This is for you

VOLUME was named 2018 Nielsen NEW ZEALAND BOOKSHOP OF THE YEAR at the annual Book Trade Industry Awards on Saturday.

When selecting the winning shop from a field full of excellence and innovation, the judges said: "We chose the one that is proud of its minimalist décor, because this makes the shop its own display. We chose the one with the big front window that lets the natural light in. We chose the one whose owners have over 30 years’ experience in the book trade, who are highly engaged with their customer community in both the physical and the online world. Where there’s a table for book clubs and writing courses and even space for the odd photo shoot for local clothing designers. Where they’re not trying to compete with the digital giants for book business. Where they’re comfortable and focussed on being small. As our Nielsen New Zealand Bookshop of the Year for 2018, we chose - from Nelson… VOLUME."

A bookshop can never be more than the expression of its community, so this award is entirely due to your unquenchable enthusiasm for books and for the communities they can build. Many thanks, everyone, for your support.

Every time a bookshop succeeds, it does so on behalf of all bookshops. It succeeds on behalf of a vast, diverse, evolving and adaptable organism that connects readers and writers, an organism that includes publishers, distributors, reps, reviewers, and the writers and the readers themselves. Every time a bookshop succeeds it does so on behalf of organisms over algorithms.