About Us

Overview

The Professional Booksellers School, Inc.'s Certification Program launched in January 2021 with the Events Management module. Inventory Management module launched in July 2021. Store & Operations Management and Basic Bookselling launched in 2022. Career Fast Track will be the last module to launch, estimated to be in the final quarter of 2023.  Leadership & Personnel Management will be moved into a new category of courses which are not certification tracks. The other courses being developed are Bookstore Finances (for owners & general managers) and Bookstore: Year One.

Each module will run anywhere from 3 months to 8 months, depending on the curriculum and homework. Once a module launches, the intention is to make courses available for registration at least twice a year.

Booksellers who successfully complete a module will receive a certification in that module. A bookseller who completes four modules (events, inventory, store operations, and basic bookselling) OR the career fast track module, will receive the designation of Certified Professional Bookseller. Booksellers are encouraged to take the modules that suit their career path in bookselling.

Programming is being developed for in-depth training in store finances for owners and general managers, and an early store development for owners of new stores.

Read More: Booksellers Hit the Books (PDF)
Mission Statement

The purpose of the Professional Bookseller Certification Program is to provide independent booksellers with an education, training, and accreditation process that will:

  1. Elevate the trade of independent bookselling to a standard approaching that of other professionals in similar industries related to education and public literary engagement.
  2. Offer a standardized baseline knowledge across all aspects of the independent bookselling industry, as well as professional development opportunities for career booksellers.
  3. Create an opportunity for mentorship, guidance, innovation, teaching, and information sharing among book industry members that will compensate people for their time and expertise.
Students in the Professional Booksellers School must be an individual member or work for a bookstore that is a member of either their regional booksellers' association and/or the American Booksellers Association.
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