2026 Bookstore Finances Course Registration Opens 02/16
The course begins Monday, 04/06; Registration opens 02/16/2026
Online
Event Details
Welcome to PBS's Bookstore Finances Course!
Classes for the 2026 Bookstore Finances Course run on Monday nights starting Monday, April 06. The course has 13 classes and will run through Monday, July 06, 2026.
Classes are at 4:30 pm ET / 3:30 pm CT / 2:30 pm MT / 1:30 pm PT.
Registration opens Monday, February 16 @ 1 pm ET / 12 pm CT / 11 am MT / 10 am PT
Registration fee for the course is $400.
Students whose stores are current members of their regional trade association may be eligible for discount codes and reimbursement. Please check what your Regional provides before enrolling.
Information about the course is on our website: please review this before you register.
Registration is limited to 40 students total in two categories:
Active Students: people who are committed to attending classes and doing all of the homework assignments. 20 Active Student tickets are available. (Note: Active Students who are not store owners will be asked for a letter from the store owner stating that they support the student taking the course and are willing to listen to feedback from homework assessments. Without this letter, students will be moved to "auditing" status.)
Auditing Students: people who may attend live or watch the videos, and who will not be doing homework assignments. 20 Auditing Student tickets are available.
Registration Requirements:
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- Before you register you must join PBS as a member. Membership is free, and joining ensures you receive our newsletter and can access course resources.
- Only one person per store may enroll in the course
- Students must have owned or managed a bookstore for at least one year (this includes mobile, pop-ups, and other novel model shops) and must have access to the store's financial information. Students who aren't owners must have access to the store's financial documents. Students who attempt to register and have not owned or managed a store for one full year will have their registrations canceled and refunded.
- Students must have enough familiarity with Excel or other spreadsheets to create basic formulas (e.g. multiply two different cells together)
- Students must use a POS system that tracks individual inventory and supports purchase orders/receiving.
- Students' stores must have an accounting/bookkeeping system, whether that is software or spreadsheets.
NOTE: Tickets are hidden until registration officially opens on Monday, February 16.
How the Course Works
This course is only for people who have been an owner or manager at an Independent Bookstore for more than one full year.
This course is geared towards store owners and/or managers who handle finances on a day to day basis and is for educational purposes only, meaning no certification is earned for this course. By the end of this course, students will have completed projects that help them create: a regular system for reviewing and analyzing Profit & Loss and Cash Flow; a working Chart of Accounts in alignment with ABACUS; operational expenses and payroll budgets; an ongoing financial dashboard.
The course meets online via Zoom on Mondays at 4:30 pm ET / 3:30 pm CT / 2:30 pm MT / 1:30 pm PT. Each class is approximately one and a half hours. The classes are live, and participation is required for active students.
The course uses Discord as our platform for information, chat, and homework. Discord is free to join, and an invitation will be emailed to students after registrations. Students also receive a twice-weekly newsletters with information about the class.
Each class covers a different topic and can include guest speakers from the industry. Classes also include some small groups and other interactive elements.
Course Schedule
April 06 Class 1: Intro to Bookstore Finances
April 13 Class 2: Daily Store Finance
April 20 Class 3: Vendor, Debt, & Tax Management
April 27 Class 4: Working with ABACUS
May 04 Class 5 Event, Promo, & Co-Op Management
May 11 Class 6: Staff Financial Management
May 18 Class 7: Accounting Basics
May 25 Memorial Day, no class
June 01 Class 8: Bookkeeping for Booksellers
June 08 Class 9: Cash Flow Deep Dive
June 15 Class 10: Balance Sheet Deep Dive
June 22 Class 11: Profit & Loss Deep Dive
June 29 Class 12: Creating & Analyzing Your Budget
July 06 Class 13: Creating Your Ongoing Financial Dashboard
July 13 Last day to turn in course project