Bookselling 2.0 : The Bookseller Manifesto. Part II

In Part I one of Book Patrol’s Bookseller Manifesto we talked about the shifting landscape of bookselling and the challenges that both the new book and non-new book industry face. We also talked about the need for new definitions for the various guises of bookselling.

In Part II we offer some thoughts and ideas on what needs to be done for bookselling to prosper in the 21st Century.

Step 1

Our first order of business is to accept the fact that independent bookselling as we know it is on its death bed. Period. The model has been severely disturbed by the changes of the last 10 years and will no longer work.

There is no need to read on until this Step is understood.

Step 2

We need to let go of the term "independent" once and for all. To remain independent in the new landscape will almost certainly guarantee failure. Yes, the trade is swarming with independent, unique individuals that add so much flavor to the trade but most healthy organisms must exhibit some dependent behavior or they do not survive. It should be no different for booksellers. We need to create bookshops that are unique in their complexity.

Step 3

The barriers that separate the different forms of bookselling must be torn down. A bookseller must be willing to sell new, used, rare and out-of-print books. They must be willing to sell books by small presses, fine presses and book artists. Hand-made and machine-made, limited and unlimited editions.

One must embrace the rich world of the book, in all its forms, to succeed. Each bookshop becomes a book center where all the book needs of the community can be met.

Yes, you can put a used copy of a book next to a new copy, next to the DVD of the filmed version, and you can have the first edition and a fine press edition available too!

Step 4

Be creative with your space and stay open-minded. If you have enough space-sell the booze and the coffee and let the community use the hell out of it -readings, music, spoken word, storytime for kids, storytime for adults, etc. If there is enough action it is a 24/7 experience.

There is no way, at least initially, that the chains and the internet retailers can offer such a rich and varied experience. We must never; however, lose sight of the fact that that they will always be in our rear view mirror trying to run us over.

Step 5

The bookselling industry remains completely fragmented, both within the various segments (new, resale, book arts, etc.) of the industry and within the industry as a whole.

To date the leadership of the ABA (American Booksellers Association) and the ABAA (Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America) have been unable to respond effectively to the massive changes that has taken place in the industry. Yes, there have been changes and no doubt much effort and thought has been expended by the leadership but the trade remains in dire straights.

At minimum, the leadership of these trade organizations must unite their resources and begin a concerted effort to work together. They should also reach out to the various Book Arts Guilds and Centers for the Book throughout the country. We need to build book epicenters in our communities not independent outposts. We do not want to, or need to, be survivors.

In Part III of the Bookseller Manifesto we will discuss additional ways in which the non-corporate book world can pool their resources to create vibrant book destinations.

The Bookseller Manifesto Part I: I am a Bookseller - New Definitions for a Shifting Landscape

There are not many industries in the last 10 years that have undergone the volcanic eruptions that the world of bookselling has.

The world of the antiquarian and used bookseller has been turned upside down. A dinosaur of a trade that pretty much moved at turtle speed for most of the 20th century has had it shell torn off in the last decade.

The new bookseller has feared worse. It has become almost impossible to sell new books. Though as a whole the new book world was not as set in its ways as the bookseller in the resale market (I will use this term to refer to the non-new book bookseller). The commonality of product inherent in the new book world has made it the most susceptible to the emerging technologies. There are no surprises - you can schlep to the bookstore to pick up book "A" or you can go online and get book "A" cheaper and quicker. Convenience does a lot of damage to loyalty

For the resale market it is the elimination of any barrier to entry that poses the greatest threat. The only criteria to becoming a 'bookseller' today is that you have a valid credit card and you can find a name that hasn't been taken yet. That is it- no apprenticeship, no schooling, no experience, no knowledge of the trade.

Yet with all this upheaval there has been no change in the definition or label of what or who a bookseller is.

There are a couple of prominent issues currently in play with the ABAA (Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America) that illuminate the need to broaden the lexicon.

The first is the debate over whether to allow auction houses or persons who primarily sell books via auction to become members of the ABAA. Personally I feel that they shouldn’t be allowed, the admission requirements are already too lax and allowing additional auctioneers in will not help things.

The second is the role the ABAA plays in the appraisal market and its relationship with the IRS. A tax expert who is a member of the ABAA recently sent a letter to the IRS on this subject and I wanted to share a snippet pertaining to our topic:

Antiquarian is a vague term that implies antiquities but is commonly employed to describe collectible books of all sorts regardless of age

Let's just say, like the generic term bookseller, the term antiquarian is well antiquarian and needs to be revised.

The current definition of bookseller according to Webster’s is:

book·sell·er : one that sells books; especially : the proprietor of a bookstore

Of course, on the most basic level, one who sells books is a bookseller. Unfortunately, the bookselling landscape has been so radically altered that the term bookseller has become void of any significant or specific meaning.

Part I of Book Patrol’s Bookseller Manifesto for the 21^st Century will introduce new terminology for the bookselling world. The bulk of my experience is in the resale market so these terms will be most suited for that facet of the industry. I look forward to feedback from colleagues in the new book world on suggestions for new terms that apply to their endeavors and to my colleagues in the antiquarian world for feedback.

The new classifications are:

Bookseller: proprietor of a bookstore (or office) which holds regular hours and is open to the public. The bookseller has a passion for the material he/she offers and has an appreciation of the book as an object. The selling of books is his/her livelihood.

Beta Bookseller: The beta bookseller has a passion for the material he/she offers and has an appreciation of the book as an object though bookselling is not their primary livelihood. In many instances the Beta Bookseller is a Book Collector.

Pseudo Bookseller: A Book Collector with a tax id number with no intent to sell books at the time of purchase.

ISBN Seller (I Sell Books by Numbers Bookseller): The ISBN seller sees the book as a commodity. Some passion for the book might exist. They are limited to selling books produced after 1967 when the ISBN method of book identification was created. Scout Pal is a primary technology for this seller.

Book Barons (otherwise known as megalisters): Book Barons see books as commodities. They do not own the books they sell nor do they have the physical capabilities to house the books they offer. No passion simply greed. Covertly supported by book resale aggregators.

Part II of Book Patrol’s Bookseller Manifesto will deal with the fractured world of bookselling and offer some concrete ways booksellers can unite and succeed.

Happy Holidays to book people everywhere!