Last Friday, 30,000 people from 80 different countries gathered in Los Angeles for the weekend to discuss the "unchaining of America" through the necessity and success of independent booksellers. Publishers, authors, and panelists united together behind the initiative IndieBound.

Democracy Now! reports on the movement:

"the local first movement is a growing awareness among consumers that shopping locally at your locally owned independent businesses matters to communities, that when you shop at a chain store versus a local independent—60 percent more money remains in the community when you shop at the independent. And the effect of that on local schools, local economies is dramatic. And in many cases, local independent bookstores have been the first—among the first businesses to make that case to consumers." (Link)

Democracy Now!'s Amy Goodman sits down with former president of the American Booksellers Association, Russ Lawrence, to discuss what it means to be independent and the link to the local community.