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2025 GOLDEN POPPY AWARDS COMMITTEES: SPOTS AVAILABLE!
The California Independent Booksellers Alliance presents the Golden Poppy Awards in recognition of the most distinguished books written and illustrated by creators who have made California their home. Committees for each category are made up of booksellers throughout the state tasked with developing a final ballot that will be voted upon by CALIBA's bookstore membership and their employees.
TIMELINE: Work for the awards committees begins as soon as a chair has been named for each category (February 2025) and will conclude upon selection of the finalists in early Fall 2025.
WHAT'S INVOLVED: During the finalist evaluation process, you will be required to attend 3-4 virtual meetings and read and comment on a number of submitted titles. As a guideline, the number of entries for each category is outlined below representing what was submitted in 2024. Please note that in the categories with the largest number of titles, you will not be required to read all submissions in their entirety. If you are selected to join a committee, you will be contacted with your assigned category by the chair and they will review the process with you in more detail.
REQUIREMENTS: To join a Golden Poppy committee, you must be a bookseller at a member bookstore in good standing. Booksellers are defined as those who are currently or within the current year to ensure continuity if a committee member leaves their bookseller position.
CALIBA is seeking members for the following committees:
- Nonfiction
- Mystery
- Poetry
Interested in joining a Golden Poppy Committee? Email Valentina.
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CALIBA COMMITTEE SPOTLIGHT: POLITICAL ADVOCACY
The Political Advocacy Committee was created to explore ways CALIBA can engage with local, state and federal agencies to advocate for issues and policies important to the success and well-being of California bookstores and booksellers. One current goal of this committee will be the creation and organization of resources for battling book bans. We are looking for passionate go-getters! Click here to fill out the form.
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SKYLIGHT BOOKS FEATURED BY DAILY BULLETIN
Skylight Books is collaborating with Altadena Seed Library on a donation drive. Click here to read the full article.
Pictured: Skylight Books’ Beatriz Quiroz García shows some of the Altadena Seed Library donations. (Photo credit: Beatriz Quiroz García)
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A SEAT AT THE TABLE BOOKS FEATURED BY CAPITAL PUBLIC RADIO
On Jan. 11, a protester attended a Drag Storytime event at A Seat at the Table Books, in Elk Grove, with a megaphone to harass the establishment and the parents who brought their children to the family event. Parents worked together with the Drag Queen, Hellen Heels, to shield and shelter the kids. Click here to read the full article.
Pictured: Jonathan Lopez, whose stage name is Hellen Heels, reads a book during Drag Storytime Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, at A Seat at the Table. (Photo credit: CapPub)
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DUE FEB. 1 - BINC FINANCIAL WELLNESS RESOURCES
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Binc is offering free financial wellness resources, through their partners, Money Moves, to any comic or book store, regardless of whether they have requested financial assistance.
Applicants who reach out will receive digital solutions:
- measure and reduce your level of financial stress
- receive personalized guidance tailored to your unique situation
- budgeting, saving and debt management tools
- a library of 1,000+ original articles, videos and webinars
- guaranteed privacy for your sensitive financial information
Click the link to submit the registration form by SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1ST and receive FREE access to Best Money Moves, an online financial wellness benefit that offers free and comprehensive financial education. After you register an access link will be sent to you from Best Money Moves in early February.
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1 - Bookshop Santa Cruz, is celebrating Lunar New Year with a display to help customers discover folktales, stories of family, art, and cultural traditions.🧧
2 - Judging by the Cover, in Fresno, had a special guest in their store to kick off Lunar New Year.🐍
3 - Northtown Books, in Arcata, has a red window display and kids books about Lunar New Year.📕
4 - La Playa Books, in San Diego, is renting out their bookstore for a cute Valentine’s Day event!💃🏾
5 - Noe Valley Books, in San Francisco, has a sweet Valentine's Day table display of books, stickers, greeting cards, chocolates and more.🍫
6 - Wild Sisters Book Co., in Sacramento, got their windows ready for Valentine's Day with candy heart book tropes.❤️
7 - Village Well Books & Coffee, in Culver City, has an outside the box event coming up on Feb. 7th, Valentin's Storytelling: Breakup Tales. (check out the video 👀👏).
8 - Caspian Books, in Tracy, has a fun bookmark designing competition going on until Saturday,
Feb. 1st. 🎨
9 - Underdog Bookstore, in Monrovia, posted a helpful guide for their customers to help them continue to support their community.🤝
10 - Moments Co-Op, in Oakland, has a fundraiser for $25k to keep their store open in 2025.🫶
11 - Mrs. Dalloway’s Literary & Garden Arts, in Berkeley, showed off the ALA's 2025 winners and honorees.🏆
12 - Sistah Sci- Fi, in Oakland, partnered with Silent Book Club Oakland to host their first book club event at Chapter 510.📖
13 - The Booksmith, in San Francisco, had a generous donor purchase copies of 1984 for customers to take home for free!📚
14 - Libelula Books, in San Diego, introduced a new community resource table to their store with books on resistance and revolution.🪧
15 - Octavia’s Bookshelf, in Pasadena, appeared on the Jennifer Hudson Show to share their story #altadenaisnotforsale,💗
Don't forget to follow and tag CALIBA (@caliba_20) to be featured!
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Click here for the Los Angeles Times & Southern California Independent Bookstore Bestseller List
Click here for the San Francisco Chronicle & Northern California Independent Bookstore Bestseller List
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CALIBA CURRENTLY READING:
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The Queen's Spade
Sarah Roughly
9780063344389
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Hannah
Executive Director
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She Who Knows
Nnedi Okorafor
9780756418953
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Valentina
Operations Manager
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We Used to Live Here
Marcus Kliewer
9781982198787
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Support CALIBA
Publishers support CALIBA when bookstores participate.
Bookstore Participation = Publisher Sponsorship = CALIBA = Bookstore Education, Advocacy, Networking +++
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