Bookmarks Policies

  BOOKMARKS POLICY OF INCLUSION

 

One of the main strategic goals of Bookmarks is to create and maintain an ongoing culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging throughout the Bookmarks organization. 

Therefore, Bookmarks is welcoming to all and does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, gender identity, gender presentation, sexual orientation, age, body size, ability, appearance, religion, or citizenship. We value all in our community and aim to provide a safe, inclusive, and welcoming space for all to engage with books and authors. 

Bookmarks’ DEIB initiatives are applicable – but not limited – to our policies and procedures on recruitment and hiring, compensation and benefits, professional development and training, promotions or terminations, and the ongoing development of a work environment built on respect, teamwork, and open communication. We are committed to a regular process of review for all internal and external policies and procedures and to year-round training and education for our staff, board, and volunteers. 

Bookmarks has a zero tolerance policy for harassment of any kind in person or social media, including but not limited to: stalking; intimidation; offensive verbal comments; physical assault and/or battery; harassing or non-consensual photography or recording; sustained disruption of programs, panels, signings, and other events; bathroom policing; inappropriate physical contact; and unwelcome physical attention. If a person engages in harassing behavior, Bookmarks Staff and/or Board of Directors will take prompt action in any form they deem appropriate, including but not limited to expulsion from the Bookmarks event or premises. This policy applies to everyone (exhibitors, attendees, authors, speakers, guests, press, staff, board members, and volunteers) at all of Bookmarks events and programming, as well as on the premises of the Bookmarks Bookstore, offices, or offsite venue locations. 

 

BOOKMARKS EVENT POLICY

 

By registering and attending for an event, you agree to have your email address added to our newsletter distribution list. You may opt out at any time.

Please Note: Bookmarks cannot be held responsible for changes to an author's schedule and cannot guarantee that books will be signed by the author, either before or after an event.

Please be advised that by attending this event your photograph or image may be taken in connection with Bookmarks. To opt out, please see a staff member. As such, you agree to relinquish any reasonable expectation of privacy and understand that the use of your image does not violate any right of privacy, law regulation, or agreement. Moreover, you hereby grant permission to Bookmarks and its representatives to use, or authorize others to use, any photographic, motion picture, image, or recording, or other record of your participation in activities in connection with Bookmarks, in whole or in part, throughout the universe in perpetuity, in all media and means, now known or hereafter developed or discovered, solely for promotional and related purposes.

Please be aware of our Code of Conduct: Bookmarks has a zero tolerance policy for harassment of any kind in person or social media, including but not limited to: Stalking; intimidation; offensive verbal comments; physical assault and/or battery; harassing or non-consensual photography or recording; sustained disruption of programs, panels, signings, and other events; bathroom policing; inappropriate physical contact; and unwelcome physical attention, in relation to, but not limited to: race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender presentation, sexual orientation, age, body size, ability, appearance, religion, citizenship, pregnancy. If a person engages in harassing behavior, Bookmarks Staff will take prompt action in any form they deem appropriate, including but not limited to expulsion from the Bookmarks sponsored event or premises. This policy applies to everyone (exhibitors, attendees, authors, speakers, guests, press, staff, board members, and volunteers) at all of Bookmarks events and programming. Anyone can report harassment. If someones behavior has made you uncomfortable, or if you witness the same happening to someone else, you should immediately contact Bookmarks staff or security. In this virtual landscape, we ask that you remain respectful as you would for an in person event. We will remove and ban you from virtual events if you submit any inappropriate content, offensive or of any nature that does not pertain to the event visually, verbally, or in written content. If removed from the event, you will not receive a refund of any kind.


SALES POLICIES 

 

SHOPPING ONLINE AT BOOKMARKS
Thank you for supporting Bookmarks and Books with Purpose! On this page you can find information about online shopping, sales and returns policies, shipping information, terms and conditions, and more.

Online shopping with Bookmarks is quick and easy! To get started, use the “Find a Book” blue search pane at the top of every screen. Add items to your shopping card and proceed to checkout. When you place your first order, you can create a customer account to make future shopper faster and easier.

If you have any questions about using our website, please email us at staff@bookmarksnc.org or call us at (336) 747-1471. 
 

BOOK AVAILABILITY
All of our titles are subject to availability. Prices may be subject to change. If you have specific questions about the pricing or availability of a book, please call 336-747-1471 or email staff@bookmarksnc.org.

  • "Availibility: On Our Shelves NowThis book should be available to pick up in the store. If you click on the book title from the search page, you will be able to see how many copies we should currently have in stock underneath the "Add to Cart" button (i.e. "3 on hand, as of...). Please be aware that this does not guarantee a book will be available as our website inventory only updates periodically. If you order this book online, you will still need to wait until we process your order and contact you to let you know it's ready.
  • “Available to Order; typically arrives at Bookmarks in 7-10 days” This book should be readily available to order from our warehouse to either ship to you or for you to pick up at Bookmarks.
  • “Email staff@bookmarksnc.org for prince & availability” This book is currently unavailable from our main warehouse, but we may have copies available in store or we may be able to order a copy directly from the publisher. Please call 336-747-1471 or email staff@bookmarksnc.org for more information.
  • “Backordered” This book is currently out of stock, but the publisher is in the process of printing more copies, and we may be able to order it directly from them for you. Please call 336-747-1471 or email staff@bookmarksnc.org for more information.
  • “Hard to Find” “Out of Print” or “Unavailable” This book is no longer in print and Bookmarks is unable to obtain a copy for you. You may be able to obtain a copy through Alibris.com, a used book consolidator, or your local used book store.


ORDER REQUESTS
If you have special requests for your order, please let us know in the checkout comments section. You can pre-order signed books by local authors or authors who are coming to visit Bookmarks; if you would like your signed book to be personalized, please include that information in the checkout comments and we will try to make this happen. 


PAYMENT METHODS AND SECURITY
We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, and Bookmarks gift cards for online payments. To use a gift card online, you will need to enter a credit card or select PayPal during checkout and add your gift card code in a separate box in the checkout pane. You will only be charged if the gift card does not cover the total. 

Bookmarks uses Authorize.Net, a leading payment gateway since 1996, which provides the latest technology to keep your credit card information safely encrypted on a secure server.
 

PICKUP AND SHIPPING
You may choose to pick up your order at Bookmarks to avoid shipping charges. Our team will send you an email to confirm we’ve received your order and another to let you know when your order is ready to pick up. If you choose to ship your order, you will receive a confirmation email that we’ve received your order and a second follow-up email with tracking details when your order ships.

All orders are processed within 2-3 business days. Orders are not shipped on weekends or holidays. If we are experiencing a high volume of orders, shipments may be delayed by a few days. Please allow additional days in transit for delivery. If there will be a significant delay in shipment of your order, we will contact you via email or telephone.

Note that if you select in-state USPS Priority Mail shipping and you do not live in North Carolina, your shipping method will be adjusted to USPS Media Mail when we process your order.

Shipment Method   

Estimated Delivery Time   

Shipment Cost    

USPS Media Mail

2-9 days

$5.50 + $1/item

USPS Priority Mail (in-state) 

2-5 days

$10.50 + $1/item

USPS Priority Mail (out of state) 

2-5 days

$14.50 + $1/item

International Shipping (available upon request)

Variable $30 + $2/item

SPECIAL ORDERS AND EVENT ORDERS

Special orders will be held for two months after they arrive at the store. You will receive an email or phone notification when the order arrives at the store, and another when we have held it for one month. At the end of the two-month window, special orders will be pulled and donated to local organizations. No refunds for special orders. 

Books that come with event tickets that are not picked up at events will be held for two weeks at the store. At the end of the two-week window, these books will be donated to local organizations. No refunds on books that are not picked up. 

RETURNS AND EXCHANGES

In-store items may be returned for store credit or exchanged for other merchandise within 48 hours of purchase. Shipped orders may be returned for store credit within 14 days of delivery. To be eligible for an exchange, your merchandise must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. We require receipt or proof of purchase to accompany your return. 

Our return policy does not apply to the following: special orders, gift cards, personalized items, jigsaw puzzles, and clothing. 

Bookmarks does not process returns in the form of cash, check, or credit cards. All returns are processed as exchanges for other merchandise and/or store credit.

Did we send you the wrong book? Mistakes do happen! Please call us (336) 747-1471 ext. 1000 or email staff@bookmarksnc.org.


WHISTLEBLOWER POLICY

Bookmarks (Winston-Salem, NC) (the “Organization”) expects its directors, officers, employees, and volunteers to observe high ethical standards and to comply with applicable laws and regulations in the conduct of their duties.  This Whistleblower Policy (this “Policy”) describes the process for individuals to submit complaints regarding the quality and integrity of the Organization’s accounting, auditing, and financial reporting controls and procedures as well as the Organization’s legal or regulatory compliance (“Complaints”).  Any director, officer, employee, or volunteer who violates or suspects any violation of the law, regulations, ethical rules, or any policy of the Organization must report such activity as soon as possible by submitting a Complaint. 

Complaints may be submitted to the President (Board of Directors), who will promptly forward any such Complaints to the entire Board.  Complaints may also be submitted directly to the Board.  Complaints must be in writing and include a full statement of the acts or omissions, along with relevant dates, forming the basis of the Complaint.  Complaints should state that they are made pursuant to this Policy.  In order to facilitate an investigation, individuals submitting Complaints should include their contact information.  Individuals may also submit Complaints on an anonymous basis.  The Organization will use its best efforts to maintain the anonymity of any such Complaint, but an investigation may result in the identification of the individual. 

To submit a Complaint to the current President, send it to the following address:

President, Bookmarks Board of Directors
c/o 815 Gales Avenue

Winston-Salem, NC 27103

To submit a Complaint to the Board, send it in a sealed envelope to any individual director’s address, as listed in the Board roster, or to the address, above. The Board will investigate every Complaint and take or recommend corrective and disciplinary actions, if appropriate. The Board (or a Committee thereof) may enlist employees of the Organization and/or outside legal, accounting, or other advisors, as appropriate, to conduct any investigation of Complaints.  The Board will retain and maintain a record of all Complaints received by it and the President pursuant to this Policy and the results of the investigations.  Confidentiality will be maintained throughout the investigation to the extent reasonable and practicable under the circumstances, and consistent with appropriate investigative and corrective action.

The Organization does not permit retaliation or discrimination of any kind against any individual for Complaints submitted pursuant to this Policy that are made in good faith.