The newly formed Independent Booksellers of New York City aims "to encourage New Yorkers and visitors to patronize independent bookstores. The group will serve as a resource for consumers (producing events and tools like a website and printed maps); as a professional support group for member businesses both longstanding and brand new (a rare forum for sharing methods and best practices); and as an advocate to publishers and lawmakers on behalf of bookseller concerns."
The group has the support of some 60 of "the community-based shops of New York City--new and used, specialized and general--which constitute the largest concentration of independent book retail in the country," IBNYC said. "In an increasingly homogenized world, these local businesses contribute to the city's rich character and long tradition of bookselling by providing shelf space for voices that might not otherwise find a home and by serving as venues for the presentation of important works and new ideas."
The group is "intentionally informal in structure" at this stage and has several working committees. Member stores must primarily sell books, have a storefront that is open to the public and be located within the five boroughs.
IBNYC makes its public debut this weekend at the Brooklyn Book Festival. At its booth (#20), it will make available an IBNYC bookstore map, tote bags, giveaways, announcements about bookstore events and literature about the importance of independent businesses.
The group's website, which is still being constructed, has an online map, links to member stores and an area to sign up for the newsletter.
Stores that have made "founding contributions" are Bank Street Bookstore, Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks, Book Culture, BookCourt, Computer Book Works, Freebird Books, McNally Jackson, PowerHouse Arena, St. Mark's Bookshop, Strand Book Store and Urban Center Books. The group has been supported in various ways by Book Expo America, the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association, Random House, HarperCollins, the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President and Housing Works Bookstore. For more information, contact info@ibnyc.org or call Peter Miller of Freebird Books at 646-307-5579 or Kelly Amabile at Book Culture at 212-865-1588.