News on Bookselling March 2012 by Robyn Huppert

VOLUME 12 • ISSUE 1 • MARCH 2012

The official journal of the australian booksellers association

ISSN 1445-0437

First be nimble: how to adapt, innovate and perfom in a volatile business world

In September 2012 John Wiley & Sons will be publishing Graham Winter’s newest book, titled First Be Nimble:

‘new technology’ formula. At least that was the plan until events conspired to put Alex and the ageing yet still sparking Jim McCrae together.

First be Nimble is an engaging story, Join Alex on the journey of his life, as he backed by detailed commentary and discovers Jim’s stunningly simple secret tools that follows the challenges and to personal and business success and triumphs of the people of McCrae’s Fine then confronts all the challenges of Chocolates a fictional (but very life-like) bringing that secret to life again in Australian business as they confront the himself, his leadership team and in reality that their very survival depends McCrae’s Fine Chocolates. on leaving behind many of the things What’s the secret? that made them successful and replacing them with a new more nimble, Every year Jim McCrae challenged his agile and adaptive approach. team to stop producing and selling one of their most successful product lines The reader will come to know and love and to create a new product featuring a McCrae’s Fine Chocolates, a home grown chocolate frog that had to be more Sydney institution that went from successful than the one it replaced. strength to strength until the retirement of its inspiring leader Jim McCrae. Five years of ‘steady-as-she goes’ leadership all but destroyed the company, and saw it snapped up in a ‘fire sale’ by Alex Reid a 32 year old internet entrepreneur with a small fortune made from by creating and selling one of the hottest online retail brands in Asia.

That seemingly simple challenge, cheered on by signs around the plant and offices that read, ‘Even Chocolate Frogs Adapt’ grew the business into a resilient and adaptive team who knew how to innovate their way out of adversity together. The frog challenge united the leadership team, aligned individuals and teams, inspired To Alex, the much-loved chocolate collaboration and stimulated the sorts of company is just a brand name and some conversations that help people to learn trademarks to apply a now successful and grow together. Unfortunately a series of events collided and when Jim reluctantly sold the business the secret went with him. The new management never even thought to look to the past 02 CEO’s report for ideas and in any event why would 03 President’s report anyone in their right mind stop producing profitable products? 04 Marketing ideas

Inside this issue 06 Conference preview 08 ABA member services 12

Digital report

ILF report

ABA products

ABA news

Bookshop profile

At the 2012 ABA Conference, Graham will acknowledge the challenges such as new technologies, high labour and store costs and aggressive competitors that confront booksellers. He will inspire you to meet these head on by adopting a business motto: First Be Nimble. He will show through practical examples and tools how they can:

•Be brave not busy – to focus on impact not activity •Crack open the bottlenecks that reduce responsiveness and add to costs •Co-create with their whole team and even with competitors •Leap, learn and adapt by ‘running experiments’ instead of waiting for certainty •Build performance partnerships instead of boss-employee relationships Graham will provide inspirational examples that will engage, empower and unite teams around a shared set of value that are integral to their business success, and show booksellers how they can implement their own ‘frog’ strategy to accelerate innovation. Most importantly, he will give booksellers the practical tools to adapt to change and create the performance conversations that help people to learn, grow and thrive together.

Graham is an Australian Psychologist/ As the GFC hit, manufacturing costs Management Consultant with a unique went through the roof and new blend of experience working with top competitors flooded the market, Alex national and international leaders and combined Jim’s home-spun secret with teams in business and elite sport across some cutting edge leadership and team the Asia Pacific and in other global tools to drive McCrae’s not just back into markets. He has designed and developed profitability but to a leadership position innovative and effective solutions to the in the cut-throat world of 21st century key challenges facing all businesses. manufacturing and retailing. News on Bookselling November 2011

CEO report A year ago, much too much of my time was spent fielding questions about REDGroup closures, and the ‘threat’ to Australian bookshops from overseas online providers and e-books. Well, it’s 2012, and there seems to be a new attitude in the air. RedGroup has left the building, and more and more bookshops are adapting to the changing market. E-commerce is becoming much more commonplace, not only for bookshop groups and larger independents, but across the spectrum. Bookshops are using the tools available to create social media opportunities. IndieBound and National Bookshop Day are now part of the bookshop retail landscape in Australia. Publishers have been responsive in pricing, and where necessary formatting, to provide competitive retail pricing. In the period leading up to Christmas, many bookshops showed an increase in sales of 10-30%, with some, who were in direct competition to Borders and A & R, seeing growth even beyond that. Really importantly, one significant indicator for the stability of Australian bookshops is the survival and flourishing of former A & R franchises. The more than 50 former franchises are now thriving as Collins Booksellers; as independents, some joining Leading Edge Books, some going it alone; Mary Dalmau has reopened the iconic Readers Feast as a large CBD independent. And people are taking notice. As bookshops adapt to the changing market, and customers return, the media sees bookshops as bucking some of the broader retail trends. This 02

has resulted in much more positive coverage in the media, including articles about shops opening making the pages of our daily papers. The government has put ‘small business’ back into the conversation. Peter Strong, an ABA Committee Member, who is also the chief executive of the Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia (COSBOA) has been appointed as a member of the National Retail Council for Australia, which has given him increased entre to decision-making circles in Canberra. At a recent series of meetings in Canberra involving myself, Peter and Jon Page, we were involved in discussions with high-level advisers, ministers and the Opposition. Most optimistically, rather than customers asking when we are closing, they are voting with their feet (and wallets), and confirming the importance of bookshops in their lives by buying books in their shops or on their online websites.

What else is new? Our first issue for 2012 of ‘News on Bookselling’ has a strong focus on our wide range of member services, schemes and benefits. Our member services officer, Michelle Bansen, has put together some of the many practical reasons for joining the ABA. Whether you’re looking after an insurance scheme, cheaper parcel postage rates, freight consolidation or low-cost merchant fees, the ABA can provide information that will assist you in putting together a package that will more than save the cost of your membership.

"Most optimistically, rather than customers asking when we are closing, they are vioting with their feet (and wallets), and confirming the importance of bookshops in their lives..." Making Waves As well as that, our 88th ABA Conference and Trade Exhibition, 'Making Waves' (June 17-18, Manly) shapes up to be replete with guest speakers, forums, opportunities to catch up with your colleagues, suppliers and friends, and a program of social activities that will knock your socks off. Our trade exhibition includes many of the providers of the member service schemes touched on in this issue. Most major publishers are participating in the exhibition, as well as a range of smaller independent and specialist publishers, and there are some new non-book ranges that we hope you will enhance your bookshop's stock mix. Those of you who attended our 87th Conference in Melbourne last year will know the spirit of conviviality and the sharing of ideas and information that marked it, and we fully expect to carry on in that tradition.

Joel Becker

News on Bookselling March 2012

President’s report Welcome to the New Year, and one in which the tide may finally be turning. Many bookshops have reported a good Christmas which is a relief for all of us after a not-sobright Christmas in 2010. Two in a row could have been disastrous. Books seemed to buck the general retail trend at Christmas and performed very well. But we’re not out of the woods just yet. The global economic climate is still extremely volatile, as is domestic politics at a federal level. This has created a distinct lack of consumer confidence that has seen consumers saving rather than spending; an unfriendly trend for retailers! The challenge we continue to face in 2012 is convincing our customers to spend their money and that spending it on books from their local bookshop is value for money. This makes book pricing in 2012 critical. Many members attributed their good Christmas trade to the fact that book prices had fallen. And yes, many book prices have come down, but many still have not. There are still far too many trade paperbacks at $32.95 and highly priced hard covers. We are all too aware from running our own businesses that there fixed costs that have not come down, and are in fact going up. Rent, wages, utilities are all on the rise but communicating this to our customers is a challenge and often falls on deaf ears. But our customers are not mugs either. They are not expecting price parity with the US or UK. They understand that economies of scale and wage conditions are different in Australia. Book prices that have failed to change at all in the last 18 months treat book buyers with contempt and they quite rightly resent it. We all need to re-evaluate the way we do business. A decline in book prices has consequences for our businesses. Many stores reported an increase in book sales but with little or no increase in value. This creates a new challenge. Not only to we have to continue focusing on selling more books but we also need to focus on keeping costs

down or steady as well as maximising margins. To do this we need to keep evaluating what we are selling and how we are selling it. Book formats is one area which I think we all need to re-evaluate. The trade paperback was an Australian invention in the 1990s to give our small market an affordable alternative edition to the hardback. And it worked perfectly. But in an age of eBooks and global retailing the trade paperback no longer serves its purpose. In response to price pressures Scribe have announced they will no longer publish in the Trade Paperback format. In a retail environment where consumers want value for money maybe readers will appreciate paying $30 for a hardback rather than an oversized paperback. Maybe publishing straight into a $19.95 ‘b-format’ is a better model. Forget publishing in two or three different physical formats; stick to one. Ninety percent of pricing in retail is perception and we as a book industry are failing public perception on price. Part of this is the exchange rate and the internet but a big part of it is what has been happening in our industry over the last 10 years. The growth of books sales through Discount Department Stores like Big W and Target has contributed to consumer’s perceptions of book prices. Books have traditionally been perceived as having an intrinsic value, but when they are dropped into department stores by the pallet load and discounted up to 60% compared to traditional bookshop prices then that intrinsic value is eroded. We already had a problem with book prices before there was parity with the US dollar, the exchange rate and free postage was the bright spotlight that exposed the issue. EBooks have stripped this intrinsic value completely. Amazon is selling every eBook they can for $9.95, regardless of the cost price. This makes it impossible for anyone to compete, unless they can afford to make a loss. Selling eBooks at cost price is still uncompetitive for many competing retailers against Amazon’s deep discounting. It is classic predatory pricing. The only way to allow

and encourage competition in the eBook market is for publishers to adopt an agency model for pricing. Under the agency model the eBook price is set by the publisher and the retailer, as an agent, cannot discount the price. This prohibits predatory pricing and allows retailers to compete in areas other than price. Amazon is vehemently opposed to the agency model. Under the wholesale model, which is what we use for print books too, the publisher sets a list price (or retail price) and a retailer is free to sell the book at any price they wish. There is no short term incentive for publishers to switch to the agency model as the wholesale model allows publishers to still make the same money on eBooks as they do for the print edition regardless of what price Amazon charges. However in the long term there will be no retail competition and Amazon will be the one dictating terms. They won’t be making a loss if they don’t have to. The other challenge we face in 2012 is our local supply chain. The supply chain is vital for Australian bookshops and Australian publishers to remain competitive globally. We all need to be able to supply our customers with books faster than overseas suppliers and retailers in order for us both to remain competitive. We have been told that TitlePage or a TitlePagePlus may be on the cards, but details have yet to be finalised. Unfortunately the preChristmas deadline for a TitlePagebased solution was not achieved. Most people in the industry believe we are heading in a positive direction, with a positive view of how we can get there. I will admit to some frustration over the length of time that this is taking and the level of communication. I hope we see that vision come into fruition with the high level of urgency it requires, and urge all parties to work toward that aim, and to communicate the progress toward getting there.

Jon Page News on Bookselling March 2012

Marketing ideas Thriving in the corners: niche bookselling Niche booksellers champion independent bookselling by specialising in what they know best. All independent booksellers specialise in some way, whether they specialise in understanding their neighborhoods or in stocking and selling particular kinds of books. In that respect, independent booksellers may see their salvation in digging into a specialty and doing it better than anybody else. In this feature, we sample the work of specialty retailers in five niches, outline their strategy for success, and identify the challenges they face.

New Age Bookstores Feeling the Good Vibes Diversification and sidelines add to the Metaphysician’s bottom line It is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius. The Waterbearer’s finer qualities— innovative, curious, and social— describe well how New Age booksellers have thrived in today’s competitive marketplace. Regina’s Aware House Books opened in 1976 when a demand for transpersonal books became apparent. Its original sideline—100 per cent cotton blouses— suited the counter-culture demographic that recognized the store as a gathering place. Bonnie Castonguay, co-owner of Aware House says her store’s greatest challenge is not ethereal. It is the realworld hurdle faced by today’s independent booksellers: big box retailing. But, Castonguay proudly states, “We survived Chapters.” Although not without a 25 per cent drop in book sales. Still, with knowledgeable staff, careful business management, and transcendent customer service, sales figures have once again levitated. Castonguay identifies good business practices as a main reason for Aware House’s strong bottom line. “My husband, Guy, a truly excellent book buyer, also wisely increased the variety of New Age music and giftware.” She relies on management tools. And she cautions booksellers to 04

"really keep your eye on the cash flow. Always, always spend your profit,not your investment."

PJ Clarke, owner of Ottawa’s Serendipity Books & Gifts since 2002 has adapted to this market through a well-considered shift to sidelines. “Educating my community is my priority, but I have to watch my bottom line. Increasing merchandise, such as crystals, allows me to offer practical tools to aid my customers, while increasing my profit margins.” Both Castonguay and Clarke have so effectively connected with their communities that they do not require large advertising budgets. Neither sells online, but both appreciate their websites as valuable marketing tools. “I want my store—not cyberspace—to be a gathering place where the community can explore and learn,” says Clarke. Clarke originally offered brief introductions to various metaphysical topics, but this has evolved into today’s busy schedule of workshops, speakers, and demonstrations. And if they gather, do they shop? Castonguay says they do. “Since opening, we have twice the number of book titles. And in the last ten years, our gross sales have doubled.” Aware House maintains 50-50 split between books and gift items. Current trends include crystals, and meditation and stressreduction materials. Originally, they had intended to sell only books, “but not only does everything else pay the bills, now we offer a ‘complete package’ for people’s spiritual materialism.” Castonguay’s clientele is diverse. “We are connected to a huge community of doctors, yoga teachers, university professors, etc. who send their patients, clients and students to us.” She adds: “When I took up meditation and a vegetarian lifestyle 35 years ago, people did not accept me very well. Today mainstream doctors recommend these to their patients. It is a very different world.” Clearly, it is a new age.

Children’s Bookstores Specialising in Storytelling Children’s Booksellers Inspire Reading “Children’s bookselling is a fun genre to be in,” says Garry O’Connell from Fundamental Books and Toys in Stratford. “It allows us to focus our expertise and that, in turn, allows us to be competitive.” The benefits arising from that ability to focus are echoed by other booksellers and distributors. Bobbie Turner from CanLit for Kids says her business is so focused that she and her colleague scan be considered experts. Suzanne Brooks from Gulliver’s Quality Books and Toys remarks that, “We get known as a resource. Being a specialist allows you to do a better job.” Today’s kids are tempted by an everincreasing array of gadgets, and one wonders whether books can compete. One thing that all children’s booksellers agree on is that ift he parents read, the kids will read. Teachers and librarians play an important role too. “I’ve seen a librarian put the right book in a kid’s hand and just ignite that spark,” says Bobbie. “We write teacher notes to go with the book sand we include links to book trailers.” Will banning electronic gadgets create readers? Heather Kuipers from Ella Minnow says that books and gadgets are both tools and that it’s not a good idea to get lost in either medium, while Wendy Van Barneveld from Whirlybird Books suggests that, “video games are just another form of storytelling. Promoting literacy for boys is huge, and parents are starting to accept that it’s OK for them to read magazines and graphic novels.” She emphasizes that reading should be fun and engaging, and not treated like a chore.

continued on page 07 News on Bookselling March 2012

Conference Program Highlights

Conference registrations open on Tuesday March 13 and we are confident that we have put together our most exciting program to date. A full conference program will soon be available online. In the meantime, here are a few of the exciting new sessions and events that we have in store for 2012. Saturday 16th June Pre-Conference Drinks For those of you who plan to arrive the evening before we commence the official program there will be a preconference drinks session in the Sable Bar at the Novotel Sydney, Manly Pacific. Anyone with a conference registration is welcome to attend, however RSVP’s will be necessary for catering purposes. Be sure to stop in for a drink on us!

Sunday 17th June

Monday 18th June

New Booksellers Breakfast Sponsored by Hachette, this event is for booksellers who have been in the business for four years or less and first time conference attendees. Places are strictly limited, so you must RSVP when purchasing your conference registration. Get your day off to a good start by meeting fellow booksellers and find out how to make the most of your time over the two days of conference. Register your interest early as this will certainly book out.

The New Wave In recent times how often have we all heard in conversation, the catch phrase “the future of the book industry”? A panel of young enthusiasts will be asked to share their future hopes and predictions for bookselling and publishing in Australia followed by what is sure to be an active and thoughtprovoking Q+A session.

Talking Numbers Over the last few years the tumultuous global economy has forced us all to be extra mindful of how every one of our hard-earned dollars is being spent. In an open discussion about book pricing in Australia our panel of industry leaders will tackle the hard questions and give advice on how you can get the best margins for the stock in your bookshop. Gala Dinner The 88th annual ABA Gala Dinner will be hosted at the International College of Management, Manly. Limited seats are available for this fantastic event and with the help of our sponsor Murdoch Books we have a few brilliant surprises in store that you will not want to miss. Make sure you book early as you don’t want to miss out on this one!

Engaging Local Media It’s no secret that good press means good business, and what better way to engage with your local customers than through your local media channels. We’ve asked the people who know how, to share their knowledge on engaging with local media and learning how to make the headlines for all the right reasons! Advanced Social Media The basics have well and truly been covered, so now it’s time to really get your hands dirty. After the success of last year’s session we have decided to offer this in-demand session twice in our 2012 program. Getting back to basics and doing them well should be the heart and soul of any good retail business – but every now and then it pays to be a little bit fancy! Closing Drinks When the formalities of the 88th ABA Conference and Trade Exhibition are finished we’d like you join us for a drink and an opportunity to say your goodbyes, exchange Twitter accounts and let us know what you thought of the conference.

News on Bookselling March 2012

Another topic that booksellers agree on is that kids and young adults like a good series. Brooks and O’Connell both find that kids like the continuity of a series and Kuipers observes that “kids like book series because they find it stressful to commit to a new book and they like finding a character that they want to spend time with.” Van Barneveld has her store set up in a way that encourages kids to widen their reading horizons.

“The books are organized by genre, like a library or a video store, and not by age,” she explains.“When was the last time you went a book store and asked for the 28-year-old section, for example? Adults don’t shop like that, so why should kids?”

Antiquarian Booksellers Search for the Rare Treasure Pays Off Antiquarian Booksellers Survive by Adapting For collectors, antiquarian bookshops are treasure troves. Romantic and enchanting, this specialty conjures images of 19th-century adventurers as they romp through the Queendom from auction house to estate sale in search of first editions. But business is not carefree for today’s rare book dealers. Their most daunting challenge is Internet competition. Steven Temple Books successfully overcame this obstacle Temple’s Toronto store opened in 1974 as a general used bookstore, evolving into a fine and rare bookshop as his knowledge—and capital— grew. Today, he offers 50,000 rare editions. Temple explains that an antiquarian bookseller requires hands-on experience and the accumulation of knowledge so “one can recognize uncommon books lost in a sea of general titles.” Careful selection is essential, including estimating the resale price and identifying a potential customer. Temple is unequivocal about the impact of Amazon’s Internet sales on his business. “Ten years ago, their online store emptied my shop.” But Temple was equally certain in meeting the challenge. He established his own online store, mastering the sales medium with sell-through of more than 50 per cent of everything listed in the last decade.

“Internet buying and selling lets me use my imagination to seek out books to suit my customers.”

With the success of online sales, Temple plans to close his storefront. Liam McGahern, co-owner of Patrick McGahern Books, Inc. in Ottawa, has, instead, diversified sales channels, “expanding and adapting to survive.” Shortly after opening in 1969, the store began a transition from used books to collectible tomes. In time, McGahern recognized an opportunity in catalogue sales. Today, McGahern’s offers thousands of rare books through catalogues published six times annually in print and digital download. To complement the storefront and catalogue sales, his online store features 10,000 titles through its online database. This year, McGahern’s has again adapted, launching McGahern Stewart Publishing, which specializes in out-of-print accounts of northern travel. As well, McGahern’s moved and has ceased selling used books in its new location. “The used book business has always been tough and is getting tougher, with so many avenues to buy cheap used books.” McGahern closed his traditional storefront to move to a busier neighbourhood and up to the third floor. “In this new location, we are easily accessible to those searching for rare books.” McGahern has no need to advertise: “My customers are always on the hunt and will seek seek us out." McGahern is optimistic but laments that the antiquarian book market has diminished. “If you want a rare book— not as a collectible, but for its content— you have options thanks to the Internet and print-on-demand. But for those who love rare books, the world is changing and we are adapting.” Even though today;s antiquarian booksellers hunt in cyberspace, McGahern still treasures his finds: "As a renowned antiquarian bookseller once said, 'We get to own the books of kings... if only for a short time.'" article courtesy of Joy Ferguson & Stephanie Quinlan Canadian Bookseller, Winter 2011

A local success story: Asia Bookroom You could call Asia Bookroom in Canberra a speciality bookshop that specialises. They specialise in new, out of print and antiquarian books of Asian interest. As their website says, "Our stock extends from new books hot off the press to rare antiquarian volumes, including a wide variety of books published in many parts of the world, some of which are rarely seen outside of Asia." Owner Sally Burdon, who is currently the president of ANZAAB, has many years of experience in operating this niche business which has adapted and changed with the times in a way that would attract the envy of many general booksellers. The business has had an operataional website with a shopping cart function since June 1995 which has enabled them to capture their share of the growing online market. Alongside this Sally says their most effective way of reaching out to customers is through a specialised E-List service. This free, regular email list describes recent publications and the latest secondhand and out of print acquisitions in the customers particular field of interest "sent straight to your inbox, saving you time and keeping you up to date". These lists are created using the data collected through the bookshop's point of sale system. "The response we get to these newsletters is well worth the effort it takes to create them", says Sally. "They are also a great way to remind our customers that Asia Bookroom is 'alive and well'. Its an easy way to provide an additional service to customers and to nurture an ongoing relationship. As with most niche booksellers it is all about embracing your specialisation. For Asia Bookroom this translates to producing a 16 page chidren's catalogue, "Engaging with Asia', designed for schools and libraries. This is also backed up with support services for teachers and librarians and readily accessible information on the Asia Bookroom website aimed to make locatng and purchasing books as easy as possible. Speaking to Sally you get the feeling that Asia Bookroom has another healthy 30 years in front of them.

Robyn Huppert

News on Bookselling March 2012

ABA Member Services Maxmise your membership Membership to your association entitles you to a range of schemes, events, publications and products that will assist you in the running of your business. Member Schemes

The ABA offers a range of member services that are designed to save you money on your everyday business activities. The partnerships we have established with service providers such as Australia Post and the Commonwealth Bank offer substantial savings. Your parcel postage ranges from 10 to 30% off the standard parcel charges, while the merchant bank rates for your Eftpos machines are generally a few percentage points lower than the one you would be given as a stand-alone store.

Training

Throughout the year we run training sessions on various topics giving you the opportunity to share your thoughts with others and learn something new and relevant to bookselling. In 2011 we held seminars on Social Media and how best to utilise the options available. This year you can look forward to three training events covering Visual Merchandising, Google Analytics and Customer Service.

Conference

Soon you will be invited to attend the 88th ABA Conference and Trade Exhibition on the sunny shores of Manly, where many publishers, exhibitors and your fellow booksellers will be looking forward to meeting with you and exchanging ideas and information.

Information and advice

We also support you via the weekly e-newsletter and the quarterly News on Bookselling, keeping you up-to-date and informed on retail best practice, current trends, and things of interest happening in your industry. The ABA website provides all manner of resources ranging from information on how to set up and use TitlePage, current retail wage rates, information on our member benefits, industry links such as the Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Book Council of Australia, news on the Indigenous Literacy Foundation which many of our members supported in 2011. On top of that the ABA puts together an invaluable resource in the form of the Kids Reading Guide (KRG). It is an annual publication, which makes it easier for your staff to put the right childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book into the right hands. It is essentially a reference guide that helps you recommend that perfect gift for any hard to buy for child. Broken up into age appropriate sections, there is something to be found for any boy or girl. Most importantly for your customers it takes the guesswork out of the purchase. Best of all you know you can trust the recommendations as they have been chosen and reviewed by childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s specialist booksellers.

Products

The ABA has also done the hard work in finding a company to supply you with bags and stickers. We have you covered for any purchase large or small from plain brown paper bags of various sizes through to environmentally friendly cotton bags and paper carry bags with a store printed logo. The removable stickers are great for highlighting titles written by local authors, signed by the authors, best sellers or even those staff picks, all of which can make it easier to recommend a book to a customer.

Marketing Iniatives

In 2012 we lauched National Bookshop Day (NBD) which recieved a great response from you, the reading public and the media. This year NBD will be held on August 11 and again we look forward to distributing posters and bookmarks to highlight the event. We hope to get as many booksellers as possible participating and celebrating their love of reading and books with their customers and community.

Representation

We endeavour to represent the interests of our members to organisations within the book industry, as well as to government, the media and the public. A recent example is the ABA's involvement with the Book Industry Stratgety Group (BISG) and our ongoing dialogue with government boies regarding the specific needs of booksellers and of small business owners in general.

Michelle Bansen

ABA Member Services officer memberservices@aba.org.au 08

News on Bookselling March 2012

eParcel

Parcel Post The ABA on behalf of its members has negotiated discounts on domestic and international parcel post charges. The process to be involved is quite simple.

Australia Post also has another postal service e-Parcel available to our members. eParcel is an online freight management and dispatch system designed to streamline the distribution of your products that require tracking and proof of delivery.

Features •

A delivery service available to both business and residential addresses

without the need for multiple consignment notes.

How e-Parcel Works •

You complete an Implementation form and return it to the ABA.

•

We forward it on to Australia Post Contract management.

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eParcel division is notified in writing to activate the account.

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The e-parcel division contacts customers via email with their username, password and the link to the e-Parcel site.

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Complete an application form and return to the ABA

Each parcel is given a unique barcode making it easy to identify and track

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ABA forward this on to our Australia Post representative

Australia Post supplies the software required and mailing labels.

They provide a Quick User Guide and an initial supply of stationary.

•

Australia Post will create a new sub account, which can take up to 2 weeks

Scheduled pick- ups available from your shop or office (restrictions apply)

Further training can be provided over the phone or on site if required.

The implementation form MUST be returned to the ABA.

•

They then inform the ABA when your account will be activated

Parcel is scanned at various stages to facilitate the tracking sequence

Benefits

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ABA contacts the bookshop to let them know when it available for use

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ABA deducts the joining fee and other charges as applicable from your nominated account.

The rates are possible because Australia Post issues a monthly consolidated account, which the ABA pays on behalf of all the members who are participating in the scheme. The ABA then direct debits the amount owed by the individual members from their nominated bank account. A tax invoice will then be issued and emailed to the members. The Parcel Post contract has been renewed with Australia Post with updated rates coming into effect from 1 February.

•

Suitable for any sized account

•

You are able to track your parcel online at all stages from creation of the consignment and barcode label. A tracking event will be generated

when the manifest is received

the manifest is accepted by AP

the article arrives at the relevant delivery facility

4. driver loads the article 5.

article is delivered or carded.

Both a member and the parcel recipient can track the dispatch process if the recipients email address has been supplied on the consignment. The system allows you to import the consignment file from another site and store the details of regular customers. You don’t need to re-key or manually type in the data. Enables you to consolidate more than one parcel going to one address

To be able to access the eParcel system there are some requirements that need to be met. As follows •

A broadband internet connection

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Internet Explorer v5.5 or higher

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Adobe Reader v6.0 or higher

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Java Web Start v1.4.2.09 or higher

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Windows 98/2000/ME/2003/XP or NT (version 4 with service pack 6 or higher is required)

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Standard laser printer or thermal printer (NOT Inkjet or dot matrix printers)

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Pentium lll processor at 466 MHz or better

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Minimum of 128mb of RAM (512Mb is recommended)

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Minimum of 150Mb of free hard disk space.

Basically the faster your internet access and CPU and the more memory you have on your computer the better the performance will be of the eParcel application.

News on Bookselling March News on Bookselling April 20092012

09 09

Documents 20% Sum Insured or $50, 000, the lesser of Transit (damage whilst in transit) 20% Sum Insured or $50, 000, the lesser of Fines and Penalties 5% of Sum Insured

Theft

Seasonal Increase 50% / 120 Days We have done the homework for you, searching and comparing policies to find the one to best service a unique industry For the past 15 plus years we have partenered with OAMPS to bring you a specific product that is customised to meet your individual requirements and needs. OAMPS can provide a policy with flexibility and benefits which are tailored to you. OAMPS provides two types of cover for our members

Business insurance Some of the key Bookseller Product benefits include

Theft by Employee $5,000 each occurrence Theft without Forcible Entry Included in Sum Insured (Max $15,000) Property in Open Air Included in Sum Insured (Max $10,000) Theft from Building (fixtures and fittings) Included in Sum Insured (Max $10,000) Employees Tools and Equipment Included in Sum Insured (Max $ 5,000) Temporary Protection $10,000 Rewriting Records $25,000 New Premises 20% of Sum Insured (30 Days) Death following assault $10,000

Property

Clothing and Personal Effects $5,000 per person / $10,000 per loss

Fire Extinguishment Costs $50,000

Replacement of Locks (incl. Safe, Strongroom) $10,000

Accidental Damage Full Sum Insured Rewriting of Documents $25,000 Professional Fees - Architects etc. 20% Sum Insured or $50,000, the lesser of Temporary Protection Additional $25,000 if exhausted Removal of Debris 20% Sum Insured or $50, 000, the lesser of Sprinkler Leakage Full Sum Insured Loss of Land Value 20% Sum Insured or $100, 000, the lesser of Personal effects of Directors and Employees $5,000 per event Temporary Removal Stock and Contents 20% Sum Insured or $50, 000, the lesser of Capital Additions/Improvements 20% / $500, 000, the lesser of Prevention of Imminent Damage $50,000 New Premises - Temporary Cover 60 Days Government Fees $10,000

Money on Premises Outside Business Hours Limited to $5,000 unless otherwise noted New Premises 100% Up to $5,000

Domestic

covers lost or damaged goods up to the value of AUS$5,000 for any one shipment. covers only shipments that originate and end in Australia covers any delivery by post or professional carrier including parcels sent by Land, Sea, Air or Rail. covers Australia wide covers but is not limited to collision, accidental loss or damage, pilferage, fire, storm and flood.

Worldwide

covers losses to a maximum of $5,000 on any single shipment covers any ABA member using any post or courier company covers all members for conveyance by approved vessels, airfreight, and connecting vessels worldwide to Australia and vice versa. cover excludes war zones

Funeral Expenses $10,000 injury/death Employee Dishonesty $5,000 per loss Counterfeit Money $1,000 Fraudulent Use of Transaction Cards $1,000 Seasonal Increase 50% / 120 Days

Glass

Replacement Sign writing $10,000 Boarding Up/Shuttering $10,000 Window Tinting $10,000 Damage to Showcases and Frames Included Damage to Tiled Shopfront $10,000 Window Frames Included Damage to Window Displays $10,000

Increased Costs of Working $250,000

Care, Custody and Control $100,000

Business Interruption

Broadform Liability

Accountants Fees $100,000

Cover for Libel and Slander Included

Damage to Premises - Unspecified Supplier/Customer 20% Sum Insured or $50, 000, the lesser of

An obligation free quote for an insurance package with superior cover can be arranged.

ABA is the policyholder on behalf of its members and cover is available to all members. Members are offered the opportunity of both domestic and worldwide policies.

Temporary Protection $10,000

Seasonal Increase 50% / 120 Days

Parcel insurance

International Freight Consolidation This is a scheme exclusive to ABA members, which saves you time and money when importing books from the USA, UK and Europe. Intramar is an Australian owned independent freight forwarder and customs broker. They provide individual customer focused airfreight, sea freight, customs clearance and project services. They transport the items you need to move whether they fit in to an envelope, box, container or other unusual specifications. News on Bookselling March 2012

Intramar act as your in-house book import service managing the entire shipping process from start to finish. •

One simple flat per kilo price includes

•

freight charges from the overseas depot to your door

•

customs clearance charges

•

airport and documentation fees

The advantages for your business in using this scheme are •

that it enables you to select a freight method either via sea or air

•

to send to, or hold stock in the overseas depot, meaning you can consolidate shipments to reduce the rate payable per kilo

•

weekly stock on hand reports are provided so you can keep track of the stock that is being held for you at each international depot

•

Deferred payment of the GST and Customs compile fee, meaning that government payments are only due when the goods have sold

Merchant services In today’s retail environment it has become a necessity to offer your customers EFTPOS facilities. It allows your customers to pay with debit, credit or charge cards. By offering this range of convenient payment options it makes life easier for your customers making them more willing to do business with you. The CBA has an exclusive offer for all ABA members, and best of all you don’t need to be a Commonwealth Bank customer to take up competitive rates on their range of EFTPOS terminals. As a member you receive the discounted rates and the benefits of the buying power of a wider group. The bank is the largest provider of a range of EFTPOS terminals to suit your needs, whether you are a smaller business or require a terminal that moves with you wherever you are.

•Enjoy the convenience of real-time authorisations •Save time and money with streamlined administration and reconciliation

Special offer for ABA members

Electronic Credit Card Rate: 0.70% Debit Card:

0.00%

Reduced terninal rental

Ecommerce Your One Stop-Shop Ecommerce Solution Gate 13 is a shopping cart solution for those who wish to integrate their existing website into a profitable online business. It is a quick, easy and simple system that is customized for every individual client. A professional package that enables customers to order and pay for goods and services online securely.

The Offer

The ABA and Gate 13 have produced a special offer for our members. • $100 cash back • 1 hour free training to get you up and running fast and stress free • 2 free cart wraps to match your site and store branding.

Indiebound

Go Local, Shop Local, Stay Local.

In many cases during the Christmas trading period the focus on books reverted back to the traditional high street shop. The personal service, passionate staff recommendations and the joy of discovering something new made the bookshop a go to destination. To ensure that these bookshops continue to exist in our communities for the next generations we need to encourage consumers to come in. Author events, book signings, street festivals, National Bookshop Day, book clubs, movie nights and customer loyalty schemes are a real opportunity to create a bigger identity and make your bookshop a talking point and a place to meet. The dollars, jobs and diversity of choices created by supporting the local independent businesses sends a positive message of connectedness and contributes to a strong sense of community. www.indiebound.org.au

New Members Robinsons Bookshop, Frankston VIC Bookshop Darlinghurst, Darlinghurst NSW Redrock Books and Gallery, Horsham VIC Southport Books, Southport Park QLD Fairfield Bookshop, Fairfield VIC

The Benefits • Search engine friendly • No software to download • Unlimited customer support Check out the Gate13 Shopping cart solution that the ABA is using right now. http://store@aba.org.au To find out more about Gate13 and this offer you can email us at enquiry@ gate13.com.au or call us on 1300 732 603

•Accelerate cash flow with same-day settlement of funds to your Commonwealth Bank account News on Bookselling March 2012

Digital report This year will mark the fifth anniversary of Amazon’s launch of the Kindle, the event that triggered the spectacular rise of the ebook. Amazon has remained the biggest beneficiary of this growth, with its global market share estimated at 60 per cent or more. But changes are afoot that threaten its dominance and could shake up the whole market that has evolved around the ebook. The catalyst is the release of new ebook formats that offer richer formatting and take advantage of new hardware. Late last year, the industry group behind the five year old EPUB standard released its successor, EPUB3, which will appear in ebook readers and apps during 2012. Shortly afterwards, Amazon announced Kindle Format 8 (KF8), successor to the venerable mobi format at the heart of the Kindle phenomenon. KF8, like EPUB3, is based on the new web standards of HTML5 and CSS3. Both EPUB3 and KF8 open the door to highly illustrated and complex works, with EPUB3 having the edge through its support of video and a programming language called Javascript to add sophisticated interactive features. KF8 might add these later but they’re absent from the initial release, probably due to hardware limitations -- Amazon is keen for some of its older, but under-powered, black and white Kindles to remain compatible. So far, only its new colour e-reader, the Kindle Fire, supports KF8. These new formats might set the stage for Round Two of the battle between Amazon and the rest of the industry which has largely coalesced around the EPUB standard. But just weeks into the new year, things changed again when Apple fired a shot across the bow with iBooks 2. Apple’s iBooks app and its iBookstore support EPUB but iBooks 2 adds a new twist -- a version of EPUB3 that is similar to, but incompatible with, the industry standard. Apple cleverly made its initial target textbooks rather than trade ebooks 12

although its technology can span both markets. Its strategy goes well beyond introducing its own format. The launch of iBooks 2 went hand-in-hand with a user-friendly authoring tool called Author which lets anyone, including teachers, authors and small publishers, produce these rich ebooks. The catch? If you want to sell an ebook made with Author, you have to sell it through Apple’s iBookstore. Apple played another trump card to boost adoption of iBooks 2, launching the free iTunes U app. For several years, Apple has nurtured a section of its iTunes store called iTunes University which now features thousands of free video and audio courses from universities around the world. iTunes U opens this to schools (US only initially), integrates iBooks textbooks, and expands functionality with learning management system (LMS) features that manage courses and track students’ progress. All of this, combined with Apple’s deep roots in educational sales, is likely to make Apple and its hugely popular iPad a must-buy for education and a major market for digital textbooks. This popularity will likely spill over to the trade book market. So, even before the first EPUB3 ebook goes on sale, we have three (incompatible) variations of the industry standard. For those of us who’ve followed technology markets over decades, and witnessed the tactics of dominant companies like Microsoft, this is deja vu. Microsoft, whose dominance is waning as mobile devices replace the PC as the centre of computing, is famous for its ‘embrace and extend’ approach to standards. It adopts a standard then adds incompatible ‘enhancements’, a strategy that carries through to the internet today with the so-called browser wars that mean websites look different in different web browsers. Expect ebooks to follow suit. All of this maneuvering will affect the book industry profoundly, including the emerging ebook ecosystem. The

traditional dominant players -publishers and booksellers -- will have little influence over its outcome and it’s a time when technology leadership might change, including Amazon’s dominance of the first major wave of ebooks. Will traditional publishers still have a role? Probably. Unlike simple narrative works, the complexity and cost of producing high-end multimedia ebooks will demand the financial and human resources of big publishers. It’s unlikely the future digital Jamie Oliver cookbook blockbuster will be self-published -- but will Oliver appoint Penguin, or a new player like BBC or NBC, both of which now have ebook operations with access to cash and multimedia expertise? A fragmented ebook market might also upset existing ebook distribution channels. Ebooksellers like Kobo, Barnes and Noble, Google, and the many booksellers who use their technology, rely on the EPUB standard to access a large range of ebooks. This access will be threatened by demands from Amazon, Apple and some emerging players that sales go through their platforms. As ebooks become more complex to produce, publishers could start to limit the number of editions they support, making it harder for minority platforms to compete for top titles. There are still plenty of pieces in this puzzle to emerge from bothincumbent and new players - including the book's print cousins, magazines and newspapers. But one thing is almost certain - the shift to rich media ebooks means positions that emerged in the past few years could change again. And yes, EPUB3 - the industry's attempt to control the book's digital evolution and even Amazon if it missteps, could be casualties.

Martin Taylor

Martin is a digital publishing consultant. He blogs at activitypress.com/ereport News on Bookselling March 2012

ILF report We begin this year as we have begun the past five: acknowledging and thanking booksellers all over Australia, along with the Australian Booksellers Association and its dedicated staff, for your fantastic support in helping us achieve our fundraising target last year.

We also excited to be working again with Faith Baisden who as well as being an author/publisher runs the Eastern States Aboriginal Languages Group. Faith will produce two new Paakantji/ English books for preschool/early readers in Wilcannia in NSW in consultation with the local community.

THANK YOU!

Indigenous Literacy Day is Wednesday 5 September and remains our major fundraising event involving events and activities around Australia. This year, however, we’re inviting you to jump on board early and help us fundraise throughout the year and we’ll support your initiatives with donation boxes, posters, brochures and our school flier.

In 2011, over 25,000 books went out to 200 remote communities, schools & service organisations starting shortly after the floods in Queensland and running well into October when the heavens opened again, playing havoc with our last field trip plans. Anecdotal feedback from these communities confirmed that your donated books are making a world of difference described in one email as ‘bringing back storytelling and emotions’ and in another: ‘it is the first time that some of our parents might have sat down and read a story with their child’. In 2012 we are embarking on a challenging program of book supply, field trips and community literacy initiatives. Most importantly, we have our first major evaluation conducted by two highly qualified academics from Queensland, Beverley Broughton and Deborah Gahan. This will provide invaluable information on the effectiveness of what we are doing and how your hard-won funds are being spent. This year we have four major program visits to remote communities that we’re continuing to build relationships with, including two BookBuzz communities: Warburton and Yakanarra in WA. We’re aiming to complete five community literacy projects that span the completion of the Oral History Barkly Tablelands project to a continuation of a project with linguist Marg James for Ngaanyatjarra schools on the edge of the Great Sandy Desert with The Honey Ant Readers.

This year libraries and schools around Australia will focus on literacy and the joy of reading and we are delighted to be part of the National Year of Reading. In addition, One Day One Word, a national fundraising event and campaign organised by the Australian Society of Authors, which will be launched by Kaz Cooke in Melbourne on 14 March and will travel to capital cities around Australia. There are many more exciting new initiatives and campaigns coming up and these will be listed on our website, Facebook and twitter. If you have an event or idea that you want support for in 2012, let us know! If you’d like to volunteer or assist us in some way, contact Emily by email on: info@indigenousliteracyfoundation.org.au “Literacy”, says ambassador Kate Grenville, “opens so many doors…into the minds and imaginations and hearts of other humans all over the planet”. Help us open doors in 2012. Thank you for your support!

Karen Williams

Executive Director, Indigenous Literacy Foundation

www.indigenousliteracyfoundation.org.au

Indigenous Literacy Day 2012 Help us to raise urgently needed funds. Support your industry's charity on Indigenous Literacy Day.

Wednesday 5 September 2012 We invite you to help us to continue to put books into the hands of kids in remote indigenous communities. Register today and we’ll put your bookshop’s link & logo onto our website as a supporter/donor.

Raise funds and promote ILF throughout the year.

Here are some simple ways your bookshop can help raise funds at any time during 2012: • Display a donations box on your counter. We will provide a simple information sheet for customers, to sit alongside the box. • Ask for a gold coin donation at any of your events or launches. • Gift wrapping donation. • Hold a Father’s Day Breakfast event. • Stock and support The Naked Boy and the Crocodile (ISBN 9781742610573, Pan Macmillan).

Be part of Indigenous Literacy Day,

Wednesday 5 September by donating a percentage of sales on the day or giving a donation. Other ways you can participate in ILD are: • Great Book Swap • Book Busking • Author talk/event celebrating our Indigenous heritage • Raffle

Actively engage throughout the year Please help us spread the word and raise funds to support the program:

• Include pictures and stories about ILF in your newsletter. • Download our logo and display on your website. Like us on facebook and twitter and spread the word about ILF through your social media. • Tell your customers about ILF and Indigenous Literacy Day. • Get your local school to hold a Great Book Swap. (Ask us for a GBS Brochure) • Tell us how we can support you! News on Bookselling March 2012

ABA Book Vouchers The ABA is proud to provide and administer a National Book Voucher Scheme. They are an easy gift option for the buyer who is unsure of the recipient's taste and preferences, while for the latter it gives them the chance to choose the book they really want. All costs related to managing the vouchers – design, printing, handling and accounting are borne by the ABA, so making them a cost and time effective solution for bookshops. By purchasing ABA vouchers you are continuing to offer your customers a resource and promoting a service that supports the entire industry. Australian Book Vouchers are a popular choice as gifts for any occasion and are available in denominations of $10, $15, $20, $30 and $50. They are easily ordered on the website and also by faxing or posting the form to us, and they are mostly dispatched within 24 hours by express post. The vouchers are sold on a “firm sale” basis. Redeeming the vouchers is a simple process of filling in a claim form – downloadable from the website, completing and returning along with the accompanying vouchers for reimbursement. The vouchers are processed on the last business day of the month and payment is made by cheque or deposited into your nominated account.

ABA Bags & Stickers Take advantage of the ABA’s savings on your next bag order. We purchase bulk quantities passing the savings directly on to our members. This means that as a member you will be entitled to bulk discount rates regardless of your order. We offer calico, non-woven and paper bags in a range of sizes to suit your needs. The ABA stores and dispatches the bags from our Melbourne warehouse offering a freight service directly to your door. In order to keep bag prices at an absolute minimum we do not build the cost of freight in with the cost of the bag but rather we calculate this individually once receiving your order. We also offer a printing service to enable you to customise your bags with your shop logo. ABA book stickers are also available including – staff pick, winner and autographed copy among others. More information and order forms can be found on the ABA website or www.aba.org.au

The ABA vouchers are valid for two years so it is an ideal way to attract new customers, generate add-on sales and create many opportunities to feed a passion for books and reading.

You can download the voucher order form from www.aba.org.au and then fax it to the office on (03) 9859 7345.

14 014

News on Bookselling April 2009 March 2012 News on Bookselling

Introducing Michelle Bansen, ABA Member Services Officer I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as the Member Services Officer. Many of you in Victoria will hopefully remember my time as your Penguin representative, and for our other members I am really looking forward to getting to know you and your businesses. As part of this process I will be contacting you over the phone and in some cases meeting with you personally. I will be cross checking details to ensure we are up to date and wanting to get your feedback on our current services. I will be working to secure new schemes and partnerships that will provide benefits to our members in terms of time and savings. To this end I will need your assistance. I will be sending out a survey to gauge your requirements and to find better ways to support you in your daily business. I do need you to actively participate and take the time to respond enabling us to make sure we are heading in the right direction. It is your best interests to get involved and support your industry association, or in other words help us help you. Now a little background information about myself - I started off as a sales assistant at Books Unlimited, which shortly after became Book in Print. From here I decided to further my education and went to Victoria University of Technology doing a Bachelor of Business with a Major in Travel and Tourism Management. To keep food on the table I worked at Collins Books in Malvern as a part time bookseller. On completion of my degree I found my employment opportunities grounded by the airline pilots strike. However, an opportunity arose when the Japanese department store Daimaru opened in Melbourne. I played an integral role in the setting up the book department. I will be forever grateful for learning the art of roll wrapping – giftwrapping using only one piece of sticky tape or ribbon, and books are the ideal shape – nice and square and flat. See me at the conference if you would like a demonstration. After a year or so I took myself off on a Grand Tour of the British Isles and Europe. A lot of churches, castles, and chateau later I arrived in London, where a good friend provided a position at Dillons Bookstore in Piccadilly (nepotism at its best). A brief interlude followed at Madame Tussauds Rock Circus, but before long I was back at Dillons maintaining the travel section and selling the English version of the “bible” the A-Z of London. Two years later I returned to home shores, and shortly after was offered the position of Penguin Sales Representative. I spent 16 lovely years with the publisher and after a break of a few months I went to bookselling at Tim’s Bookshop. I am now delighted to find myself working for your Association and representing the interests of a diverse and dedicated group of people. I am keen to build upon your relationship with the Association, making it stronger and advantageous.

ABA news New ABA members

We welcome the following new members: Corporate Bookshop Members Andrew Barnes Booksellers, Braeside VIC Books at Yarck, Yarck VIC Books, Music and Other, West Ryde NSW Five Senses Education, North Rocks NSW Five Senses Education, Seven Hills NSW Newings Bookshop, Dapto NSW Pages & More, Mount Barker SA Pages & More, Victor Harbour SA Pages & More, West Lakes SA Red Rock Books, Horsham VIC Your Bookshop, Rhodes NSW

reed gift fairs 7 -10 July: Brisbane 4 -8 August: Melbourne 15- 18 September: Sydney for more information visit: www.reedgiftfairs.com.au

Saturday 11th August, 2012 News on Bookselling March 2012

Bookshop profile ELTHAMbookshop: a valued community bookshop Eltham Bookshop is no longer MY bookshop. It truly belongs to my community in the Shire of Nillumbik. This was readily proved over Christmas 2011 when we believe every single household in the Shire received a gift bought from the shop. As customers came up to the desk each one had the same mantra to repeat-”Please don’t go away” or “Eltham without this bookshop would be drought-stricken”. It is just the tonic we needed as we stand in the midst of an extraordinarily fast changing landscape in our industry. For 15 years we have kept our head above water running a fiercely independent bookshop teeming with an eclectic and thoughtful range of books for a curious, intelligent and responsive customer base served by staff who are madly in love with books and conversation. The bookshop was set up, under the guiding spirit of the late Ross Reading, in the leafy suburb of Eltham, reknowned as being the seed bed for many cutting edge artists, poets and writers in the hope of nurturing and sustaining a cultural life that seemed to be slipping away; to create on the shelves a sense of the abundance of literary thought from around the world; to connect readers to writers through regular author events (the track record has been an event a week for 15 years); to showcase the brightest and the most talented independent and large publishers, local, national and international writers and anything that provokes reflection and connection.

Three annual literary festivals have been organised for nine years in partnerships with local social justice community groups, leading publishers, The University of Melbourne and the Shire Of Nillumbik. Past Matters, celebrating indigenous writing, New Voices, featuring first time published writers and World Matters, focussing on the ancient sanskrit adage Vasudhev Kutabakum (the world is a family) presenting leading authors to raise awareness and discussions in the community on current political, environmental and cultural issues have all been warmly attended by a graceful and supportive community.

of creative, physical and mental energy to ride through the storms of the GFC, the demise of the ‘big’ players in the industry, online buying and the vastly disappearing stock of backlist titles from publishers warehouses. Local papers have carried stories about the bookshop’s endangered situation, conversations in the bookshop have asked people to reflect deeply on the choices they are making including taking down titles on iphones to order online later, publishers have been sent self evident messages that Independent bookstores like ours can more than make up for the losses incurred as a result of the ‘big’ closures as long as they can keep up their courage, bring forth books that are excellently edited and produced and enhance their communications with the retail sector with increased, not less, numbers of reps on the road and vibrant marketing and publicity departments.

The bookshop seems to be constantly on the move and in the public eye as we takes books to and fro to support local fund raisers, parenting seminars, meetings of Humanists and environmental activists amongst a myriad other ‘happenings’ in the Shire -anywhere there is a chance that books can be put face out and bring extra meaning to an event.

I think bookshops matter more than ever in making possible face to face human contact over ideas. I like to see the colour of my customers eyes and I think they like to see mine. And as my colleague says-”Passion”! This is what makes our bookshop tick.

The last two years have been challenging and required every ounce

Meera Govil

ELTHAMbookshop owner Meera Govil with staff member Maddie on National Bookshop Day 2011

Australian Booksellers Association Incorporated in Victoria, ABN 56 365 379 358, Unit 9, 828 High Street Kew East Victoria 3102 Telephone 03 9859 7322 Fascimile 03 9859 7344 Email mail@aba.org.au www.aba.org.au

News on Bookselling Editor Robyn Huppert Advertising enquiries Robyn Huppert Email mail@aba.org.au Entire content copyright © Australian Booksellers Association Disclaimer Advertising and inserts in News on Bookselling are paid for by the advertisers. Their inclusion does not imply endorsement of these products or services by the Australian Booksellers Association