Wi2026: Curating for Readers, Not Categories

From romantasy to cozy horror to the emerging young teen lit category bridging middle grade and YA, bookstores are rethinking how to organize their shelves to reflect how readers actually read. Today's audiences — especially younger and crossover readers — are drawn to stories that blur genre lines and center emotion, identity, and imagination. This session explores how these evolving trends are reshaping curation, merchandising, and reader engagement. We'll discuss how to identify and support new or hybrid genres, create sections that reflect your store's values and audience, and help staff and customers navigate shifting boundaries in ways that spark discovery and delight.   Recorded February 26, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.   Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.   Theme song by Constant Companion