PRESS RELEASE
UNDER STRICT EMBARGO UNTIL: 1st SEPTEMBER 2013
XX bookshop puts xxxx on the party map
Xx Bookshop to join the BIG BOOKSHOP PARTY on
14th September, as launch of a nationwide campaign,
BOOKS ARE MY BAG
XX bookshop on xxx Street, will join bookshops nationwide in throwing a Big
Bookshop Party on Saturday 14th September to mark the launch of Books
Are My Bag – a nationwide campaign that will celebrate books and high street
bookshops.
Customers are invited to take part in the festivities on launch day, with the
chance to walk away with one of the iconic BOOKS ARE MY BAG bags. XXX
bookshop will be (bookshop to fill in planned activity for the day in as much
detail as possible)
BOOKS ARE MY BAG is a collaboration between publishers, bookshops andauthors and is the biggest
ever promotion of books and high street bookshops. For many people bookshops conjure fond
images of book readings, in-store cafes and delight at the discovery of a new author. In fact, 56% of
all book buying decisions are made by consumers in a bookshop and high street bookshops (both
chains and independents) still account for almost 40% of books bought by consumers (by value)
(Bowker Research 2013). Yet, many high street bookshops are under threat.
BOOKS ARE MY BAG aims to halt this process by celebrating the nation’s love of bookshops, calling
on book lovers to show their support by visiting and purchasing a book from their favourite
bookshop on Saturday 14th September. A full list of the events can be found at the BOOKS ARE MY
BAG website (www.booksaremybag.com).
EXAMPLE QUOTE: xxx owner/manager of the xxx bookshop said: “What better way to celebrate the
BOOKS ARE MY BAG launch than to throw a great Big Bookshop Party? Our customers often tell us
how special it is to come into the shop, rummage among the shelves, talk to the staff and find
hidden treasures. The party is an opportunity for everyone to celebrate this unique experience,
come together and share their love of books. Even celebrities will be showing their support – we’ll
be revealing these names on launch day on 14th September. We’ll have lots going on, with events
and activities perfect for all the family, and customers will be able to get their hands on one of the
iconic orange BOOKS ARE MY BAG bags, which we’ll be giving away / selling etc xxxx .”
Children’s author and journalist Francesca Simon (creator of Horrid Henry) commented:
“Bookshops, like libraries, are the closest we get to a magic kingdom on earth. They're a world of
treats waiting to be devoured. There's nothing like browsing in a welcoming shop and discovering a
writer or a book you've never heard of. And it's such an event for children to be taken to a bookshop
knowing they can choose a book for keeps."
Alan Staton (Head of Marketing, The Booksellers Association) said: “Book-lovers need to be part of
this renewed zeal to keep books on the high street. We urge you to go into your local bookshop on
Saturday 14th September and buy a book in recognition of the many wonderful hours you have spent
perusing bookshop shelves. Just get involved and vote with your feet for the high street you want to
see in the future.”
Customers requiring more information should call xxx/ email xxx, or look at the bookshop’s website:
www.xxx.
For more information on local events for Saturday 14th September visit: www.booksaremybag.com
Notes to the editor:

The following publishers and retailers have pledged their support for the campaign: Random
House, Hachette, Penguin, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Macmillan, Bloomsbury, the
Faber Alliance, Waterstones, WH Smiths, Easons and independents such as Foyles, Jaffe &
Neale and Mr B’s Emporium

BOOKS ARE MY BAG was launched to the bookselling industry in April at The London Book
Fair and has since recruited around 100 high profile UK and international authors,
broadcasters, models, sports stars, actors, politicians, chefs, journalists and comedians
willing to lend their image to the campaign, to be photographed with the iconic canvas bag
which has been designed as the centrepiece for the movement.

The BOOKS ARE MY BAG bag carries a simple and powerful message allowing readers to
display their love and support for local bookshops while encouraging others to do so. Over a
quarter of a million bags will be distributed from 14th September to Christmas at over 1,800
chain and independent bookshops from across the UK & Ireland.

The BOOKS ARE MY BAG mission statement: “When you buy a book from a bookshop, you
get a possession that you may well value for the rest of your life. You’ll have enjoyed the
pleasure of browsing other books before making your choice. You may well have got advice
about it from someone who loves books even more than you do, the bookseller on the other
side of the counter. And you will have partaken in a process that is a vital part of our culture,
our community and our High Street. This bag is designed to encourage the most important
people, the book reading public, to assert their love and support for bookshops and
encourage others to do so. It says “I use bookshops because I value them. And I want it to
stay that way”.

About The Booksellers Association (BA)
The Booksellers Association is a membership organization for all
booksellers in the UK & Ireland, and we currently represent over 95% of
booksellers. The Association is very active in representing booksellers’
interests to publishers, the UK Government and the European
Commission. The BA exists to support, advise and work with its members
to create excellent products for booksellers. These range from National
Book Tokens, our gift card which prompts increased footfall and keeps gift spending in the
book trade and Batch, our award-winning payments service, which saves time, money and
hassle when settling invoices and organising returns, to a full range of money-saving affinity
deals, a free Business Support Helpline and a whole range of tailored events, marketing and
promotional campaign work, including IndieBound, Keep Books on the High Street, World
Book Day, the Christmas Books catalogue and Independent Booksellers Week.
The BA hosts a number of events and conferences throughout the year, giving members the
opportunity to network peer-to-peer with a wide range of industry leaders and colleagues.
The BA also offers members the opportunity to become involved in a leading trade
organisation, through the BA Council, a number of special interest groups, and a range of
working parties; this places booksellers right at the forefront of our ever-changing business
For interviews requests, photographs or further information on the campaign please contact M&C
Saatchi PR: thom.landers@mcsaatchi.com / 020 3617 8464
For information about The Booksellers Association please contact Amelia Knight or Zekra Rahman
at Midas Public Relations: amelia.knight@midaspr.co.uk / zekra.rahman@midaspr.co.uk / 020
7361 7860