Due to the ongoing public health emergency, this event has been postponed until further notice.
Ann Arbor, MI – Calling authors, illustrators, comic book artists, and celebrities to help booksellers and comic retailers across the country by participating in the 2020 Book Industry Charitable Foundation’s Bank on Booksellers piggy bank auction. The online auction will go live for one week in June. But before that can happen, Binc needs your help.
Bank on Booksellers is Binc’s largest fundraiser that brings together authors, illustrators, and celebrities to help bookstore and comic store employees facing hardship and emergency circumstances.
This year, Binc’s ambitious goal is to raise $40,000 for the booksellers’ safety net. This online fundraising event will raise money to help booksellers experiencing homelessness, domestic violence, natural disasters, and other hardships and personal emergencies.
How does Bank on Booksellers work?
Authors, illustrators, and celebrities decorate one-of-a-kind ceramic piggy banks. These unique art objects will be auctioned off this summer from June 24th through July 1st. In 2018, the Bank on Booksellers Piggy Bank Auction was a success. Decorated pigs from authors and illustrators including Leigh Bardugo, Mac Barnett, Andrea Beaty, Anthony Doerr, Jeff Kinney, Grace Lin, Gregory Maguire James Patterson, Ann Patchett, Jason Reynolds, David Shannon, and Garth Stein. helped bring home the bacon for booksellers.
Through their bids, booksellers, bookstore owners, literary fans, publishing industry leaders, and readers raised over $25,000 in 2018—helping booksellers and comic retailers in need across the US. These proceeds support Binc’s programs helping booksellers and comic retailers in need throughout the nation.
Booksellers need your help. The same issues you read about in the news every day are the issues booksellers are facing right now—from the soaring costs of prescriptions and medical care to being unable to absorb a $400 emergency expense. The Foundation saw an almost 50% increase in financial assistance grants distributed last year, and this increased need is continuing into 2020 with more booksellers than ever finding Binc and asking for help.
“I’m excited about this year’s Bank on Booksellers piggy bank auction. It’s an absolute delight to see the creative ways authors decorate their piggy banks. But the most wonderful thing of all about the auction is knowing that every single piggy bank and every single bidder helps a bookseller in our community who needs our help and support,” said Binc Executive Director, Pam French.
Binc Director of Development said, “Who knew that piggy banks could bring together our book community in such a fun and positive way. This fundraiser brings joy to everyone who participates, whether you are creating a one of a kind masterpiece, bidding, or winning—our collective power strengthens our industry.”
Authors and illustrators who want to decorate a piggy can go to Binc’s website to find out more information bincfoundation.org/bank-on-booksellers or email the auction coordinator Rachel Barry at bankonbooksellers@bincfoundation.org.
Authors and illustrators who want to help booksellers but are not able to decorate a piggy this year can join Binc’s Author Leadership Circle. All authors are welcome to join Campaign Chair Garth Stein and a growing list of fellow authors who are a part of Binc’s Author Leadership Circle. Your annual gift today will place you in this special group of donors—and will help us reach our goal of raising $40,000 to help those in our community who need it.