Category: Diary of a Bookseller

While searching for an out of print hardcover on used book sites the other day, I stumbled upon a number of secondhand sellers trying to sell advance reader copies of books and it inspired me to say something about them here. Diary of a Bookseller #19 There's nothing quite like getting an advance reader copy… Continue reading The Aches of ARCs

This weekend I'll be building faux built-in shelves for my guest bedroom/library with my mom and it has me thinking about the best way to organize my books when I take them back out of their boxes to put them on their new shelves. Diary of a Bookseller #18 There are a number of different… Continue reading Methods of Book Organization

As the world continues to adjust to the new normal, we as booksellers have had to adapt our old ways of doing things to new ways, and one of those ways is embracing virtual events! Diary of a Bookseller #17 Shortly after lockdown started in Pennsylvania, I watch my first ever virtual event - my… Continue reading The Joys of Virtual Events

On Monday I went back into the bookstore to start the slow process of getting us ready for an eventual reopening - one that has started with curbside pickup and will grow from there. Diary of a Bookseller #16 After six weeks unable to work on the floor due to a knee injury followed immediately… Continue reading Slow and Steady Wins the Race

What happens when you take a whole bunch of booksellers and tell them that they have to read all the upcoming releases for fall, the biggest book season of the year, digitally? Diary of a Bookseller #15 One of the best parts of my job as an indie bookstore manager is all the advance reader… Continue reading Going Digital

Diary of a Bookseller #14 Today I went into the bookstore for the first time in a few weeks. At the start of the lockdown, I was going in once a week to process and ship orders that had come in before we closed, sending gift cards out, picking up picture books for virtual story… Continue reading Checking in With My Work Family

Lucky number thirteen today, the day that marks the start of my fourth week in self-isolation, and what an interesting time the last three weeks have been. Diary of a Bookseller #13 As a person with asthma, I've been self-isolating since before our Pennsylvania governor first encouraged non-essential businesses to close on March 13 (it… Continue reading Bookselling in Self-Isolation

Diary of a Bookseller #12 On Monday, per the guidance of our Pennsylvania governor and health department, we closed the doors of the bookstore to the public. While many stores are remaining open limited hours so that staff can receive books and fulfill web orders, our store is presently closed to customers and employees -… Continue reading How to Support Your Local Indie Bookstore When Everyone’s Stuck at Home

Diary of a Bookseller #11 The Tournament of Books sounds just so much cooler in French. Though its roots are in American basketball, I prefer to refer to it by it's French title, it just sounds more elegant. If I call it le tournoi des livres the books might start jousting or something equally medieval.… Continue reading Le Tournoi des Livres