On 30 December 2011, Frédéric Mitterrand awarded the Reference Bookshop label to 24 establishments, bringing the number of bookshops certified by the Ministry of Culture and Communication to 538 since 2009.

Independent Reference Bookshop (LiR) and Reference Bookshop (LR) labels, granted for a period of three years, constitute a mechanism set up at the initiative of the Ministry of Culture and Communication to support and enhance the selection, advice and animation work carried out by quality bookshops that participate, by their commitment to the dissemination of books, to the development and cultural animation of the territories.
Established in 2009 and expanded in 2011 by decree no. 2011-993 of 23 August 2011 on the reference bookstore label and the reference independent bookstore label, The aim of this measure is to maintain a dense and diversified network of quality bookshops in the centre of large cities as well as in rural areas and in small and medium-sized municipalities. It entitles LiR-certified institutions to exemption from contributions which make up the territorial economic contribution (CET).