Celebrating local bookshops in our community

NZ Bookshop Day to be held on Saturday, 31 October 2015    Celebrating local bookshops in our community

The first ever NZ Bookshop Day – Your Place, Your Bookshop is to be held on Saturday, 31 October in unique and vibrant local celebrations among 175 bookshops taking part from Invercargill to Whangarei. 

Booksellers NZ’s chief executive Lincoln Gould says, “Our aim is to celebrate the unique place bookshops have in New Zealand life and their place in our communities. As well as a place to browse over the book table and buy a book, bookshops also provide a welcoming space for everyone in a community. We have some wonderful bookshops here in New Zealand – let’s get all Kiwis out and enjoying their bookshops on NZ Bookshop Day.

“There will be a hundreds of fun events in bookshops all around the country. These include talks by authors, children’s activities and treasure hunts, competitions and giveaways, discussion groups, book readings as well as some quirky surprise events. We want to encourage readers of all ages to visit their local bookshop, spend some time looking around, discover new books and authors, and of course to simply enjoy reading.

“With book sales now on the rise, the hard work bookshops have put in to stay relevant to their communities and communicate well with their customers is paying off. We’re delighted that Nielsen Data has reported that, as at 6 June 2015, there’s been a 12% growth in book sales volume and nearly 6% increase in value over 2014-15.”

Bookshop franchise Paper Plus is very enthusiastic about NZ Bookshop Day. Spokesperson John Vallely who runs Lower Hutt’s Paper Plus says, “We’ll be involved in a number of Paper Plus activities for NZ Bookshop Day. As well, in Lower Hutt we’ll have a Win your Height in Books draw. To enter you just buy a book from us. Even if you’re two metres tall, we’ve enough books for you to win.”

Auckland’s Women’s Bookshop is running an online survey (50/50 Women) asking Kiwis to choose their favourite woman author of the last 50 years (1965-2015) and then to select their favourite book by that author. The survey results will be announced with a champagne celebration in the bookshop at 5pm on NZ Bookshop Day. Owner Carole Beu says, “We’re keen to find out who the women authors are that New Zealand readers love and cherish. The survey opened on 1 September and closes on 9 October so readers have plenty of time to make their choices. NZ Bookshop Day is not only a wonderful opportunity for booksellers to promote themselves, but also to reinforce to readers the valued place that a bookshop has in its community. We’re enormously looking forward to NZ Bookshop Day.”

Well-known authors and book aficionados are taking on the role of NZ Bookshop Day Ambassadors. Wellington writer Kate De Goldi says she’s delighted to help support NZ Bookshop Day. “Bookshops are second homes to me, so I’m always keen to celebrate and share the excitement of going into a bookshop. What’s new that I’d love to read? What events are happening? What can I learn?

“Bookshops are such characterful places. They are both sanctuaries and wonderful bazaars overflowing with ideas and entertainment. Who knows what might happen inside a bookshop? Dr Seuss says it best: ‘Oh, the people you’ll meet, the places you’ll go!’ - inside and outside the covers of books! I’m greatly looking forward to being an Ambassador for NZ Bookshop Week,” says Kate.

Lincoln Gould concludes, “With 175 bookshops involved it’s fantastic to see Kiwi booksellers getting behind NZ Bookshop Day with so many fun and exciting book-related activities. This year’s first NZ Bookshop Day is looking to be a cracker.”

NZ Bookshop Day – Your Place, Your Bookshop – is to be held on Saturday, 31 October in bookshops all over New Zealand. For more information, go to: http://www.booksellers.co.nz/nzbookshopday