Ordering Underway for Independent Bookstore Day’s Special Items

Booksellers making plans to celebrate Independent Bookstore Day on May 2, 2015, should place their orders now for limited-edition, literary-themed merchandise developed by publishers exclusively for the event. Orders are due by February 1.

In addition to the previously announced merchandise, items in development for Independent Bookstore Day include:

• A signed, limited-edition infographic of “American books everyone should read,” from author David McCandless (HarperCollins)
• A set of three socks from Throx, which has created striped “F**ksox” in tribute to Christopher Moore’s novels Fool and A Dirty Job (HarperCollins)
• A color broadside from Stephen King’s forthcoming novel, Finders Keepers (Simon & Schuster)
• A signed, color broadside from Allie Brosh’s debut Hyperbole and a Half (Simon & Schuster)
• An original image of Captain Underpants, created by author and illustrator Dav Pilkey (Scholastic)
• A hand-drawn literary road map depicting Huckleberry Finn’s river journey from Plotted: A Literary Atlas (Zest/Pulp Publishing)
• A “Bad Citizen” stencil quoting Margaret Atwood’s poem “Spelling” (CBD Publishing)
• A collection of personal essays from favorite writers, titled Days Like This: Good Writers on Bad Luck, Bum Deals and Other Torments (CBD Publishing)
• Literary tea towel sets featuring “sweet” quotes from authors Nora Ephron and Sherman Alexie, or “salty” quotes from Lemony Snicket and Pat Conroy (CBD Publishing)

See the 2015 Independent Bookstore Day catalog for full item details and descriptions, and access the order form here.

All brick-and-mortar bookstores that are current dues-paying members of their regional booksellers association are invited to participate in Independent Bookstore Day. Participating stores must order 15 pieces total from the catalog, and all items are nonreturnable. Orders are due by February 1 and cannot be added to or canceled after that date.

Because many of the items are limited edition, some quantities received may differ from the number ordered; booksellers will only be billed for what they receive. Ingram will handle distribution of the merchandise, including free freight, as well as all invoicing. Items will be shipped to stores by April 25, 2015.

Booksellers attending Winter Institute next month in Asheville are encouraged to visit Independent Bookstore Day at the Consultation Station to learn more about the event and to get a sneak preview of a few of the special items. Interested booksellers are also invited to attend the “All About Independent Bookstore Day” education session at Winter Institute, to be held on Monday, February 9, 2015, from 3:35 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.

Questions about ordering or catalog items can be addressed to either Samantha Schoech, Independent Bookstore Day producer, via e-mail or at (415) 846-6131; or Hut Landon, executive director of the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association, via e-mail or at (415) 561-7686. Additional merchandise, including Independent Bookstore Day tote bags designed by Roz Chast and California Bookstore Day totes and T-shirts, can be ordered by contacting Landon.