Anthem Book Blog

Author and book industry reporter MJ Rose has an ongoing series this month of letters to the "Book Biz Santa" where people can post their Christmas wishes for the book industry. She posted mine late last week. I'm going to reprint it here because it's all about the issues I hope we can talk more about in 2005...

Jay Gesin's Letter to Santa

Dear Santa -

I wish for a growing network of booksellers talking with each other.

Topics could include everything from favorite books and authors to how to make the job better to larger issues about making positive changes for the entire book industry.

We need more booksellers in the conversation taking place among bloggers, writers, and publishers. (Tip of the hat to Mad Max Perkins and the work he/she is doing.)

I'd like to see hundreds of booksellers with blogs by the end of 2005. I wish for the current bloggers like Robert Gray of Northshire Bookstore, Paul Ingram's blog of Prairie Lights, and Megan at Bookdwarf.com to have many more regular readers (with links on their blogs to order recommended books from their bookstores).

I wish more store owners would encourage employees to use blogs to get their store name out into the world. I wish for wider recognition of individual booksellers and their efforts.

I wish for more booksellers to talk about the challenges of working as a bookseller.

I wish a Personal Finance author would develop a workshop on how to save and invest money on an $8-$12 per hour salary. I want this author to give a private session to bookstore employees prior to public author events on their tour. The author will gain from teaching hundreds of booksellers about her/his books and financial advice. This could develop into a nationwide network of booksellers interested in personal finance, a growing number of 401k programs for booksellers, and increased knowledge about how to make bookselling a financially sustainable career.

I'd like for more publishers to develop relationships with the best bookstores for hiring new publishing employees. The publisher agrees to contact store owners first when a Marketing or Editorial Assistant position is open. The bookstores could formalize internships with local colleges. Work in the local bookstore part-time for a year or two while studying and the owner will recommend the student to publishers after graduation. We already have hundreds of former booksellers in publishing, let's make it thousands.

I want more business case studies to be written by MBA programs on best practices at small, medium, and large bookstores.
My recommendations:
Small - Newtonville Books, Newton, Mass.
Medium - Eagle Harbor Book Company, Bainbridge Island, WA.
Large - Tattered Cover, Denver, CO

I wish for every bookstore website in America to have pictures of their store, detailed store history about who they are and what they're about, their events calendar, and an area for employees to post book recommendations and other store news.

I wish great bookstores were designated as cultural landmarks for their community. I wish for Larry Portzline's Bookstore Tourism idea to spread like wildfire.

I'd like more customers to bring friends and out-of-town visitors to their favorite bookstores.

I wish for a great local bookstore in every town.

That's all.

Happy Holidays,
Jay