Mackin Educational Resources, which provides library and classroom materials for grades Pre-K-12, has bought Booksource, St. Louis, Mo., which provides classroom library books and curriculum resources.
Founded in 1974, Booksource was for many years one of the Midwest's major book wholesalers to bookstores, from local indies like the Library Ltd. and Left Bank Books to Barnes & Noble. But around the turn of the century, with the rise of Amazon, Booksource refocused on the education market. The company was led for many years by Sandy Jaffe, who died in 2019.
Booksource owner Neil Jaffe said, "Handing the reins of our St. Louis operations to another family-owned business and industry leader like Mackin was an easy decision based on their continuing success and the stellar reputation they have in the education market. It's a win- win-win decision for our customers, our employees and the Jaffe family that we are proud to have made."
Randal Heise, co-owner of Mackin, stated: "For many decades, Booksource and Mackin have grown steadily and are widely seen as the most trusted suppliers of educational resources for schools across the map. To carry the torch that Booksource and the Jaffe family have created is an honor for Mackin and the Heise family as we continue to serve K-12 educators worldwide."