It was a genuine pleasure to speak with and interview so many amazing member booksellers for this year’s Conference Scholarships. The calibre of applicants was incredibly high, and it was heartening to hear such optimism and passion for the bookselling industry. Selecting the best candidates was no easy task, but we are excited to announce two highly accomplished booksellers will attend the Booksellers Aotearoa New Zealand and Australian Booksellers Association conferences. They share an infectious enthusiasm, a depth and breadth of experience, and are wonderful examples of the different paths bookselling can take. We thank all the nominees for their time and warmly encourage everyone who was not successful this time to please apply again next year.
2026 Australia Scholar
Anna Hedley (Hedley’s Books, Masterton)
Awarded an all-expenses-paid trip to Canberra for the Australian Booksellers Association 2026 Conference and a week’s work experience in an independent Australian bookstore.
2026 Aotearoa Scholar
Jared Raines (The Great Kiwi Bookstore, Kaiapoi)
Awarded an all-expenses-paid trip to Auckland for the Booksellers 2026 Conference, including Auckland Trade Day and the Book Industry Awards ceremony.