IOBA Members Talk Tariffs with The Washington Post

Independent Online Booksellers Association (IOBA) members have been closely monitoring the impacts of the U.S. tariffs since they were first announced. With more than 370 members worldwide, IOBA is ideally suited to understand how these rules affect bookselling businesses, particularly regarding the shipping of books between countries. 

There have been ongoing discussions on our private members-only Discuss list, and shared news stories drew the attention of The Washington Post, resulting in coverage in the newspaper’s Book Club Newsletter by columnist Ron Charles, with two IOBA members being quoted in the piece. 

Richard Erdmann, owner of Mare Booksellers in Dover, New Hampshire, discussed some of the issues:

Richard Erdmann, vice president of the Independent Online Booksellers Association (IOBA), tells me he’s been hearing of problems from members in the U.S. and abroad. Even when dealers correctly label a package as informational material, “the shipping companies are erring on the side of caution and labeling it as something other than just a book” — and tacking on extra charges.

“Books — especially higher-end books — there’s a low margin on those,” he says. “An extra 20 percent onto what you expected to pay for that book can be a killer for trying to acquire inventory. Some of our sellers in the U.S. are extremely worried these tariffs could mean the end of their small businesses.”

Erdmann says his association is concerned that efforts to comply with new U.S. tariff rules could result in E.U. shippers charging ruinous flat fees, such as $80 for a single $10 book.

Sylvia Petras, a current IOBA Board Member-at-Large, added her perspective:

Sylvia Petras, owner of Leaf and Stone Books in Toronto, tried to use the new declaration form, which requires the address, phone number and Zip code of the manufacturer. “That’s really great in the used book market,” she says. She asked her fellow booksellers, “Anyone happen to have the email address, contact name and Tax ID number for one Aldus Manutius?” (Probably not. Ever since the Italian printer died in 1515, he’s been notoriously slow with paperwork.)

The comments above are excerpted with permission, but you can read the full Washington Post article here. IOBA leadership and our members will continue to track and share developments on this and a multitude of other topics through our private Discuss list, and other channels. 

Additional Links:

A statement regarding tariffs and their impact has been released by the Independent Online Booksellers Association. IOBA is a U.S. based, nonprofit, International trade organization benefiting member booksellers. The statement can be read on the IOBA.org website link: https://www.ioba.org/post/an-open-letter-about-book-tariffs

Richard Erdman's IOBA Link is: IOBA Member Directory

Sylvia Petras's IOBA Link is: IOBA Member Directory

Rare Book School Scholarships - Deadline May 2, 2022

The IOBA is offering up to six (6) scholarships for continuing education opportunities in 2022! Specifically, IOBA is offering:

• 3 scholarships open to all members for the 2022 CABS-Minnesota

• 2 scholarships open to all members for the non-CABS book school of their choice: RBS (Rare Book School in VA, USA) , CALRBS (California Rare Book School) , LRBS (London Rare Book School), and YABS (York Antiquarian Book Seminar).

• 1 International scholarship for use at YABS or LRBS

Completed entries must be received via email no later than May 2, 2022. Applications and letters of recommendation should be addressed to: scholarshipcontest@ioba.org. The winner or winners will be chosen by the IOBA Scholarship Committee, and will be notified by May 24, 2022. For more information, and full terms and conditions, please go to Scholarships for Members. You must be logged into your IOBA member account to view this page.

We look forward to receiving your applications and good luck!

IOBA Scholarship Contest Description

Why does IOBA offer scholarships to seminars and classes for our members? Because IOBA wants all its member booksellers to be the best booksellers they can be.

Their perspective on bookselling will have widened, they will have met a faculty whose bookselling knowledge is deep and varied, and they will have made friends with fellow seminarians who include librarians and book collectors, along with other booksellers. These are good relationships to forge!

An application that wins you a place in one of these classes is not difficult to prepare. Provide the required information, tell us about your business, and remember, IOBA’s membership is not overly large so you won’t be overwhelmed by competition for these scholarships. If you have already attended, you can still apply for another program. Rare Book School has many classes on a variety of advanced subjects, and CABS has a rotating faculty. This seminar has grown up along with the internet age. You are sure to learn new material, and get an always needed refresher in the basics. I have spoken to quite a few repeat attendees to CABS and they are amazed at how much they benefited from a second trip.

If you’ve applied in the past and didn’t win, please, apply again. You’ve had another year or more of bookselling experience and that will help your application. A number of winners were awarded their scholarship the second time they applied.

We want you to be great booksellers. There is no reason for you to learn it all the hard way! Mark your calendar now to apply in the new year. Applying would make a terrific New Year’s resolution.

Thank you, and we hope to hear from you next.

Heidi Congalton IOBA Vice President Chair, Scholarship Committee Between the Covers – Rare Books, Inc.

#IOBAScholarshipContest #IOBAScholarshipProgram