Bookmark Celebrates Canadian Independent Bookstore Day

On Saturday, April 29, readers across the country will have the opportunity to support local independent bookshops by participating in Canadian Independent Bookstore Day (CIBD). With
more than 150 participating shops expected, CIBD is an annual cultural celebration and an opportunity for book buyers, authors, illustrators, and publishers to acknowledge the vibrant literary ecosystem created by our “indie” bookshops. The stores in this national network act as key community ambassadors, convenors of important conversations, and contributors to vibrant local economies.

With contests, customer giveaways, product exclusives, and bookseller activities planned, CIBD will appeal to book buyers across all ages and interests. Indie booksellers are experts in their field, passionate about facilitating connections between reader and writer and creating genuine, lasting relationships with their customers. The shops function as pillars of the community – inclusive spaces for conversation and hubs for events promoting enlightenment and entertainment.

Bookmark’s 2023 Bookstore Ambassador, local poet and author, Jane Ledwell said, “I love that my independent bookstore supports every part of book-creating, from encouraging reading and appreciation to supporting emerging writers and publishers to selling and celebrating the books that matter in the community where we live. Every book I have read this year so far has been from my independent bookstore or the library, and each one was recommended to me in a conversation with a bookseller or a friend I met by the shelves — or a bookseller friend I met by the shelves!

“Not only did I get a good book recommendation, but I got a good conversation, sometimes about something unexpected or about something I hadn’t known anything about. That personal connection is so valuable in these days of disconnection and isolation. Independent bookstores are never going to phase out books as part of their business plan or treat books as home decor.

As a poet, I often joke that I make dozens — literally dozens — of dollars from my poetry every year. Well, my local independent bookstore only makes dozens of dollars in a good year from my poetry books, too, and yet they keep them on their shelves, because they care about sharing local stories and voices.”

This year’s celebration highlights include –
• A chance to win a $1,000, $500 or $250 Bookmark gift certificate. Visit
www.cibabooks.ca after April 3rd to check out the prizes and start drafting your “books to
buy” list!
• Lots of book swag and exclusive merchandise while quantities last.
• Double points on all qualifying purchases for our Bookmark Reader Rewards Program.
If you haven’t signed up for our Reader Rewards Program, please ask us, it’s FREE.
• And much more…

For more information contact Lori Cheverie at 902-566-4888 or lori@bookmarkreads.ca

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