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The next co-op member information session for the Asbury Book Cooperative is this Sunday, January 5 at 11 am at words! bookstore at 623 Cookman Avenue. 

Attendees will learn more about words! transition into the community-owned Asbury Book Cooperative starting in May. You can ask questions about cooperatives and membership, as well as connect with other members and learn about how to own a piece of a bookstore in your town.

Words! bookstore was founded 11 years ago in downtown Asbury Park by Scott Asalone and Jan Sparrow. Words! manager Liza Minno Bloom (shown above at left with Sparrow) is spearheading the move to transition the business into a cooperative, where members buy an annual share and have a voice in the business through a vote at the annual meeting. 

Asbury Book Cooperative memberships are available now. Click here for the Asbury Book Cooperative website which includes a link to join. Those interested are encouraged to become members at this time, as the support of early memberships will help facilitate the transition to the cooperative. 

“Many bookstores are transitioning to a member-owned or worker-owned model,” Minno Bloom previously told the triCityNews newspaper. “It works well with bookstores which are inherently community spaces. It’s way more than a retail space. It’s an art space. It’s an education space. It’s a youth space. It’s a kids’ space. Our space [at Words!] has become really reflective of the Asbury community.”

The basic annual membership for the Asbury Book Cooperative will be $50, but there’s also memberships for $100 and $250 for those who want to show additional support. All members get various benefits, such as discounts, with additional perks for the more expensive memberships. You can use those discounts now at words! until the cooperative opens in May and your inaugural year-long membership takes effect. 

If anyone can’t afford the $50, the cooperative is offering memberships from $25 to $49 — you just tell them what you can pay, no questions asked. There will also be an opportunity to volunteer in lieu of the membership.

In addition, organizers are seeking founders to contribute at least $1,000 to help build a capital fund for the cooperative to allow it to upgrade operations when it launches in May.

Working with Minno Bloom on the transition are words! owners Asalone and Sparrow, along with Janet Torsney who has years of experience in library administration. All involved in this project are Asbury Park residents.

[Photo at top courtesy of triCityNews newspaper.]
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