'Books Are My Bag' Campaign Launches in U.K.

Tomorrow is launch day in the U.K. and Ireland for "Books Are My Bag," a trade-wide promotion created to celebrate books and bookshops and will run through Christmas. The campaign begins with the Big Bookshop Party, encouraging readers to "go and visit your favorite bookshop, join in their party, buy your books and bag the coolest tote bag ever--the bright orange Books Are My Bag tote!" More than a quarter of a million bags will be distributed at some 1,800 chain and independent bookshops across the U.K. and Ireland.

Booksellers Association CEO Tim Godfray told the Bookseller the country will "wake up to a sea of orange" Saturday as the campaign gets underway with events, giveaways and even star turns by celebrities like Jamie Oliver, Bill Nighy, Mariella Frostrup, Delia Smith and Chris O'Dowd, who have been photographed holding the tote bags.

The Bookshop Band has written a song, "A Shop with Books In," for the promotion that mentions a number of stores, including Mr. B's Emporium of Reading Delights, Waterstones, Foyles and Edinburgh Books.

"We hope that the local community, readers, shoppers and passers-by will join us in celebrating all that is good about our local bookshop," said Godfray.Booksellers Association president Patrick Neale, co-owner of Jaffé and Neale Bookshop, said, "I have been a bookseller for 15 years and I love my job. I really love connecting customers to books that will excite and inspire them and hopefully change their lives. I am always positive in my shop and I always want to give my customers the best experience. Over the last 10 years, one third of our bookshops have closed. That is one bookshop a week for 10 years. That is pretty depressing.... Does that matter? When asked, 88% said 'Yes', it did matter. I really do believe that bookshops are the best place to shop for books and I hope this campaign will show the whole country that is the case."

You can track the Books Are My Bag campaign's progress and highlights on the BAMB's Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram pages.