Policy Statement of IBF

Founded in 1956, IBF is an international and independent non-profit-making organization. National Booksellers Associations can join IBF as Full Members and individual booksellers as Associate Members. Extraordinary membership is open to non-booksellers under certain conditions. To apply for Associate or Extraordinary member ship, use the relevant application form. For Full Membership, please contact the Secretariat.

IBF offers a variety of services to its Members, which range from worldwide networking, information and professional expertise to the promotion of the bookshop as the place to buy books. IBF also provides its Members with help and support when they need to lobby their governments on issues affecting the book trade. Here an overview of the benefits of IBF membership:

1. A strong network of trade professionals

IBF is most and above all a strong network of booksellers and book trade professionals. With the IBF Secretariat acting as the focal point, members constantly share experience and exchange best practices. Thanks to a constant flow of information about ongoing trends in the different countries, Members can benefit from their colleagues' experience when they are faced with a situation that has already occurred in another Member's country.

2. An active lobbying body present on the international scene

The IBF Secretariat and IBF President, on behalf of the IBF Board, provide support to its members in form of active lobbying in favour reading promotion and the lowest possible tax rate on books. IBF plays a role both at the European scene, where together with its sister organisation, EBF, it is in regular contact with the European decision makers, and on the international scene, where IBF - sits on the jury of the "World Book Capital City", under the patronage of the UNESCO and together with IPA (International Publishers Association) and IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations) and where IBF is also an evaluator of the Literary Cities context under the patronage of the UNESCO.

3. Trade information

The IBF Secretariat acts as an aggregator for any information relevant to the book trade and reports on new developments and trade initiatives around the world.

IBF members are constantly kept up-to-date about thanks to the IBF Newsletters, which are sent electronically to members, approximately one per month.

4. Conferences and professional seminars

Each year, IBF organises a spring conference, which gathers booksellers from around the world and is a unique opportunity to learn about the developments in the book trade from professional speakers; conferences are also an excellent opportunity for networking and exchanging information with colleagues.

5. Financial advantages for IBF Associate Members

IBF Associate Membership is worth the (modest) investment! Not only do IBF Associate Members benefit from special rates for IBF's own conferences and events, but IBF has also negotiated special deals with the major book fairs and therefore can offer its members

• free tickets to the London Book Fair and to the Frankfurt Book Fair
• Special rates for the professional seminars at the Frankfurt Book Fair.