The Booksellers Association of the U.K. and Ireland will partner with Bookshop.org for the Indie Book of the Month promotion for 2026, to coincide with the National Year of Reading, the Bookseller reported. Each Book of the Month will be supported by a "unified promotional strategy," using the BA's digital and in-store materials alongside Bookshop.org's online platform. A key element of the partnership will be the integration of Bookshop.org's new e-book service.
A statement from the BA and Bookshop.org noted that the combined campaign will "increase the impact of each selected book and deliver tangible value for participating bookshops. It will help more readers discover exceptional titles while keeping bookshops central to the national promotion of reading for pleasure."
Emma Bradshaw, head of marketing and communications at the BA, said: "Aligning our Book of the Month campaigns with Bookshop.org for the entire National Year of Reading will give bookshops more visibility, support reader discovery and spotlight exceptional books--all within the context of bookshops being at the epicenter of expert curation, community value and the promotion of reading for pleasure."
Jasper Sutcliffe, head of business development at Bookshop.org, added: "Bookshop.org exists to help independent bookshops thrive, both on the high street and online. This united, year-long approach with the Booksellers Association--alongside the addition of our new e-book service--will bring even more readers to great books via the bookshop ecosystem we're proud to support as a cornerstone of not just the book trade, but the wider reading community."
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German booksellers are quietly optimistic going into the holiday season, which normally accounts for up to a quarter of their annual turnover, the Bookseller reported. A survey published at the end of November by the general retail trade association HDE underlined this optimism, finding that despite retailers in general being pessimistic about December sales, booksellers were an exception.
According to book trade newsletter Langendorfs Dienst, sales were down an estimated 7.1% in the first week of December and down 4.3% on the respective Saturday; the second week was also down (by 3.3%), though Saturday sales gained 2.9%.
Booksellers are now hoping for strong sales during the remaining two weeks before they close for Christmas, the Bookseller noted, adding that with "the consensus that Germans leave their Christmas shopping, and especially books, later every year, many booksellers therefore do not seem unduly worried yet."
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The European & International Booksellers Federation has launched the recruitment process for its next director, following the departure of Julie Belgrado after a decade in the position.
EIBF said it is "seeking an experienced, forward-looking director to lead our Brussels secretariat and represent booksellers at the highest levels of EU and international policymaking. This is a unique opportunity to guide a small but highly active organization with a strong mission and an engaged global community." Check out the qualifications here.