Bookshops to celebrate LYBD with discounts, events and giveaways
Bookshops across the country are preparing to celebrate Love Your Bookshop Day (LYBD) on 12 October with a range of special events, discounts, and activities designed under this year’s theme ‘Giving the Gift of Imagination’.
In New South Wales, the Bookshop Bowral and The Bookshop Kiama are offering 10% off all sales and a free limited-edition tote bag for customers who spend $50, while Boardwalk Books and Book Face Erina are offering ‘Blind Date with a Book’ selections, where customers can choose a wrapped book based on its first line. In Perth, Bellcourt Books is holding an art-naming competition, with a $20 voucher up for grabs. In Victoria, Farrells Bookshop in Victoria is hosting a ‘Where is the Green Sheep?’ competition, where customers who purchase any Green Sheep products will enter a draw to win a fluffy Green Sheep toy; as part of a wider promotion, Hachette Australia is offering readers the chance to win a 60-second shopping spree at Dymocks Melbourne, allowing the winner to fill their trolley with as many books as they can in a minute; while Penguin is running a promotion with various stores in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, offering customers who purchase two or more Penguin titles a free Penguin figurine in the shape of the Penguin logo.
Several shops, including Galaxy Bookshop in Sydney, Mostly Books in Adelaide, and online bookseller Nice Stack of Books, are taking part in the Libro.fm Golden Ticket giveaway, in which one winner in each store can find a hidden golden ticket and win 12 free audiobook credits.
For children, many bookshops are planning interactive activities. In New South Wales, younger visitors to The Bookshop Bowral and The Bookshop Kiama can enjoy a story time session at 10am, followed by free face painting throughout the morning and Book Face Erina will host a story time with author Sara Acton, along with face painting, and a bookmark-making station. In Victoria, Escape Hatch Books is running a colouring competition, with entries closing on the day, and The Kids’ Bookshop will have giveaways and a visit from author Felice Arena, while Wimberley & Co Bookstore in Queensland is offering children the chance to craft their own bookmarks. Also in Queensland, the Brisbane Bookshop Trail highlights eight stores focused on celebrating all things bookish for children and families: the trail takes readers from Ascot, Bardon, Grange and Wooloowin in the North, to Bulimba, Manly, Stones Corner and West End in the South. In the Northern Territory, the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) NT Branch is encouraging customers to visit The Bookshop Darwin, which has launched a Pay It Forward initiative where customers can purchase $15 vouchers for young readers to use towards books of their choice.
As previously reported, the inaugural adult and children’s author ambassadors for this year’s LYBD campaign are Sally Hepworth and Andy Griffiths.
Category: Local news
