Latest news

BookPeople Sustainability Report

 Towards a Sustainable Bookselling Future Paper

What does sustainability look like in the book industry, and what can we do for the future?

The BookPeople Sustainability Paper discusses the issue of environmental sustainability and bookselling, placing it within the context of the broader book industry. It’s a snapshot of where we are currently, and provides practical and peer advice on what can be worked on immediately to improve the environmental footprint of bookselling. It is intended to contribute to a conversation about larger and more radical changes within the book industry. 

The audience for this paper is, foremost, Australian booksellers, but it is also intended for publishers, industry bodies, policymakers, and anyone interested in the impact of books on the environment and possible solutions. 

Summary

  • Gives a contemporary snapshot of booksellers’ best practice along with the challenges they face in becoming more environmentally conscious
  • Delves into publishing and the supply chain and shows how choices upstream affect the environmental credentials of the product booksellers receive, and what some publishers and printers in Australia are doing to change their practices 
  • Will help BookPeople and other industry bodies set targets and measures for emissions reduction and environmental sustainability 
  • Gives practical advice to booksellers so they can implement change 
  • Makes recommendations for industry, research and government based on what has been learned 

BookPeople and Angela Meyer (author, editor and academic).

Australian Booksellers Association rebrands to become BookPeople

The Australian Booksellers Association recently undertook work around positioning ourselves to be a successful and future-facing organisation. After extensive workshopping and discussion, we determined that our direction was to be the place where Bookselling Business meets Bookselling Culture

From this, we wanted to embrace Generosity – to be supportive and assured as sustainable and strategic retail partners for our members.

This was further articulated with sentiments like Nurturing a Prosperous Future, Better Bookselling, Trusted Industry Voice, and Strategic Bookselling, ultimately sitting with the statement that Bookshops are Transformational.

The process took us through to naming, and another extensive whittling process until we arrived at the trading name BookPeople.

What does the name change mean for the association?

It is important to note that nothing has changed within the organisation, but in name, we will be BookPeople. We will work on the day-to-day and specific projects as always and remain your Association, but with a contemporary consumer-facing brand. With its connotations of personal and professional, BookPeople represents booksellers’ uniqueness, individuality, and expertise. 

What is going to change?

  • The first change you may notice will be our website and social media pages 
  • Our new website URL – https://www.bookpeople.org.au
  • Our conference website URL - https://bookpeopleconference.org.au
  • Our email addresses will change – if you email @aba.org.au it will be re-directed to our new email addresses 
  • You will start to see our new name on our newsletters and other collateral
  • The Booksellers Choice name will be replaced by BookPeople
  • We are taking a gradual approach, and you may still see the name ABA while we transition

What isn’t changing?

Our legal name and ABN aren’t changing so we remain Australian Booksellers Association ABN 56 365 379 358

Unions and right to entry fact sheet

Recent action by the Retail and Fast Food Workers Union (a non-registered Union) in book retailing has prompted inquiries by a number of members and led the BookPeople Board to determine that a fact-sheet would help with any questions or anxiety members may have about this.

Workers and business owners have certain rights and obligations and these differ between registered and non-registered unions. Hopefully, this fact sheet helps with that differentiation. Log in below to access the pdf.

BookPeople Buying Group update

You can view the latest guide on the Reading Guide website

See the latest newsletters here.

All ABA-produced marketing material seeks the involvement and contribution of BookPeople Buying Group booksellers in the curation of titles. Books promoted in the guides and newsletters are available to purchase at extra terms for Buying Group members and supported via the BookPeople and Kids’ Reading Guide social media channels.

More information and FAQs are available on the Buying Group page

If you have any questions, contact Galina by email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., P: 0414 166 203.