Professional Booksellers School
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The purpose of the Professional Bookseller Certification Program is to provide independent booksellers with an education, training, and accreditation process that will elevate the trade of independent bookselling, offer a standardized baseline knowledge and professional development opportunities for career booksellers, and create an opportunity for mentorship, guidance, innovation, teaching, and information sharing among book industry members.
PNBA is a Professional Booksellers School Supporting Investor, which means PNBA Bookstore Members (and their employees) are eligible for discounts when registering for PBS certification courses. Discount codes must be provided at the time of registration at the time of an active PNBA Membership and cannot be used retroactively. Use PNBA’s member discount code to save:
Additionally, PNBA will match that discount after course completion with the submission of a PBS Grant Request below and proof of certification. Reimbursement credits may not be issued to individuals, but must go to their employing member stores.
PNBA is a Professional Booksellers School Supporting Investor, which means PNBA Bookstore Members (and their employees) are eligible for discounts when registering for PBS certification courses. Discount codes must be provided at the time of registration at the time of an active PNBA Membership and cannot be used retroactively. Use PNBA’s member discount code to save:
- $25 on Basic Bookselling
- $50 on all other modules resulting in certification
- 10% on Independent study, self-guided, or other bundles of content, code: PNBAis
Additionally, PNBA will match that discount after course completion with the submission of a PBS Grant Request below and proof of certification. Reimbursement credits may not be issued to individuals, but must go to their employing member stores.
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Read to Lead: From To-Do to Done with Maura Thomas
June 6, 2025-June 20, 2025, 3 Friday Sessions + 3 books at 12:00 pm PT (Registration is open as of 4/23/25) A new 3-session book club with attention management/productivity expert Maura Thomas to help you face the pressure of work life, where the information constantly coming in makes it so challenging to get work done. Sponsored by PNBA Member, Sourcebooks, who is generously providing all registrants with 3 of Maura's books:
PNBA Member Discount Code: PNBAis |
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Your Brand / Your Story: Advanced Display & Marketing
June 4, 2025-July 16, 2025, 5 Wednesday Workshops, 9:30 am PT (Registration opens May 5, 2025 at 10:00 am PT) Learn to tell the story of your store with instructors Lisa Uhrik and Steve Wax, specialists in branding, marketing, and understanding that bookstores are providing experiences, not only selling products.
PNBA Member Discount Code: PNBAmd |
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Independent Study
New in 2024! The Professional Booksellers School is offering Independent Study options for all of their courses. Select the classes you or your employees need and complete them within a set amount of time, depending on the course or bundle. There are individual courses for a 30-day viewing window, Basic Bookselling self-study within 3 months or certification within 4 months, or a 12 month window for an unlimited number of staff from a single store, just to describe a few examples. PNBA Member Discount Code: PNBAis
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Bookstore Finances
April 14th, 2025 - July 21, 2025: 1:30 pm PT (Registration Opens Monday, March 10, 2025 at 10:00 am PT) Designed to educate on the day to day and long term finance-related needs of an independent bookstore. A mix of live Zoom classes, handouts, and assignments. No certification is offered for this course.
Registration for this course is complete. Look for details on another occurrence at a later time. |
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Store & Operations Management, Live Courses
March 13, 2025 - June 19, 2025, additional time details TBA (Registration Opens Monday, January 13, 2025 at 10:00 am PT) Designed to cover all of the day-to-day and long-term operational and other business-related needs of an independent bookstore, considering both high-level management topics and the daily tasks assigned to individual booksellers. Built to help managers and owners:
Store & Operations Management Certification offered, cost of the course is $375. PNBA Member Discount Code: PNBAem Registration for this course is complete. Look for details on another occurrence at a later time. |
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Basic Bookselling, Live Courses (Independent Study Available!)
March 4, 2025 - May 7, 2025, 10 classes at 4:00 pm PT + office hours (Registration Opens Monday, January 6, 2025 at 10:00 am PT) Designed to welcome Independent Bookstore staff into a career in bookselling. Recommended for booksellers with a year or less experience. Teaches the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in bookselling, including:
Basic Bookselling Certification offered, cost of the course is $125. PNBA Member Discount Code: PNBAbb Registration for this course is complete. Look for details on another occurrence at a later time. |
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Inventory Management, Live Courses
January 15, 2025 - May 7, 2025, 16 classes at 3:00 pm PT + office hours (Registration Opens Monday, November 18, 2024 at 10:00 am PT) Perfect for employees and owners of 1-year old bookstores, including a mobile or pop-up shop, that has 25%+ new book inventory as the skills and strategies taught in the course are designed for the new book trade, not for used-only stores. Teaches owners and/or store buyers to:
Inventory Management Certification offered, cost of the course is $375. PNBA Member Discount Code: PNBAim Registration for this course is complete. Look for details on another occurrence at a later time. |
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Event Management, Live Courses
January 13, 2025 - June 16, 2025, 16 classes at 5:00 pm PT + office hours (Registration Opens Monday, November 11, 2024 at 10:00 am PT) Learn how to develop a successful store events program over 16 live classes, covering:
Event Management Certification offered, cost of the course is $375. PNBA Member Discount Code: PNBAem Registration for this course is complete. Look for details on another occurrence at a later time. |