Australians can ‘get lit’ in the true sense in this book lovers’ crawl
If you like visiting bookshops, but don’t always have the time, there’s a big incentive to go next week. From Monday, April 21, book lovers in 16 countries are taking to the streets for the Global Book Crawl. It’s like a pub crawl, but with books instead of drinks.
You can pick up a Global Book Crawl Passport from your local participating bookshop, get the list of other independent bookshops in your area that are joining in, and plan your adventure. You collect a stamp at each shop you visit and if you fill up your passport you get a free book and enter the draw to win book prizes.
Self-organised book crawls have been gaining in popularity in recent years. One blogger, London writer Michael J. Vowles on tumbleweedwrites.com, got together groups of friends and explored bookshops in Houston, Texas, and in London.
Australia will take part in the Global Book Crawl for the first time this year.
Vowles pointed out this is not necessarily about spending money. “A bookshop crawl isn’t a shopping trip. It’s more about experiencing the bookshops themselves and getting a feel for what makes each of them special.” What also makes it special is “the camaraderie; discussing books, comparing your respective hauls at the end, all the unscripted silliness that happens when you get folks together for a little organised fun”.
The Global Book Crawl curates this organised fun into an annual program for everyone. It’s led by booksellers in the US, Ireland and Spain. Countries that have signed up so far include Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Guatemala, Italy, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Switzerland and Sweden, and more are expected to join.
This year Australia is taking part for the first time, and groups of shops have signed up in Melbourne, Sydney, Hobart, Newcastle, the Blue Mountains, the Mornington Peninsula and north-east Victoria.
I like the idea that you could be browsing in a cluster of bookshops at the same time as folk in Vienna, Sligo or Mexico City, and that you’re one of thousands of readers exploring hundreds of bookshops. But the real benefit of this initiative is local, both for bookshops and readers.
The bookshop crawl isn’t a shopping trip, but is instead about experiencing the bookshops themselves.
Readings chairman and Global Book Crawl’s Australian organiser, Mark Rubbo, says many readers are feeling reluctant about giving their money to Amazon executive chairman Jeff Bezos. “We want to show them how rich their local bookshops are, and what a wonderful resource. It’s very nice we are all working collaboratively and showing readers what we have to offer.”
Australian authors should also benefit from the Global Book Crawl. Parlous times in the publishing industry have led to the closure of many independent bookstores, and a decline in local author sales. “Five to ten years ago, a debut author might sell 2000 to 3000 books,” Rubbo says. “Now it might be 500 copies. We need independent bookshops to supply and champion those books.”
There’s quite a variety on offer. If you live on the Mornington Peninsula, for example, you can check out both books and art at the Antipodes bookshop and gallery in Sorrento; enjoy the 40 years of service that lie behind Farrell’s Bookshop in Mornington; get expert advice on children’s books from Petersen’s, the teacher resource bookshop at Hastings; and see what’s on offer at Rosebud’s Book Barn and Dear Reader Books in Tyabb. It’s interesting to see that on their websites the bookshops all select different new releases to highlight.
This is just the kind of initiative we need to foster connections at a time when book selling is a precarious business. It helps to build a sense of community and culture. And if a bit of “unscripted silliness” breaks out, that’s part of the fun.
Many of Sydney’s beloved independent bookshops are taking part in the Global Book Crawl. To find one near you head to the website.
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