Libro has been a wonderful partner for indie bookstores!

I can only speak to my own experience with them as a bookseller and customer (I buy audiobooks every month from them without touching the credit system), and it's been nothing but positive.

However, I cannot speak to the author's experience! Do you have a source you could point me to? I always want to learn more.

>why does a bookstore deserve money due to the arbitrary coincidence of its zip code matching your own?

I think it's because indie bookstores usually offer something additional to their communities!

For example, the indie I work for has the only free public restroom in the shopping area (we believe it's a human right), hosts free in-store events with authors, promotes locally self-published authors, drives authors to schools for in-classroom experiences for kids, hosts a holiday book drive to replenish our local school libraries, and sponsors events across the community!

Yes, we sell books to the people in our community, but we also try to lift up our community. I hope that makes sense.

Have you checked out Libro.fm? It's like Bookshop.org but for audiobooks!

It doesn't answer the issue of some content being exclusive to Audible, but it's a nice alternative for traditionally published audiobooks.

Hoopla is also great for borrowing digital media from your local library!

Alibris.com is another wonderful site for used or hard-to-find books!

I'm a manager at an indie bookstore and I agree, Bookshop.org is wonderful! It honestly helped keep a lot of smaller indies alive during the pandemic.

I'd also encourage folks to checkout their local indie's website. It may promote things like free in-store events, indie-exclusive editions of new books, locally self-published authors, or signed bookplates. Plus a lot of them are unionized!

Thank you so much for supporting independent bookstores and have a wonderful new year. 💕