Books for Binc

Chuck and Dee Robinson, well-known booksellers long active in the industry, are offering a large collection of first editions, many of which are signed or inscribed, advanced reading copies, and book ephemera in a 10-day auction that will benefit the Book Industry Charitable Foundation (Binc).

The Robinsons who founded Village Books in Bellingham, Washington, in 1980 were active in the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association where both served on the board and Chuck served as president. Dee served on ABA’s Booksellers Advisory Council and taught at a number of ABA booksellers schools. Chuck served on the ABA board for nine years, two as president, and taught at ABA schools in the U.S. and the first international school in Singapore.

Over the years the Robinsons, like many booksellers, have collected signed first editions, slipcased signed first editions, advanced reading copies (many signed and inscribed), personally inscribed copies of books, and book related ephemera. Among the items being auctioned are signed or inscribed copies by John Grisham, Dan Brown, Margaret Atwood, John Updike, Bob Hope, Cormac McCarthy, William Safire, Salman Rushdie, Condoleezza Rice, Chuck Palahniuk, and many others. There’s also a signed letter from Jackie Kennedy Onassis, and a miscellany of book ephemera.

Personally inscribed copies have sometimes been deemed less valuable than those that are just signed. However, Ken Lopez, former president of the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America, says this “when you buy a signed book you are purchasing a signature, but when you buy an inscribed book you are getting a story." There are many stories here, some in the inscriptions themselves.

The Robinsons have been big fans and regular donors to Binc for some time and Chuck currently serves on the Binc board. Chuck’s earlier fundraising effort for Binc was a cross-country bicycle ride that raised more than $22,668.

Binc is a nonprofit that coordinates charitable programs to strengthen the bookselling community. Since its inception, the organization has provided more than $9 million in financial assistance and scholarships to more than 9000 families. Since March of 2020 Binc has provided more than $2.7 million to booksellers, bookstores, and comic book stores impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.