Bookstores face literary 'rentrée' in face of avalanche of new releases in September

After the quiet summer months, bookstores are gradually returning to their routine and preparing for a literary 'rentrée' that is expected to be intense.

September brings an exciting list of new releases that shops have to fit in among the rest of their titles, seeking a balance between new releases and the usual literary stock.

Although it is one of the busiest times of the year, it is also one of the most enjoyed, as it comes with the post-summer return to cultural activity and book clubs.

Readers are leaving behind their "summer" books and are looking to turn a new page.

At Finestres, in Barcelona, their purchasing manager, Mireia València, explains that as a "back-of-the-house bookstore," they try to find balance between the arrival of new releases and the support of books that they like and are interested in.

For this reason, the bookseller maintains that she makes a "very careful selection" of everything that arrives in order to continue giving "space" to other titles. "For us, it would be ideal if publishers published a little less and we could keep the books on the shelves for months and months, be able to read more works and be able to find readers for each of the titles that arrive," she says.

Those from the Ona bookstore are not only waiting for the start of the school year to see what's new, but they are also eagerly anticipating Catalan Book Week, which falls September 18-27 this year.

However, Guillem Seba, a worker in the shop, highlights the importance of harmony between new releases and the collection: "It's always important to have the newest, but also to take great care of the collection, because that's what we have all year round."

Judit, a bookseller at Documenta, echoes the same sentiment, reminding us that there are many factors to take into account. "What has sold a lot, what has sold little, what we think is interesting, but also what fits with the style of the bookstore," she explains.

"Each place is a world and in our case, for example, we have a different collection, perhaps more classic," she says, but adds that they always try to give visibility to small publishers.

Work and routine

Seba acknowledges that the bookstore's work has intensified in recent days, and that from now on it will only increase.

"There are a lot of new things that come out at the beginning of September and from then on the activity gradually accelerates until the Christmas season approaches," he emphasizes.

"The feeling is that every year it goes further, a lot is published and new publishers are also coming out," he says.

Judit is looking forward to the return because she acknowledges that a little "routine" is good. "People are just now returning from holidays and we have noticed that customers are starting to come to see if new things have arrived," she says.

She also expects that from this week onwards the pace will be a little more frenetic.

València also believes it's a good thing that the usual activity can return to the bookstore, giving a little “life” to the establishment. “Presentations, reading clubs, these activities have more movement than in the summer when people come to look for books to go on vacation, or the buyers are people passing through who are visiting the city.”