During the California Independent Booksellers Alliance annual meeting in Pasadena, Calif., Tuesday morning, CALIBA board president Melinda Powers emphasized the young regional's potential.
CALIBA officially formed in 2020, after members of the Southern California Independent Booksellers Association voted to dissolve SCIBA and merge with the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association. Membership stands at "280 stores and growing," and as a trade association that now covers all of California, Powers noted, "we hold a lot of book power," which could be leveraged both in publisher negotiations and in lobbying in Sacramento.
"We continue to aspire to harness the power we have as bookstores all across the state," added Powers, who is also head buyer at Bookshop Santa Cruz in Santa Cruz. CALIBA is still "emerging and growing into what we want it to be," and all of its members "have an opportunity to shape what it is we think California can be."
Mimi Hannah, CALIBA treasurer and bookseller at La Playa Books in San Diego, said the organization "remains on solid financial ground," with this year's net income on par with net income from the previous year.
Hannah Walcher, who became CALIBA's executive director in February, reported that the association will be switching to a new online membership and events platform that should be easier for both member stores and CALIBA staff. The association will also be switching to a new partner for its holiday catalog, and it is currently forming an inaugural advisory council. Announced last year, the council will meet four times per year to offer feedback and suggestions to the board.
Mary Williams, general manager of Skylight Books in Los Angeles, thanked Powers for her time as CALIBA's board president, a roll she's filled since its creation in 2020. Powers's term will come to an end early next year, and Williams will become board president. Williams said Powers "shepherded us through merging and crisis all at once really beautifully. She has always kept her eye on the big picture and worked so hard in a volunteer position."
Lastly, Powers announced that for next year's Fall Fest, CALIBA will return to South San Francisco. The trade show will run from September 17-18, 2025. --Alex Mutter
