Candlewick Press and invites customers to search for Waldo at local small businesses, ending the month with a community celebration.

Stores can also download the free toolkit on BookWeb for everything needed to bring the event to life. ➡️ https://www.bookweb.org/findwaldotoolkit

06/06/2026

20 indie bookstores for 20 days left until !

Here is a sampling of indie bookstores members have the chance to visit while in Chicagoland.

🚌 Will you be joining one of the Bookstore Tours?

Exile in Bookville
Book Bin Northbrook
Booked
Bookends & Beginnings
City Lit Books (📸: stacylaughs)
Goblin Market Manga, Comics & Curiosities
The Last Chapter Chicago
Matchmaker Bookshop
Pink Couch Books
Restoried Bookshop
RoscoeBooks
Secret World Books
Skunk Cabbage Books (📸: meryl)
Swallow Stories Bookshop (📸: Rebecca Ciotuszynski)
Three Avenues Bookshop (📸: Ash C)
Unabridged Bookstore
The Understudy Coffee and Books
Women & Children First Bookstore
Yellow Bird Books Aurora
Zora's Place

06/06/2026

It’s time to order your free Banned Books Week 2026 kit! 📚🔥

Banned Books Week returns October 4–10, 2026, with the theme “Let Books Be. Protect the Freedom to Read.”

These kits help independent bookstores bring awareness to the importance of intellectual freedom and include materials to help decorate your store and engage your community.

Supplies are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. The deadline to sign up is June 25.

Sign up now 👉 https://www.bookweb.org/request-banned-books-week-kit-2026

06/05/2026

Booksellers, did you know that ABA has a podcast? 📚 🎧

Dive into this valuable resource created specifically for booksellers, covering a wide range of topics to enhance your knowledge and expertise in the industry.

🎙️ Check it out here: https://sites.libsyn.com/109160/site

06/05/2026

June is packed with fun celebrations! 🎉 A few highlights include National Selfie Day, Juneteenth, Take Your Dog To Work Day, and more!

Get creative ideas to incorporate into your marketing by downloading the monthly handout ➡️ https://www.bookweb.org/marketing-calendar-handouts-2026

06/04/2026

Independent booksellers across the country have chosen Ann Patchett’s WHISTLER as their top pick for the June 2026 Indie Next List. 🙌

Bookselling This Week and Patchett discuss the inspiration behind the novel, the writing process, and more.

Read the interview ➡️ https://www.bookweb.org/news/qa-ann-patchett-author-june-indie-next-list-top-pick-%E2%80%9C-whistler%E2%80%9D-1632860

06/04/2026

Looking to celebrate Pride Month while at ?

Check out where the celebrations are happening in Chicagoland while you're in town! 🌈

Pride Month in the Chicago Northwest suburbs is a time of vibrant celebration and unwavering solidarity.

06/03/2026

Members, don’t forget to participate in this year’s ABACUS! 📊

This annual tool gives ABA member stores valuable financial insights through personalized performance “report cards,” helping you make more informed business decisions while strengthening support for independent bookstores overall.

Questions? Join ABACUS Office Hours with ABA CFO Lauren Ciborski:
• June 16 at 4:00 pm ET
• June 18 at 12:00 pm ET

Complete your survey by July 3 👉 abacusbenchmarking.com

06/03/2026

Three national censorship bills are currently under consideration in Congress.

If passed, these bills could restrict access to countless books and impact schools, educators, readers, and the broader book community.

Now is the time to speak up. 📣

Take action today and contact Congress about HR 7661, HR 8705, and HR 2616.

Contact Congress now: https://www.bookweb.org/advocacy-action-center?vvsrc=%2fCampaigns%2f134695%2fRespond