The Booksellers NZ Scholarship has been giving young kiwi booksellers the opportunity to experience bookselling in the USA, and attend the American Booksellers Association's Winter Institute Conference since 2014.
From 2014 - 2018, this was sponsored by Kobo Rakuten. From 2019, the sponsor is Booksellers NZ.
Two lucky scholars will be traveling to Baltimore, Maryland (home of The Wire) for WI15 in January 2020, followed by a week of work experience in an American bookshop. The sponsorship covers travel and accommodation, and also allows the scholars to spend a week working in an American bookshop. Applications are now closed and the announcement of the scholars will be in The Read on Thursday 4 July.
2020: TBA
2019: Pene Whitty and Ruth Bruhin went to Alberqueque, New Mexico
2018: Cassie Richards and Tania Gribben went to Memphis, Tennessee
2017: Courtney Smith and Rochelle Handley went to Minnesota, Minneapolis
2016: Kiran Dass and Helen Wadsworth went to Denver, Colorado
2015: Matt Bialostocki and Anita Kingston went to Asheville, North Carolina
2014: Jenna Todd and Jared Raines went to Seattle, Washington