The Booksellers Association (BA) has today confirmed that Independent Bookshop Week – the annual week-long celebration of independent bookshops across the UK and Ireland – will go ahead as planned from 20-27th June 2020, sponsored by Hachette UK.

With over to thirds of bookshops in the UK working hard to deliver books to customers locally, Independent Bookshop Week 2020 will celebrate the resilient spirit of indie bookshops, with virtual author events, online story times, Twitter chats and more. In addition, the public will be encouraged to support their local high street by choosing an indie bookshop when making a book purchase during Independent Bookshop Week, and beyond.

Details of events will be revealed in the coming weeks, as bookshops and publishers continue to move fast to adapt to the current climate. The campaign will include independent bookshops across the UK and Ireland being “twinned” with indie publishers, underlining the many ways in which small businesses are supporting each other at this difficult time. 

In addition, to help book lovers find reading inspiration as recommended by indie bookshops, the shortlist for the Indie Book Awards will be announced on Friday 15th May and the winners will be revealed on the penultimate day of Independent Bookshop Week, Friday 26th June.

Emma Bradshaw, Head of Campaigns at the BA, commented: “Independent Bookshop Week 2020 may not be taking the form we imagined, but as bookshops across the UK and Ireland have demonstrated during the past months: where there is a will, there is a way. We look forward to revealing plans for this year’s IBW, and to working with publishers and authors on supporting bookshops, while tapping into their communities to bring books to readers. In the current landscape people are turning to books for escapism, entertainment and education, and we hope that IBW will help to remind book-lovers how important it is to support their local high street by choosing a bookshop when they buy a book.”

Publishers and bookshops are invited to contact Emma Bradshaw, Head of Campaigns at the Booksellers Association, to confirm their plans, via: emma.bradshaw@booksellers.org.uk.

For updates and to join the conversation on social media, follow @booksaremybag and #IndieBookshopWeek.