Our Mission

Resources

To provide resources and education to our members to “raise our collective IQ” as small businesses and create a learning community to sustain ourselves;

Advocacy

To advocate for heightened awareness of independent publishers within our industry, in the media, and with readers;

Keeping the Torch

To function as “keepers of the torch” of American culture in partnership with writers, translators, booksellers, book reviewers and book review editors and producers;

Bridge

To become a bridge for our members to organizations such as the American Booksellers Association (ABA), Association of American Publishers (AAP), Association of University Presses (AUP), American Library Association (ALA), Public Library Association (PLA) and the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP), among other industry partners;

Diversity

To strengthen our common cause in creating a more tolerant and inclusive industry by bringing communities of diverse origins and experiences onto our staffs and into our community, in addition to a commitment to bringing a more diverse range of writers to the reading public;

Common Ground

To find common ground and a spirit of partnership with independent booksellers, librarians, and other community members with whom we share not only our love of good books, but also our struggle as small businesses, non-profits, and alternative business models