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Katie Brown, manager at Malaprop's in Asheville, N.C., and Angie Tally, children's department manager at the Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, N.C., are the 2025 recipients of the Nancy Olson Bookseller Award. Presented by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance, the $2,500 cash prizes honor booksellers who embody the spirit of the late Nancy Olson, founder of Quail Ridge Books, Raleigh, N.C., in supporting writers--especially new writers--other booksellers and community outreach.
"I'm floored to have won this award," said Brown. "I work with someone who knew Nancy and her impact on bookselling. To imagine that I had that same kind of impact (even for a moment) is humbling. Particularly the reason (Hurricane Helene). It was one of the wilder times in I think many folks' lives and to have someone I work with anonymously say 'Hey, you did a good thing and helped us' when I was scrambling to figure out what to do had me in tears."
Tally commented: "In 2005 at a booksellers conference in Winston-Salem, when SIBA was still called SEBA, I was introduced to Nancy Olson. I had just taken over as the children's department manager of the Country Bookshop after Nancy's dear friend, and the Country Bookshop owner Joan Scott, had passed away. Nancy was a legend in the industry, and her vote of confidence was a powerful thing. For more than 20 years now, it has been my greatest pleasure to share my love of books with children in Southern Pines and all of southeast North Carolina through book fairs, school author events, storytimes, and casual interactions in the Country Bookshop kids department. Tens of thousands of books, hundreds of authors, countless stories later, I know I am the luckiest of all people to be a part of such an amazing bookselling community. Winning the Nancy Olson Bookseller award is like winning the Newbery Award for Booksellers--The highest of all possible honors. I am humbled, honored, and delighted to be chosen as a 2025 recipient."
Award selection committee member Sarah Goddin, who worked with Olson, added: "When I look at the nominations for the two winners, the first thing that comes to mind is how much Nancy would have admired them for their kindness, their courage and their bold actions on behalf of their communities, customers, colleagues and authors. That is what she was all about and they are truly outstanding booksellers in every way."
Nancy Olson's husband, bookseller Jim Olson, agreed. "Nancy would be proud of our honorees," he said. "She loved the ability to handsell books and the dedication to customer service as shown by Angie and Katie. Both these women are excellent booksellers who welcome new authors and promote their books. It is a privilege to honor Angie and Katie with this year's Nancy Olson Bookseller Award."