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Although I pride myself in trying to always see the bright side of life, that has been quite a challenge in the last few months. In addition to being forced to deal with many troubling feelings and issues on a personal level, I then go to my store and find myself faced with uncertain topics such as recession, projected retail downturns, rising unemployment, etc. Should we reduce inventory? Should we expand or contract our business? What about payroll? Certainly, times are trying and perplexing. However, almost in spite of these negative factors, I have begun to feel very positive about certain aspects of our unique type of business. In uncertain economic times, the sales of Aluxury@ items often decline. So, we will remind our customers that books feed the mind and the spirit and should not be grouped in the nonessential category. As people spend more time at home with their families, reading is easy to promote as a positive and beneficial form of entertainment. When people are more troubled and perplexed, we help them to find understanding of the issues in a book. When they seek pure escapism in the form of a book, we are happy to assist. But the single most important trend that I have witnessed is that people are coming to our store wanting, more than anything else, a place to connect with others. Independent bookstores have always served as a community meeting place, and the importance of this role has increased dramatically. There are several practical things that we need to do in order to help our customers see out stores as a place of refuge. First, talk with your employees. They are also feeling uncertain and overwhelmed. Listen to their concerns, and remind them that our customers are likely to manifest their feelings in many ways...both positive and negative. Encourage patience. Second, market the positives of reading and your store. Especially in hard times, we must continue to promote our stores. Finally, walk through your store and determine what you can change or improve to make your store seem warm, welcoming, and reassuring to your customers. Your customers will see your store as a safe haven, and you will feel better because you are responding positively to
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM AROUND THE REGION... OH! Hidden treasures Jennifer AnglinThe Enchanted Forest Bubba the Cowboy Prince by Helen Ketteman $15.95 Scholastic Trade; ISBN:0590255061 A cowboy retelling of Cinderella. Read a couple of pages out loud to your customer with your thickest Texas accent and they will snatch it out of your hands and run to the cash register. We Could Almost Eat Outside by Phillppe Delerm $14.00 Picador USA; ISBN:0312203640 A terrific gift book for the armchair traveler. Quick chapters that so wonderfully describe wandering around France, you can almost smell the bread! My Favorite Fall Title Susan Kent Treehouse Readers Stand Tall by Molly Lou Melon. With David Catrow's illustrations, Molly standing up for herself & being proud of who she is - it's a winner all around. You can't miss with this title. It's a great read aloud, and concept book, and the illustrations alone sell it. A Truly Inspirational Sleeper Series Tamra Dore' Katy Budget Books The O'Malley Series by Dee Henderson (The Negotiator, The Guardian, The Truth Seeker, The Protector) An amazing combination of romance, suspense, family values, and religion. First brought in as a special order, we have now sold very large numbers of the first four books in this series about a fascinating group of siblings. There is something for everyone, and the way the religious message is intertwined with other aspects of the story strikes a welcome chord with many customers these days. May be safely recommended to Aunt Molly as well as teenage readers. Please send recommendations from your store for our next newsletter. (Email to tamra@katybooks.com or mail to Katy Budget Books 2450 N. Fry Rd. Houston, TX 77084)
OKLAHOMA WAS MORE THAN OK! Were you with us in Oklahoma City? It was a great show, and the feedback from booksellers and vendors has been very good. Special thanks to Joe & Billie Holmes and all the members of the MSIBA Board for their many hours of help in running the show so efficiently. A special round of congratulations are also due to the Children’s Issues Committee for their fantastic Friday programming concluding with the always wonderful Humpty Dumpty Dinner. The educational programming provided by Avin Domnitz of ABA and Susan Paz and Mark Kaufman of Paz and Associates was exceptional. Finally, many lucky booksellers who placed orders during the show ended the weekend in a special way by becoming winners in the drawing held at noon on Sunday. DRAWING WINNERS Connie Hepner from Full Circle Books
JOE HOLMES ANNOUNCES HIS RETIREMENT Joe Holmes, MSIBA Executive Director, announced his retirement at the Fall Trade Show. Joe has served Mid-South for two years with the very capable assistance of his wife, Billie. They were aptly described by several vendors at the show as Aexcellent ambassadors for Mid-South@. They have always been willing to do Awhat ever it takes@ to further the cause of our organization. On behalf of the Board of Directors and the members of Mid-South, we express our heartfelt appreciation for their personal dedication and tireless effort. Joe has agreed to remain as Executive Director while the Board searches for and hires a replacement. THANK YOU, JOE AND BILLIE
A One Dimensional Gingerbread Display Piece In our quest to provide you with "news you can use"...... Jennifer Anglin of Enchanted Forest shares instructions on how to create an addition to your holiday displays sure to enhance your sales. And the best thing is...it’s easy! Supplies: A cardboard box (I'm sure you have a few laying around) white paint and a small narrow brush (or, in a pinch correction fluid) Scissors or a box cutter a pencil glue or a glue gun.
Mid-South Independent Booksellers Association GENERAL MEMBERSHIP FINANCES Work with the Treasurer and accountant in budgeting and financial management, and provide timely information for the preparation and submission of appropriate tax returns. COMMUNICATIONS NEWSLETTER TRADE SHOW Organize and direct task-oriented committees for workshops, speakers, and bookstore registration. Handle community outreach and publicity for trade show. Make contacts to increase income from sponsorships. Plan and develop trade show program, event tickets, signs and badges. On site coordination and trouble shooting during trade show. Coordinate member and non member volunteer functions before and during the show. SPRING FUNCTION COMPENSATION REQUIREMENTS Knowledge of all aspects of independent bookstore operations. Contacts and connections in the bookselling and publishing industry would be a major asset. Excellent problem solving and communication skills. Flexible time schedule. Able to devote more time prior to major events such as the trade show. Availability during scheduled normal daytime business hours for phone and email communication. For more information about this position, please contact Tamra Dore=
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