About MIBA
We are a nonprofit trade association that supports and celebrates locally owned and operated independent bookstores and booksellers throughout a 9+ state portion of the Midwest (Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Michigan's Upper Peninsula). We work directly with booksellers and the people who do business with them: publishers, wholesalers, distributors, sales reps, and others allied to the book industry. We strive to do the following.
- Produce programs and events that help independent bookstores and booksellers grow their knowledge base and their bottom line
- Provide an environment for booksellers to maintain relationships and learn from one another throughout the year
- Facilitate an ongoing forum for our industry members (publishers, wholesalers, distributors, sales reps, and others allied to the book industry) to connect to independent booksellers in our region
- Celebrate and promote the innate value of independent bookstores, book culture, and local economies
our mission
Our Vision
We envision a region full of communities with thriving, vibrant independent bookstores.
Our Mission
We advance the success of independent bookstores, foster partnerships that create a strong bookselling and publishing community, and celebrate the vital literary culture of our region.
We envision a region full of communities with thriving, vibrant independent bookstores.
Our Mission
We advance the success of independent bookstores, foster partnerships that create a strong bookselling and publishing community, and celebrate the vital literary culture of our region.
our history
Don Blyly of Minneapolis' Uncle Hugo's Science Fiction Bookstore and Uncle Edward's Mystery Fiction Bookstore was kind enough to recount the origins of our association.
"In the summer of 1980, ABA put together a workshop in Chicago on organizing regional bookseller organizations. At that time, I owned Uncle Hugo’s Science Fiction Bookstore and Books Galore, a full-line shopping mall store. I was the only person from Minnesota who went. When I came back from the workshop, I called other local bookstores to get them interested, but didn’t find a lot of enthusiasm. I also talked up the idea with the local sales reps, and they were all very enthusiastic about the idea, and they suggested that it would be better if they pushed the idea on other bookstore owners, rather than having the idea come from a competitor. Cissy Tiernan (who was then the Ballantine rep), Wayne Farr (who was then the Harper rep), and Ray Jay (who was then the Pocket Book rep) talked up the idea with all the independent bookstore owners they sold to, and we had an organizational meeting in the fall of 1980 at the Lincoln Deli that used to be in St. Louis Park just across the border from Minneapolis. Bookstore owners from several local stores, one from Duluth, and one from Iowa showed up, and we all agreed to start the Upper Midwest Booksellers Association. We incorporated in 1981, filed nonprofit paperwork with IRS in 1981, and held our first trade show in the fall of 1981."
"In the summer of 1980, ABA put together a workshop in Chicago on organizing regional bookseller organizations. At that time, I owned Uncle Hugo’s Science Fiction Bookstore and Books Galore, a full-line shopping mall store. I was the only person from Minnesota who went. When I came back from the workshop, I called other local bookstores to get them interested, but didn’t find a lot of enthusiasm. I also talked up the idea with the local sales reps, and they were all very enthusiastic about the idea, and they suggested that it would be better if they pushed the idea on other bookstore owners, rather than having the idea come from a competitor. Cissy Tiernan (who was then the Ballantine rep), Wayne Farr (who was then the Harper rep), and Ray Jay (who was then the Pocket Book rep) talked up the idea with all the independent bookstore owners they sold to, and we had an organizational meeting in the fall of 1980 at the Lincoln Deli that used to be in St. Louis Park just across the border from Minneapolis. Bookstore owners from several local stores, one from Duluth, and one from Iowa showed up, and we all agreed to start the Upper Midwest Booksellers Association. We incorporated in 1981, filed nonprofit paperwork with IRS in 1981, and held our first trade show in the fall of 1981."
board elections
Historically, MIBA has been governed by a 7-member board of directors. In the 2020 nomination season, we are expanding to a 9-person board of directors to add diverse perspectives and improve our cultural representation.
On our 9-member board, 7 directors are booksellers (owners, managers, or frontline staff) and two of our directors are non-booksellers (i.e., book industry members). The officer positions are president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary.
Our nominating committee (which is established at our June board meeting if it isn’t already in place) engages with our membership to put forward eligible candidates, review the submitted nominees, and make their recommendation to the board.
In August or September, the nominating committee begins accepting nominations for booksellers to join the board. The number of positions open is determined by the number of board members completing their second three-year term (each board member is entitled to serve two three-year terms) and are thus ending their years of service. Whether the board member terming out is a bookseller or industry member will be carried forward and we will solicit new candidates accordingly.
Nominations (including self-nominations) for qualified candidates are collected through September or October. Those who meet the eligibility criteria receive a link to fill out an extended background information form and provide references.
Board member candidates are reviewed for a number of diverse factors, including geography, demographics, type of bookstore, and cultural representation. The selected nominees are put forth to the membership for voting and the results are shared at our annual meeting.
Eligibility criteria
On our 9-member board, 7 directors are booksellers (owners, managers, or frontline staff) and two of our directors are non-booksellers (i.e., book industry members). The officer positions are president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary.
Our nominating committee (which is established at our June board meeting if it isn’t already in place) engages with our membership to put forward eligible candidates, review the submitted nominees, and make their recommendation to the board.
In August or September, the nominating committee begins accepting nominations for booksellers to join the board. The number of positions open is determined by the number of board members completing their second three-year term (each board member is entitled to serve two three-year terms) and are thus ending their years of service. Whether the board member terming out is a bookseller or industry member will be carried forward and we will solicit new candidates accordingly.
Nominations (including self-nominations) for qualified candidates are collected through September or October. Those who meet the eligibility criteria receive a link to fill out an extended background information form and provide references.
Board member candidates are reviewed for a number of diverse factors, including geography, demographics, type of bookstore, and cultural representation. The selected nominees are put forth to the membership for voting and the results are shared at our annual meeting.
Eligibility criteria
- Bookseller directors: Candidates must be the owner or employee of an independent bookstore with a storefront location operating according to sound business principles. (Location-independent bookstores will also be considered.)
- Industry directors: Candidates must be actively employed by one of our book industry members, typically a publisher, wholesaler, or rep group.
- Board candidates must have enough recent experience as an owner or employee of a member company in order to contribute substantively to furthering our mission.
- Board candidates exhibit qualities of leadership and creativity, have a strong reputation for integrity and character, be willing to carry out various assignments, and be dedicated to the association’s mission and objectives.
- All candidates must operate a bookstore or book industry company within our portion of the Midwest--Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
- Typically, our board members are eligible to serve two three-year terms. We are willing to consider shorter-term board appointments if it make sense for the candidate.
- Our board meetings have traditionally occurred four times per year: January, March/April, June, and October (during the trade show). Due to COVID, we are conducting virtual board meetings throughout 2020 and intend to host more of our meetings online in 2021 (i.e., not all four meetings will be in person)
- Directors do not receive compensation for their services, but are reimbursed for authorized expenses, including travel and lodging for all of our meetings, which includes the annual trade show
- Arrangements can be made for the association to pay board members’ expenses up front
Staff
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Carrie Obry, Executive Director since 2010 (she/her/hers) carrie@midwestbooksellers.org
Carrie has had a love affair with books her whole life. In grade school, her favorite time of day was SQUIRT (Super Quiet Uninterrupted Independent Reading Time). In college, she studied literature and creative writing at a small school in Wisconsin, then headed to the big city to get a master’s degree in literary theory from New York University. While there, she began a career in publishing, working as a copyeditor and acquisitions editor as she moved to Chicago and then Minneapolis working for independent publishers. Carrie believes independent bookstores are that “great good place” (to quote Ray Oldenburg), essential to creating vibrant communities and sustaining literary culture. |
Kate Scott, Program Specialist since 2019 (she/her/hers)
kate@midwestbooksellers.org Kate blames books for her being perpetually sleep deprived since the age of 10. While Kate no longer has to read hiding under the covers with a flashlight, she still has to set an alarm to remember to go to bed. Born and raised in Kansas, Kate attended college at a small Iowa school and has worked in farming, education, sales & distribution, event planning, and program management. Kate worked as the Creative Marketing Assistant at Northshire Bookstore in Manchester, Vermont and as the Event Coordinator at Dragonfly Books in Decorah, Iowa. Kate squealed in delight when she joined MIBA. Independent bookstores create the space for ideas, culture, and community, and Kate loves supporting those spaces. |
Board of Directors
board election process
If you'd like to volunteer to become a board member or recommend a board member, please email Carrie Obry at carrie@midwestbooksellers.org.
From our bylaws...
In nominating members for the Board, the Board shall designate a Nominating Committee, which shall be guided by the following criteria:
When recruiting new board members, the Nominating Committee will seek out active members of MIBA who routinely participate in our programs. The Nominating Committee will be mindful of geographic diversity and the mix of types of bookstores represented on the Board. When nominees are finalized, the Board extends a "yea or nay" vote to the general membership of MIBA. If the nominee is confirmed by a majority of membership, the nominee is welcomed to the board.
From our bylaws...
In nominating members for the Board, the Board shall designate a Nominating Committee, which shall be guided by the following criteria:
- The Board must consist of 7 members of the organization, 2 of which shall be publishing industry professionals
- As booksellers are our core members, the President shall always be a bookseller
- No more than one member of the Board may be from a group of retail bookstores under common ownership or control
- No more than one member of the Board may be from a group of wholesalers under common ownership or control
- No more than one member of the Board may be from one group of publishers under common ownership or control
- All members nominated must hold voting status
When recruiting new board members, the Nominating Committee will seek out active members of MIBA who routinely participate in our programs. The Nominating Committee will be mindful of geographic diversity and the mix of types of bookstores represented on the Board. When nominees are finalized, the Board extends a "yea or nay" vote to the general membership of MIBA. If the nominee is confirmed by a majority of membership, the nominee is welcomed to the board.
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Kate Rattenborg / president / board member since 2017 (she/her/hers)
Kate has been the owner and manager of Dragonfly Books since she founded the store in 2011. She recently purchased the the 1894 building where her store is located in the heart of Decorah's dense shopping district. Kate has a master's in Library Science and spent over 20 years in university and college libraries in positions ranging from health sciences reference librarian to an instructional librarian. She also formally studied finance and worked as a financial advisor for a few years. She has served on multiple boards such as the Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce, Decorah Community School Foundation Board, Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, and others. |
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Kristen Sandstrom / vice president / board member since 2018 (she/her/hers)
Kristen was born and raised in Wisconsin—mostly the Milwaukee area, but spent all of her summers on Madeline Island on Lake Superior at her grandparents’ cabin. It was here that she spent hours on end being read to and then eventually reading hundreds of books with the encouragement of her English teacher grandmother. She studied English Literature at Ripon College, but went on to work in several different customer service and hotel management positions before returning to the world of books. She worked as a Merchandising Manager for Borders books for a couple of years. Kristen has been managing Apostle Islands Booksellers for almost eight years now. She lives, loves, and works in Bayfield, Wisconsin. |
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Heidi Weiland / secretary / board member since 2016 (she/her/hers)
Heidi is a proud bookaholic who loves to recommend her favorite reads to everyone that she meets. Thankfully, her position as the Sales Director at Cottage Door Press gives her the opportunity to do that every day. She enjoys connecting books with readers and takes great pleasure in hearing a reader say “you so get me.” |
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Emily Johnson / treasurer / board member since 2019 (she/her/hers)
Emily joined Abraham Associates in 2013. Through 2014, she worked at Magers & Quinn Booksellers in Minneapolis, and before that at multiple Borders locations dating back to 2004. Currently, Emily represents a diverse list of publishers, working with bookstores all over the western portion of the Midwest. |
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Betsy Von Kerens / board member since 2018 (she/her/hers)
Betsy is a bookseller and the front-end manager at The Bookworm in Omaha, Nebraska. She joined The Bookworm staff in 2003 after partnering with them for many years while running the book fair for her children's grade school. As a lifelong reader with a business degree in marketing, finding ways to connect customers with the right book and creating customer relationships is a top priority for her. Prior to her bookstore life, Betsy was in corporate sales and spent several years home with her three children. She has served on many volunteer boards ranging from schools and education to church and community. |
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Emily Hall Schroen / board member since 2018 (she/her/hers)
Emily purchased Main Street Books in St. Charles, MO, with her parents in early 2014. Bookselling is the dream career she never knew she wanted, and she happily wears all the hats at her store, from managing her staff to coordinating events to vacuuming the floor. Emily has a degree in English from Truman State University, and frequently devours YA and Romance novels. She has previously worked with birds of prey and in the finance industry, but maintains that her switch to bookselling is the best decision she ever made. |
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Danny Caine / board member since 2019 (he/him/his)
Danny Caine is the owner of Lawrence, Kansas's Raven Book Store and the author of two books of poetry: Continental Breakfast (Mason Jar Press 2019) and El Dorado Freddy's (collaboration with Tara Wray, Belt Publishing 2020). He was the 2019 recipient of the Midwest Bookseller of the Year award from the Midwest Independent Bookstore Association. More at dannycaine.com. |
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Riley Jay Davis / board member since 2020 (they/them)
Riley Jay Davis has been a bookseller with Next Chapter Booksellers since September of 2017 and has been the author events manager since 2018. They graduated in 2017 from Hamline University with a degree in English and Anthropology. Favorite genres include dystopian science fiction and kids/YA books. Riley loves to help find an engaging read for young potential book enthusiasts, and also says that you should read Octavia Butler's Parable of the Sower, as it's their go-to handsell title |
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BrocheAroe Fabian / board member since 2020 (she/her/hers)
BrocheAroe Fabian (Broche /bruh-kuh/) is an anthropologist, a world traveler, a writer, and a 14-year veteran of the book industry. She owns River Dog Book Co., a location-independent bookstore focused on diverse, global, inclusive, and representative books, and is the founder of River Dog Reads, a nonprofit whose mission is to create community and foster cross-cultural understanding via books. Broche sits on ABA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, reviews for Shelf Awareness, writes a magazine’s quarterly book column, is a contributor for the We Need Diverse Books blog, and acts as a sensitivity reader for authors and publishers. She, her wife, and their two dogs, currently call Sullivan, WI home. |
