When Michigan's Kent District Library decided to bring in author Kristin Hannah for an event, it planned to host it at a local high school and partnered with Books and Mortar, Grand Rapids, as the official bookseller. After all 1,200 tickets were claimed within 15 minutes and another 4,000 people joined a wait list, the library started looking for a larger venue. The event ended up at the Van Andel Arena, all 10,000 seats were claimed within days, and the library called in an additional local bookseller, Schuler Books, to help.
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Elizabeth Bosscher, Schuler marketing manager, said: "It was such a special opportunity to get to work alongside a fellow bookstore to provide the best experience possible to these thousands of readers. We can't think of another industry where two competitors can co-exist at the same event so collaboratively. Our staff at the event said multiple times that the experience was nothing short of magical--a true celebration of books and gathering of community around a common love. One staff member talked to a reader who had flown in from Denver for the event."
The 90-minute program--which the Kent District Library called "one of the largest library events in history"--featured a q&a with Kristin Hannah and her best friend and fellow author Megan Chance, moderated by librarian Jake Huber. You can watch the conversation here.