It’s time to support and celebrate independent bookstores! Saturday, August 29, 2020, is Independent Bookstore Day 2020. Re-scheduled from April because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Independent Bookstore Day 2020 is, as described on their website, “a one-day national party that takes place at indie bookstores across the country.” More than 600 bookstores are participating by giving away prizes and discounts, hosting events, and offering fun games to their patrons. Though this year looks a little different, there are still plenty of ways for bookstores and readers to connect.

Independent bookstores are an important part of our local communities. Not only do they provide readers a place to find the books they love, but they provide communities a place to connect, collaborate, and express the needs and values of that community. As stated on their website, “Independent bookstores are not just stores, they’re community centers and local anchors run by passionate readers. They are entire universes of ideas that contain the possibility of real serendipity. They are lively performance spaces and quiet places where aimless perusal is a day well spent. In a world of tweets and algorithms and pageless digital downloads, bookstores are not a dying anachronism. They are living, breathing organisms that continue to grow and expand.”

This year, show your support and appreciation of local booksellers by getting involved, virtually or in-person, with Independent Bookstore Day 2020. To learn more about how you can participate, visit the event website here: http://www.indiebookstoreday.com/. To find a bookstore near you, use this searchable bookstore map: https://indiemap.bookweb.org/.

Happy Reading!