The Carla Gray Memorial Scholarship for Emerging Bookseller-Activists gives an independent bookseller the opportunity to attend two bookselling events as well as receive a $1000 grant to make their community stronger. The community outreach component of this scholarship is focused on finding new readers and ensuring access to books that improve readers’ lives while integrating […]
Author Archives: Kate Weiss
The Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation announced today the Foundation will be offering two $750 scholarships to comic book store owners and their employees to attend the Diamond Summit in Baltimore, Maryland on October 26th and 27th, 2022. The funds may be used for travel, replacement wages, lodging, and meals. On the new scholarship, Diamond […]
It wasn’t supposed to be this way. Other people are ill, get better, go back to work, and things get back to normal. That’s the way it’s supposed to happen. Sometimes, though; recovery from COVID-19 takes a little longer. Sometimes it takes a lot longer, as it did for this bookseller suffering from Long Covid […]
It happened again.Once was unusual.Twice was surprising.The third time, though? We knew you’d want to know. Binc’s Program managers contact every person that inquires about help. During the phone conversation they ask open ended questions, among them ‘what are your biggest worries caused by this situation?’ Most often the biggest worry is their upcoming housing […]
Ann Arbor, MI – The Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation and Macmillan Publishers are proud to announce the return of the Macmillan Booksellers Professional Development Scholarship. This scholarship program provides $500 to booksellers traditionally underrepresented within the industry to attend their region’s fall trade show. Due to Covid-19, this program was paused in 2020 and 2021. […]
It took over two years to arrange this bookseller’s surgery. The date was confirmed, their schedule at the store covered, a collection of friends ready to help during recovery, their monthly bills pre-paid thanks to careful saving. The last thing to do was to call and double check their arrival time and check-in. That’s when […]
A bookseller shared that they felt comfortable asking Binc for financial assistance for much-needed dental work because a coworker said Binc had helped them several years ago. Their coworker is a Helper. A comic shop employee completed the Binc/BetterHelp (mental health service pilot program) Inquiry Form because the store owner had posted the information about […]
An employee that was dependable through the worst days of the 2020 and 2021 pandemic store closures suddenly starts coming in late and leaving early because of headaches. A manager that can solve any scheduling problem chokes back bitter retorts when employees request time off for family vacations. Shelving a new shipment, an employee bumps […]
It starts with something small. A late payment. An unexpected expense. Then it snowballs and suddenly a bookseller is living in a dark and cold apartment with no heat, light, or running water. This bookseller had been living without water and electricity for six months to keep current on their car payments and rent. They […]
A bookseller on the East Coast experienced the heartbreaking loss of their parent who lived on the West Coast. The challenges of travel across the country during the pandemic, missing work, settling their estate, and the costs to pay for the parent’s funeral, were significantly more than this bookseller could afford. Thoughtful colleagues stepped in and […]