BookED: Recent Episodes
American Booksellers Association
BookED is the bookstore education podcast brought to you by the American Booksellers Association. For additional bookstore resources or to sign up as an ABA member, visit us at www.bookweb.org.
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Elizabeth Bosscher of Schuler Books in Grand Rapids, MI interviews F. A. Davidson, author of Flickerstate, available now at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Jocele Skinner of Shared Stories Books in Caldwell, ID interviews Roberta Kwok, author of Lost In Curiosity, available now at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Amy Buren of Maggie Mae's Bookshop in Gresham, OR interviews Amy Tern, author of Sneaks, available now at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
There's a lot happening at Edelweiss, and this session is your chance to get up to speed. We'll walk through the latest platform improvements and features, and talk about our roadmap for 2026. Get behind the scenes, "first look" views of what's coming, including updates to Omnibus, our new bookstore operating system.
Recorded June 28, 2026 at Children's Institute 2026 in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion.
Doesn't it just make sense that if you know where you want to end up, it will be easier to figure out how to get there? We certainly think so! Visioning is a tool that can help clarify what success looks like at a particular point in time in the future on any scale – from articulating the future of your business in 20 years to figuring out a successful in-store promotion. Once you have the destination in mind, you can better prioritize how to spend your time and other resources (including physical and emotional energy) on a day-to-day basis. In this session, you'll practice writing a draft vision and learn how to share it with others. Leave with some practical strategies and helpful insights for incorporating (or re-incorporating) visioning into your life. Best of all, you'll have a tool to help you get more clarity about what personal and business success means to you.
Recorded June 27, 2026 at Children's Institute 2026 in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Short-form video content doesn't have to be scary or time-consuming. In this interactive workshop, booksellers will learn a simple, repeatable workflow for making reels and TikToks. From brainstorming ideas, to filming, editing, and posting. Participants will practice on their phones, pick up helpful tips, and leave with a nearly finished video to share.
Recorded June 27, 2026 at Children's Institute 2026 in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Many organizations invest in learning how to navigate conflict — but far fewer know what to do after it happens. What comes next determines whether relationships fracture or deepen.
Building on the RISEWITHUS Conflict Philosophy™, this session focuses on the critical, often-missed phase of conflict: repair, reflection, and re-engagement. Participants will explore how to move beyond resolution and into meaningful restoration — where accountability, emotional intelligence, and equity-centered practices rebuild trust and strengthen relationships.
Grounded in restorative approaches and power-aware frameworks, this session will guide attendees through what it means to:
- Reflect on conflict with intention, not avoidance
- Re-engage without self-abandonment or performative harmony
- Repair harm in ways that center dignity, accountability, and growth
- Integrate feedback and learning into future conflict practices
If you've attended previous workshops, this session builds on that work—connecting insight to sustained transformation. Because conflict isn't the end of the story. What you do after is where the real work begins.
Recorded June 27, 2026 at Children's Institute 2026 in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Curious about what KPIs you should be tracking specifically for your children's section? This panel will break down the most important KPIs for children's bookstores and stores with children's sections, focusing on the data that truly drives sales growth and inventory success. You'll leave ready to start making data-driven decisions that will make your kids' section shine.
Recorded June 28, 2026 at Children's Institute 2026 in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Join Ingram for an educational ipage session with a live demo and a look at recent platform enhancements. Explore practical tools and techniques to boost title discoverability, navigate the platform more efficiently, and get your questions answered in an interactive Q&A. We'll also share a brief update on Covered, Ingram's new marketing platform launching Fall 2026. Covered connects publishers, booksellers, and librarians on one platform, enabling digital catalog and DRC access, title discovery, POS system connection, and ordering.
Recorded June 29, 2026 at Children's Institute 2026 in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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A parent comes into the store and asks about Lexile reading levels, and you're left secretly thinking, "What even is that?" This introductory session will demystify Lexile and Fountas & Pinnell reading levels for booksellers, explaining what they measure and how they're used in the children's book market. You'll leave with a greater understanding of the levels and confidence in how to choose books for each level.
Recorded June 29, 2026 at Children's Institute 2026 in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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How do you extend specialized children's bookselling knowledge from beyond one expert to your entire staff? This session offers concrete methods for equipping all frontline staff with the core competencies of children's bookselling, from understanding age ranges and developmental stages to mastering key handselling techniques. Panelists will break down training models, workflow integrations, and resources that help general booksellers confidently recommend titles, engage families, and strengthen the store's overall children's business.
Recorded June 27, 2026 at Children's Institute 2026 in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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The kids' section is looking very nostalgic these days with special edition reprints of popular '90s kids' books. This points to a greater trend in the industry and a great market and genre to tap into to improve your bottomline: millennial nostalgia. This session will focus on how stores have been successful in catering to millennials knowing this age group can't resist the magic of their own childhood memories. From special editions to sidelines and events, this session will share how the children's section is no longer just for children.
Recorded June 29, 2026 at Children's Institute 2026 in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion.
Developed for author guests at Children's Institute, this panel features booksellers who have formulated best practices for creating events that benefit both stores and authors. This session will cover a number of issues, from author publicity to dealing with pre-event nerves.
Recorded June 28, 2026 at Children's Institute 2026 in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion.
There are so many literary awards for children's books, so how do you keep up? Especially as established awards are now expanding to include children's books! This panel introduces booksellers to the wide landscape of children's book awards, from national honors to regional and genre-specific prizes. Hear how stores are also adapting this format into making their own engaging award programs!
Recorded June 28, 2026 at Children's Institute 2026 in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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This session is for those new — and newer! — to children's bookselling. Long-time children's booksellers will demystify and clarify important information you wouldn't know until someone told you! Developing sales rep relationships, opening accounts versus ordering from a wholesaler, and more will be discussed. You will leave feeling confident, with foundational knowledge that you will grow over the course of the Institute.
Recorded June 27, 2026 at Children's Institute 2026 in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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With pressure on bookstores increasing over their curation of books and events, it is essential to have clear policies that reflect your store's emphasis and values. Having a curation policy helps a store keep the team on the same page, explain curation decisions to customers, and work through disagreements within the staff and community. Led by ABFE's Associate Director Philomena Polefrone, this session will offer a structure to help you start articulating your store's processes and values. Attendees will leave with a draft they can continue developing when they return to their store.
Recorded June 29, 2026 at Children's Institute 2026 in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Analog is back! As more adults look to limit their screen time, they're rediscovering screen-free activities like reading, journaling, puzzling, and crafting. Curated "analog bags" — portable totes designed to encourage unplugging — are trending, and bookstores are perfectly positioned to become the go-to destination for filling them. This session will explore how to merchandise for the analog movement, handsell across categories, and create events that tap into the growing desire for offline connection and creativity.
Recorded June 29, 2026 at Children's Institute 2026 in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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You can still celebrate an author and have an incredible, fun event even if the author can't come to the store physically! This session will focus on authorless events, such as craft workshops, character meet-and-greets, scavenger hunts, zine-making workshops, cookbook dinners, and community partnerships. Learn to design crowd-pleasing, low-cost programming that doesn't rely on author visits. This session is perfect for stores that want steady community engagement with staff-led events.
Recorded June 29, 2026 at Children's Institute 2026 in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Events can drive sales, build community, and strengthen your store's brand, but how do you know if an event is successful? This session will introduce practical ways to use ROI and key metrics to track and measure event success. You'll learn what data to gather before, during, and after events and how to interpret it to understand impact. We'll also explore how to evaluate your store's current event capacity, from staffing to sales potential, so you can make informed decisions about growth. You'll leave with a clearer framework for assessing performance and shaping an effective events strategy.
Recorded June 29, 2026 at Children's Institute 2026 in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Children's books are experiencing growth, largely driven by the popularity of board books and activity-based formats such as sticker and coloring books. These formats are especially appealing to young readers and families looking for engaging, hands-on experiences with books. This session will explore strategies for incorporating board books and activity books into your store's inventory, merchandising, and programming. You'll leave with ideas for capitalizing on this growing segment of children's publishing and positioning your store to meet customer demand.
Recorded June 28, 2026 at Children's Institute 2026 in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Many children's bookstores partner with school librarians for book fairs, author visits, and summer reading programs. But as school districts face budget cuts — including the elimination of librarian positions — bookstores are left wondering how to sustain these important partnerships. This session will explore how to rethink and rebuild school relationships in the absence of a dedicated librarian. We'll discuss strategies for collaborating directly with administrators and teachers, navigating shifting responsibilities, and continuing to create meaningful events, even when school staff may not fully understand what goes into organizing them.
Recorded June 29, 2026 at Children's Institute 2026 in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Great marketing starts with great photos, and you don't need fancy equipment to get them. This hands-on workshop will teach you how to take better photos using just your smartphone. You'll learn how to shoot compelling book flat lays, staff portraits, event coverage, and beautiful shots of your store's interior and exterior. Then we'll practice our skills in guided group settings, where you will explore how perspective and creativity shape visual storytelling. You'll leave with new skills, resources, and a more confident eye behind the lens.
Recorded June 27, 2026 at Children's Institute 2026 in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Coco Zephir of An Unlikely Story in Plainville, MA interviews Ben Reeves, author of Everything Was Beautiful And Nothing Hurt, available now at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Angela Whited of Red Balloon Bookshop in St. Paul, MN interviews Wendy Lu, author of Casting April, available now at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Allie Cesmat of Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe, AZ interviews Ari Koontz, author of Just Ask Elsie, available now at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Coco Zephir of An Unlikely Story in Plainville, MA interviews Joanna Thurlow, author of Forever is the Sweetest Con, available now at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Amani Jackson of The Ivy Bookshop, Baltimore, MD interviews P.C. Verrone, author of Rabbit, Fox, Tar, available now at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Fisher Nash of Carmichael's Bookstore in Louisville, KY interviews Ama Ofosua Lieb, author of Goldenborn, available now at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Elisa McIntosh of The Bookstore Plus in Lake Placid, NY interviews Liv Mae Morris, author of The Last Dragon House, available now at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, a bookseller at Third Place Books Ravenna in Seattle, WA interviews Lauren E. Osborn, author of Entomology of the Pin-Up Girl, available now at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Britney Harker of Rediscovered Books, Boise, ID, interviews Lily Kim Qian, author of Until We Meet Again, available now at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Claire Bone of Wild Sisters Book Company in Sacramento, CA, interviews Tolani Akinolai, author of Leave Your Mess at Home, available now at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Katie Orphan of Orphan Books in Los Angeles, CA interviews Tesia Tsai, author of Deathly Fates, available now at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Annastasia Williams of The Bottom in Knoxville, TN interviews Caro Claire Burke, author of Yesteryear, available now at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Cassie Goodwin of Loudmouth Books in Indianapolis, IN interviews Soraya Bouazzaoui, author of Aicha, available now at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Haley Calvin of The Novel Neighbor in St. Louis, MO interviews Heba Al-Wasity, author of Weavingshaw, available now at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Emily Russo of PRINT: A Bookstore in Portland, ME interviews Bar Fridman-Tell, author of Honeysuckle, available now at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Sydne Conant of Ink Cap Books in Stoughton, WI interviews Sandy Bigna author of Little Bones, available now at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Andrea Iriarte Dent of Molly's Bookstore in Melrose, MA interviews Cassie Miller, author of Meet Me Under the Lights, available now at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Katie Orphan of Orphan Books in Los Angeles, CA interviews Georgina Chadderton, author of Oh Brother, available now at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Fisher Nash of Carmichael's Bookstore in Louisville, KY interviews Delali Adjoa, author of The Free Verse Society, available now at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Jenny Chou of Boswell Book Company in Milwaukee, WI interviews Clíodhna O'Sullivan, author of Her Hidden Fire, available now at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
As online platforms shape how readers discover and connect with books, Bookstagrammers and BookTokers have become powerful voices in the literary ecosystem. This session will explore how independent bookstores can cultivate meaningful, values-driven relationships with digital creators to grow visibility, drive foot traffic, and build trust with online audiences. Join a panel of booksellers and content creators who have successfully partnered to promote events, create in-store content, and spotlight underrepresented titles. We'll explore how to find the right voices for your store, establish clear expectations, offer compensation that respects their work, and track return on investment without compromising authenticity. Whether you're new to influencer partnerships or want to elevate existing collaborations, this session will give you practical tools to make social partnerships that truly support your store's mission and your bottom line.
Recorded February 25, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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In today's fast-paced media landscape, it's not always about landing the big headline right away. Sometimes, small, strategic actions can lead to major opportunities for visibility. In this session, we'll explore how booksellers can generate media buzz through simple but effective tactics. From crafting an engaging "About Us" page to networking with local press, to leveraging opportunities to speak at community gatherings like Rotary or Chamber of Commerce events, let's learn how to make your bookstore newsworthy. Plus, we'll discuss the importance of having a well-prepared press kit on-hand to make the most of those moments when the spotlight turns your way. Recorded February 25, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Membership programs can be more than discounts — they can be powerful engines for connection, community, and consistent revenue. This session will explore how to design a membership model that reflects your store's mission, deepens customer relationships, and delivers real value to your most loyal supporters. From exclusive perks and event access to branded swag and behind-the-scenes content, we'll share creative ideas and operational tips to help your membership program thrive. You'll learn how a well-structured membership can also support your staff and allow you to meet financial goals. Whether you're starting fresh or revamping an existing structure, discover how to turn occasional shoppers into invested members of your bookstore's future.
Recorded February 26, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Discover what's ahead for Edelweiss in this one-hour roadmap session. We'll catch attendees up on our new List View as well as our plans for Omnibus, a new Square-integrated platform that merges inventory, orders, and events into one workspace. Plus, we'll share more about our work to improve user access to key data via updated dashboards and improved search tools. Join us to explore how we are creating a smoother, more efficient experience for booksellers. Recorded February 24, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Are you interested in expanding representation in your children's book curation? Genres like graphic novels, romance, and sci-fi/fantasy are a great place to start. This session will take a look at the impact of disabled rep, queer rep, and racial diversity in the genres and provide tips and resources to support your store's curation of its genre sections and graphic novels.
Recorded February 26, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Bookshop.org's CEO Andy Hunter will present new features for stores to maximize profits. From improving the ebook app to enhanced affiliate tools and email marketing support, Bookshop.org is making it easier than ever for your bookstore to thrive online.
Recorded February 26, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Reading is magic, and when kids fall in love with it early, that love can last a lifetime. This session will discuss ways you can spark a lifetime of reading for your young customers. We'll explore how booksellers can create moments of wonder that make kids reach for books just because they want to, not because they have to. Panelists will share ideas for making reading a shared family adventure and building excitement around discovery. We'll also discuss how cultivating enthusiastic young readers today helps ensure a future of engaged adult readers tomorrow. You'll leave with practical, joy-filled ideas to turn your store into a place where reading isn't just encouraged — it's irresistible.
Recorded February 24, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Schools are eager for creative community partners — and bookstores are uniquely positioned to create a partnership that is mutually beneficial. This session explores nontraditional school partnerships that are meaningful and manageable for your store's capacity. We'll look at teacher nights, programming, discounts, and strategies for outreach. Learn how to co-create initiatives with educators and students that support learning, amplify youth voices, and establish your bookstore as a go-to space for the next generation of readers. Recorded February 24, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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You've opened your bookstore — now what? This practical panel is designed for new owners navigating the day-to-day realities of their first year. Hear from fellow booksellers and Ingram experts as they share real-world advice on managing inventory, making smarter buying decisions, and using ipage, to make the day-to-day easier, stay organized, and grow sales. Whether you are weeks or months in, you'll leave with actionable strategies to help your store thrive.
Recorded February 24, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Take your Edelweiss know-how to the next level. This interactive session for intermediate users will explore how booksellers can use Edelweiss Analytics and Edelweiss360 to make smarter, data-driven decisions and strengthen customer connections. The Edelweiss team will share live demonstrations and practical examples focused on inventory management, discovery, and marketing outreach. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to use these tools to enhance collaboration, streamline buying, and drive sales.
Recorded February 23, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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One of the trickiest aspects of running a bookstore is developing systems and processes to manage the interminable influx of invoices and credits from your vendors. In this moderated discussion, booksellers will talk about how they were able to solve this intractable problem by utilizing Batch for Books to stay organized, stay current with their vendor accounts, and reclaim precious time previously lost to the back-office drudgery of invoice management.
Topics covered in this session will include:
- Batch as your all-in-one, automatic digital filing cabinet.
- Easy payments to your vendors that are always applied correctly.
- Save your hands and never enter an invoice into QuickBooks again.
- 30 seconds or less for damaged/short claim submissions.
- Batch by-the-numbers a.k.a. "I'm saving how many hours each month?!?"
Recorded February 26, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Join Phil Davies (ABA Director of E-Commerce) and Andy Hunter (Bookshop.org Founder and CEO) to learn and discuss the newest eCommerce trends.
Recorded February 25, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Every year you hear about ABACUS — ABA's financial benchmark report — but, for some reason, you never get around to filling it out yourself. Maybe you're overwhelmed with finding your numbers, confused on what to look for, or just struggling to make the time. This workshop will help you overcome any number nerves and gather your numbers for the next ABACUS deadline. You'll learn more about what ABACUS is, why it matters, how you can use the numbers in your store, and what data you need to fill the questionnaire out. You'll begin the process so that when the deadline rolls around, all you need to do is hit submit!
Recorded February 23, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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The economics of the publishing industry have a direct impact on bookstore profitability, as publisher decision-making affects everything from the retail price printed on a book to the marketing budgets available for bookstores. In this session, we'll explore the financial intricacies of the publishing industry and, using a book's P&L Statement (Profit & Loss Statement), unpack the various factors that influence publisher decision-making such as production costs, distribution channels, and revenue expectations.
Recorded February 24, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
The current era of book bans has impacted more than just books in classrooms and libraries — it's also led to fewer author school visits, last-minute event cancelations, protests of author events, and authors facing limits on which books they can bring or discuss at events. Booksellers are often left on the hook when school events are canceled and need to protect themselves, but they can also be the key to helping the event pivot and become something even more memorable and successful. Experts who have experienced these issues and have learned how to address them will weigh in to help you be prepared.
Recorded February 25, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Indie bookstores and indie presses share more than just a name -- they share a mission: championing voices, building community, and supporting a thriving literary world. This session will explore how indie bookstores can collaborate and strengthen their partnerships with indie presses. We'll explore avenues for discoverability, hosting impactful events, and making thoughtful frontlist and backlist buying decisions. Publishers and booksellers will share tips for creative handselling, co-promotional opportunities, and building sustainable relationships that benefit both stores and presses. You'll walk away with actionable ideas to deepen your indie press offerings and highlight the role these publishers play in shaping our dynamic and thriving industry.
Recorded February 25, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Incarcerated people deserve books to read for enjoyment, education, and connection. However, PEN America notes that "prisons are the largest censors in the United States" due to book banning, strict packaging rules, and a firm adherence to an allowed senders list. This session will be led by booksellers who have navigated this bureaucratic and confusing terrain to develop crucial book programs for incarcerated people. You'll leave this session with actionable steps you can take to develop a similar program in your own bookstore and community.
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
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
This session is designed for booksellers who have been tracking KPIs in their store for a while now, but are ready to begin analyzing their data in more advanced ways. With real bookstore examples and actionable insights, this session is designed for owners and managers ready to move from tracking performance to actively shaping it. Please bring your ABACUS report and laptop.
Recorded February 23, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Throughout the week, you find yourself moving between perfectionism, irritability, emotional numbness, or disengagement in your store. You're not exhausted, so what's got you feeling so off? Even when you're not feeling the stereotypical signs, burnout can undermine your passion, productivity, and wellbeing — all without raising any immediate alarm bells. In this session, we'll explore the unique pressures indie bookstores face, like juggling multiple roles, dealing with emotional labor, and navigating the financial uncertainties of retail. You'll learn to recognize these hidden symptoms of burnout in yourself and your team and gain practical strategies to address them. Topics will include creating sustainable workflows, setting healthy boundaries, fostering open communication, and building a supportive work culture that values mental health. 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
Your website is more than a sales tool — it's your bookstore's digital front door. In this session, booksellers who are actively using IndieCommerce 2.0 share how they've leveraged the platform to drive sales, improve customer experience, and streamline operations. Learn how real stores are using IndieCommerce 2.0 to strengthen their online presence. Whether you're just getting started or looking to take your 2.0 site to the next level, you'll leave with practical insights, time-saving tips, and inspiration from your peers who've made the most of this powerful platform.
Recorded February 26, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Join us for a poetry reading featuring poets from indie presses Autumn House and University of Pittsburgh Press! This poetry reading is the perfect appetizer to the Evening Author Reception. Whether you're new to the genre or a longtime prosody lover, come enjoy the magic of poetry with your fellow booksellers.
Recorded February 25, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Your bookstore tells a story — but how do you make every customer feel like they've stepped into your world the moment they walk through the door? Inspired by the immersive experiences of lifestyle retailers like Anthropologie, this session will focus on the charm and personality only independent bookstores can offer. We will explore how visual storytelling, thoughtful details, scent, sound, and lighting can work together to spark joy and forge deeper connections with your community. We'll also look at how small, intentional touches — handwritten shelf talkers, thrifted treasures, and curated objects — can showcase what makes your store unique, setting you apart from the polished sameness of big-box chains. Learn how to layer books with lifestyle elements to create an atmosphere that invites discovery, feels personal, and lingers in memory long after a visit. Whether you're working with 300 or 3,000 square feet, you'll leave with practical strategies to elevate your space, celebrate your store's story, and make customers fall in love with indie bookselling all over again.
Recorded February 26, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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From scary walk-throughs, to romantic mixers, to once-in-a-lifetime celebrations, nontraditional events are redefining how customers experience your space. This session dives into creative event concepts that go beyond the book launch, helping you reimagine your store as a dynamic venue for community connection, entertainment, and unexpected joy. Learn how to plan, market, and execute standout events that increase foot traffic, diversify revenue, and make your store the talk of the town — all while staying true to your brand and mission.
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
Bookstore crawls are a fun and effective way to build buzz, boost sales, and strengthen community ties — but pulling off a successful crawl takes coordination and creativity. In this session, you'll hear from booksellers who've planned crawls of all sizes, from neighborhood strolls to citywide (or even statewide) celebrations. We'll cover logistics like mapping routes, partnering with fellow stores, creating passports or incentives, and working with local media. Learn how to turn your crawl into a signature event that brings customers back long after the final stop.
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
Remainders don't have to mean compromise — they can be a powerful tool for boosting sales, enhancing discovery, and strengthening your store's identity. We'll dig into strategies for sourcing remainders that complement your frontlist, creating displays that highlight value without diluting your brand, and using remainder sales to attract new customers while delighting loyal ones. Along the way, we'll also discuss how to balance margins, manage inventory flow, and avoid common pitfalls that make remainders feel disconnected from your store's larger mission. You'll leave with practical, creative ideas to ensure remainders support your financial goals and your store's unique personality. This interactive session is in collaboration with Book Country Clearing House, one of the largest and oldest bargain book wholesalers in the world.
Recorded February 24, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Books can offer more than just thrills — they can be a powerful and safe space for kids to explore big feelings, face fears, and build resilience. In this session, we'll dive into the growing popularity of horror, mystery, and suspense across age categories, from gently eerie board books to middle grade page-turners full of chills and heart. We'll explore how scary stories can help children process anxiety, develop empathy, and gain a sense of control in an unpredictable world — all while having fun. You'll leave with strategies for curating age-appropriate "safe scares," hosting themed programming, and merchandising displays that invite kids and caregivers alike to lean into the genre's emotional benefits. Whether your readers are hesitant or hardcore, books can open the door to deeper confidence, connection, and year-round engagement.
Recorded February 25, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Your Kids section should be constantly growing and changing — just like your kid customers! This session will explore unique ways to organize and merchandise your Kids section. From adding opportunities for play and imagination, relocating books to kid-friendly heights, and rethinking how to categorize your books, you'll leave with fresh ideas to make your Kids section a bestseller.
Recorded February 25, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Kristin Pidgeon of Riverstone Books in Pittsburgh, PA interviews Tess & Corby Campbell, co-authors of A Wheelie Awkward Romance: The Love Story of a Girl Who Is Definitely Not Touchy-Feely and a Quadriplegic Guy Who Most Assuredly Is, available now at your local independent bookstore.
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Increasing your sales per square feet doesn't require moving to a bigger building or knocking down a wall -- there are small tweaks you can do to make the most of every inch of your existing space. This session goes beyond layout tweaks to explore how sales-per-square-foot impacts overall profitability and how to strategically manage it. We'll cover techniques for identifying high- and low-performing areas of your store using financial data, evaluating inventory mix, and allocating prime space to your highest-margin products. Learn how to measure the success of your layout changes, set realistic sales-per-square-foot goals, and tie merchandising decisions directly to your bottom line. Whether you're working with 500 or 5,000 square feet, you'll leave with practical, financially driven strategies to make your existing footprint more productive, profitable, and intentional.
Recorded February 24, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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The author event landscape has shifted and booksellers are feeling the strain. This candid session explores what sustainable programming really looks like now. From rising costs to staff burnout, we'll discuss how to build events that are realistic, joyful, and community-driven. Come ready to share, reflect, and leave with practical ideas you can actually use. If you have been organizing or hosting events at your bookstore for a few years and have had a few knotty issues you can't resolve, this session is perfect for you.
Recorded February 24, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Many readers want to buy and engage with Spanish language books at their local indie bookstore, but curating a meaningful selection can feel overwhelming. This session will guide you through how to source quality titles, evaluate translators, and discover essential tools for informed purchasing decisions. You'll also explore ways to connect with Spanish-speaking communities in your area — through inclusive events, local partnerships, and culturally relevant programming. You'll leave with actionable ideas to build not only a strong Spanish language section, but a welcoming space where more readers feel seen, supported, and celebrated.
Recorded February 24, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
With pressure on bookstores increasing over the books they decide to carry or not carry, it is essential to have a clear curation policy that reflects your store's emphasis and values. Having a curation policy helps a store keep the team on the same page, explain curation decisions to customers, and work through disagreements within the staff and community. Led by ABFE's Associate Director Philomena Polefrone, this session will offer a structure to help you start articulating your store's process and values. Attendees will leave with a draft they can continue developing when they return to their store.
Recorded February 25, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Independent bookstores and publishers share the same goal: getting the right books into readers' hands. This session unveils a new tool that brings publishers and booksellers together more directly than ever by expanding access, elevating diverse catalogs, and removing the roadblocks in how booksellers discover forthcoming content. Join us for a first look at this new tool and learn how you can help shape what comes next.
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
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Elisa McIntosh of The Bookstore Plus in Lake Placid, NY interviews Ahmad Saber, author of Ramin Abbas Has MAJOR Questions, available March 3rd, 2026 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Cassie Goodwin of Loudmouth Books in Indianapolis, IN interviews Reena Shah, author of Every Happiness, available February 3rd, 2026 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Haley Calvin of The Novel Neighbor in St. Louis, MO, interviews Alice Evelyn Yang, author of A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing, available January 27th, 2026.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Ambir Moore of The Book Lovers Era in Hill AFB, UT interviews Eric King, author of A Clean Hell: Anarchy and Abolition in America's Most Notorious Dungeon, available January 20th, 2026 as your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, VaLinda Miller of Turning Page Bookshop in Goose Creek, SC interviews Char Adams, author of Black-Owned: The Revolutionary Life of the Black Bookstore, now available at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Marisa Spence of Ballast Book Co., Bremerton, WA interviews Julian Brave NoiseCat, author of We Survived the Night, available October 14th, 2025 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Laurie Gillman of East City Books in Washington, DC interviews Laura Venita Green, author of Sister Creatures, available October 7th, 2025 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Grace Lane of Linden Tree Books in Los Altos, CA interviews Helena Haywoode Henry, author of Last Chance Live!, available October 7th, 2025 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Lauren Pronger of Chapterhouse Books in Amarillo, TX interviews Shafaq Khan, author of Zeyna Lost and Found, available September 9, 2025 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Keeley Malon of Ink Drinkers Anonymous in Muncie, IN interviews Ruby Martinez, author of An Embroidery of Souls, available September 9, 2025 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, James Crossley of Leviathan Books in St. Louis, MO interviews David Greig, author of The Book of I, available September 9, 2025 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Mara Luther of Chapter One Bookstore in Hamilton, MT interviews Susan Metallo, author of Reasons to Hate Me, available September 2, 2025 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Mara Luther of Chapter One Bookstore in Hamilton, MT interviews Cassandra Ramos-Gomez, author of Lost on Doll Island, available August 26, 2025 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Literacy begins in infancy and then school takes over. Family reading gets substituted with smartphones, tablets, Nintendo Switch, after-school activities, and friends. All these things take time, and there is little opportunity for reading to naturally evolve into a hobby. This session will lay the groundwork for educating parents on ways they can get involved, actively and passively, in their child's reading future.
Recorded June 13, 2025 at Children's Institute 2025 in Portland, OR.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Financial literacy takes time to develop. Whether you're fluent in your store's finances or just learning the language, visiting foundational concepts and practices of financial literacy can support and affirm your financial decisions. This session will walk attendees through ten important concepts and practices every business owner should know to grow and reinforce their financial literacy.
Recorded June 13, 2025 at Children's Institute 2025 in Portland, OR.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
In this session, Maisie Soetantyo will discuss practical ways bookstores can implement innovative support strategies and best practices to increase accessibility for neurodivergent customers. Maisie is an openly autistic inclusivity consultant and founder of Guiding Extraordinary Minds and Autism Career Pathways.
Recorded June 14, 2025 at Children's Institute 2025 in Portland, OR.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Information comes at us from all directions. Some of it is true. Some of it is partially true. And some of it is false. In this informative session, American Booksellers for Free Expression (ABFE) Associate Director and author of The Right to Read Handbook, Philomena Polefrone, will tell booksellers what they need to know when it comes to their First Amendment rights. Up-to-date information on book challenges, bannings, and what to do if a bookstore receives community pushback will also be discussed.
Recorded June 13, 2025 at Children's Institute 2025 in Portland, OR.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Picture books are for grown-ups! They are sophisticated and complex, as well as accessible, beautiful, and entertaining. In this session, a panel of booksellers and authors take attendees through a format and contextual analysis of two very familiar picture books. The panel and attendees will engage in a lively dialogue to reveal the depth, complexity, and nuance that exist within the picture book category. Attendees will leave with the tools, language, and steps to engage adults in a category they often overlook.
Recorded June 14, 2025 at Children's Institute 2025 in Portland, OR.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Nahin Cano of Seminary Co-Op Bookstores in Chicago, IL interviews Addie E. Citchens, author of Dominion, available August 19, 2025 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Grace Lane of Linden Tree Books in Los Altos, CA interviews Joanne Yi, author of All the Tomorrows After, available August 18, 2025 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Marisa Spence of Ballast Book Company in Bremerton, WA interviews Xenobe Purvis, author of The Hounding, available August 5, 2025 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Erin Decker of White Rose Books & More in Kissimmee, FL interviews Julie Riew and Brad Riew, authors of The Last Tiger, available July 29, 2025 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Nadi Hinojosa of Lark and Owl Booksellers in Fort Worth, TX interviews Stephanie Wambugu, author of Lonely Crowds, available July 29, 2025 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Randy Schiller of Left Bank Books in St. Louis, Missouri interviews Lisa Ridzén, author of When the Cranes Fly South, available August 19, 2025 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Katherine Nazzaro of Porter Square Books in Cambridge, Massachusetts interviews J.B. Hwang, author of Mendell Station, available July 22, 2025 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Nadi Hinojosa of Lark and Owl Booksellers in Georgetown, TX interviews Carrie R. Moore, author of Make Your Way Home, available July 15, 2025 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Stephen Sparks of Point Reyes Books in Point Reyes Station, California interviews Sam Prentice-Jones, author of A Marriage at Sea, available July 8, 2025 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Nicole Johnson of Baltimore Read Aloud in Baltimore, Maryland interviews Sarah J. Mendonca, author of An Encantadora's Guide to Monstros and Magic, available July 8, 2025 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Heather Albinson from Wild Rumpus in Minneapolis, Minnesota interviews Sam Prentice-Jones, author of Arcana: The Lost Heirs, available June 24, 2025 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Frederick Rossero from Oblong Books in Millerton and Rhinebeck, New York interviews Juan Zambrano, author of Pacheco and the Witch of the Mountain, available June 17, 2025 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Kim Brock from Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Cincinnati, OH interviews Rob Franklin, author of Great Black Hope, available June 10, 2025, at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Indies can be your best friend for your entire career, so it's important to get that relationship off to a good start! This session is designed to help authors cultivate mutually beneficial partnerships with independent bookstores. You'll learn how to prepare for your book tour and effectively collaborate on book signings, events, and promotions. Whether you're a debut author or a seasoned pro, this session will empower you to strengthen your indie bookstore connections and expand your readership.
Recorded Februrary 25, 2025 at Winter Institute 2025 in Denver, CO
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
This session brings together booksellers and publishers to explore innovative ways to enhance marketing relationships and drive mutual success. Engage in open discussions about effective promotional strategies, marketing campaigns, and collaborative events. Share insights, brainstorm ideas, and develop actionable plans that leverage the strengths of both publishers and booksellers. This session is perfect for fostering stronger partnerships and creating impactful marketing initiatives that benefit both parties and engage readers more effectively.
Recorded Februrary 25, 2025 at Winter Institute 2025 in Denver, CO
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Jessica Hahl from Books Inc. in San Leandro, CA interviews Victoria Zeller, author of One of the Boys, available May 13, 2025, at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Suzanne Lucey from Page 158 Books. in Wake Forest, NC interviews Alex L. Combs and Andrew Eakett, authors of Trans History: A Graphic Novel, available May 13, 2025, at your local independent bookstore.
Theme song by Constant Companion
When we think of grants, we often assume that only nonprofits can receive them. That’s actually not true at all — there are plenty of grants available for for-profit organizations, including your bookstore! This session will explore how to locate these grants and begin the process of applying for these grants. Whether you’re looking to secure funding for school partnerships or community initiatives, you’ll leave knowing how grants, and other non-traditional funding, can empower your bookstore’s growth and impact, regardless of your background or focus.
Recorded Februrary 25, 2025 at Winter Institute 2025 in Denver, CO
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Ready to take your bookstore beyond four walls? This session will discuss essential strategies for financial stability in pop-up and mobile extensions. We’ll discuss budgeting, location selection, insurance for your pop-up vehicle, and marketing. You’ll leave ready to turn every event into a profitable adventure.
Recorded Februrary 25, 2025 at Winter Institute 2025 in Denver, CO
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Starting a nonprofit sounds like a great idea, until you realize how befuddling and convoluted the process can be. This presentation, led by booksellers who have successfully started nonprofits, will give you step-by-step directions, checkpoints, and goals to begin the process. You’ll gain an understanding of the two main types of nonprofits and be ready to strengthen both your bookstore’s mission and bottom line.
Recorded Februrary 26, 2025 at Winter Institute 2025 in Denver, CO
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Bookstores and booksellers from historically marginalized communities often already have deep-rooted community engagement and support. This session will explore how you can leverage existing community support into financial stability, feel empowered to secure resources, and keep your community-centric endeavors thriving, all while still balancing your mission.
While everyone is welcome to attend this session, please note that this session is designed to expand beyond surface-level discussion of how to build community.
Recorded Februrary 24, 2025 at Winter Institute 2025 in Denver, CO
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
You've heard of the bookstore-cafe, but what about the bookstore-podcast studio, or the bookstore-yarn store? Many bookstores are diversifying their businesses in innovative ways to better meet the needs of their customers and create additional income streams. Come hear from a panel of booksellers who have expanded the traditional definition of the bookstore. You’ll engage in a collaborative brainstorming session to envision the future of bookstores in meeting customer needs and ensuring financial sustainability.
Recorded Februrary 24, 2025 at Winter Institute 2025 in Denver, CO
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Dave Suiter from {pages} a bookstore in Manhattan Beach, CA interviews Jemimah Wei, author of The Original Daughter, available May 6, 2025 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme by Constant Companion
Curious about how you can sell your bookstore while still ensuring its legacy? Interested in buying an existing bookstore or transitioning from frontline bookseller to the owner of your current store? Succession planning can take on many forms! In this session, we’ll discuss the steps you need to take to either sell or buy your bookstore. You’ll gain crucial insights into calculating the valuation of a bookstore, conducting a search for the right buyer, exploring models for employees to become owners, and much more.
Recorded Februrary 26, 2025 at Winter Institute 2025 in Denver, CO
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
You’ve been promoted to manager of your bookstore – now what? This session, designed for first-time managers, will explore how to navigate the transition from team member to leader. You’ll leave with actionable steps to improve your communication, delegation, and problem-solving to empower and sustain your leadership journey and foster a supportive environment for your staff.
Recorded Februrary 26, 2025 at Winter Institute 2025 in Denver, CO
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
There’s no better feeling than checking something off your checklist, and this session will explore the power of structured checklists for enhancing efficiency and saving costs in your bookstore. We’ll discuss daily, monthly, and yearly checklists tailored to streamline operations, optimize resources, and ensure smooth bookstore management. You’ll leave with actionable steps to implement systemic checklists to maximize productivity, minimize waste, and drive financial savings in your bookstore operations.
Recorded Februrary 24, 2025 at Winter Institute 2025 in Denver, CO
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Randy Schiller from Left Bank Books in St. Louis, MO interviews Molly Olguín, author of The Sea Gives Up the Dead, available April 29, 2025, at your local independent bookstore.
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An increasing number of stores are facing harassment, threats, vandalism, and other types of attack because of their curation of books and events. Sometimes these are one-off instances, but in other cases, it has snowballed into extended campaigns targeting stores with hundreds of calls and messages in addition to protests, threats, and vandalism. American Booksellers for Free Expression, ABA’s free expression initiative, has been supporting stores one by one as these issues arise, but there are steps you can take now to make yourself more resilient and less likely to be targeted. This workshop will go over some common themes in these attacks, resources available to guide your response, some common pitfalls, and ways to proactively defend against them.
Recorded Februrary 25, 2025 at Winter Institute 2025 in Denver, CO
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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We all know that middle-grade readers aren’t, well, reading. This session will explore why 8-12 year olds are reading less, which reading trends are holding steady, and opportunities to increase discoverability. You’ll examine actionable ways to boost middle-grade readership to support young readers’ development.
Recorded Februrary 25, 2025 at Winter Institute 2025 in Denver, CO
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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We’re in our romance era! Romance readers are some of the most loyal and devoted customers. Bolstering and marketing your romance section isn’t just a way to form long-lasting and meaningful customer relationships; given the popularity and growth of the genre, it’s a good business decision. This session will explore strategies like how to curate a diverse and appealing selection, create engaging displays, feature the various sub-genres, and host events that attract romance readers. Whether you’re new to the romance genre or intimately familiar with the various levels of spice, you’ll learn marketing strategies and merchandising tips to turn your romance section into a profit powerhouse and capture the hearts of your customers.
Recorded Februrary 24, 2025 at Winter Institute 2025 in Denver, CO
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Everything's coming up Bluey, Peppa Pig, and Pete the Cat! Books and sidelines featuring licensed characters are an incredible avenue to attract customers and increase your sales. This session delves into the strategies for leveraging popular licensed characters and childhood trends to revitalize your store’s inventory and layout. You'll discover how to design immersive displays, curate on-trend products, and create a captivating shopping experience that appeals to children and their parents alike, driving increased foot traffic and boosting sales.
Recorded Februrary 24, 2025 at Winter Institute 2025 in Denver, CO
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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No cap: out of all generations, Gen Z is the most loyal to brick-and-mortar stores, and Gen Alpha is quickly following in their footsteps. These two generations are also incredibly diverse, making them a fantastic potential customer base for your bookstore! While Gen Z and Gen Alpha buy books, they also are interested in buying sidelines, and this session will explore how you can find sidelines that will resonate with their values and interests. You'll leave ready to give your sideline section the main character energy it deserves!
Recorded Februrary 25, 2025 at Winter Institute 2025 in Denver, CO
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Providing a platform for all authors, big and small, is one of the many ways independent bookstores support the book industry. Join Ingram and our panel of experts as they discuss their journey of self-publishing, in store self-publishing programs and the importance of elevating these stories, and how Ingram can help other booksellers discover indie authors and titles for their shelves.
Recorded Februrary 25, 2025 at Winter Institute 2025 in Denver, CO
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Your voice matters, but talking in front of your state legislature can be daunting. As more anti-book legislation is passed, booksellers are in a unique position to advocate for the importance of access to diverse books and stories. This hands-on workshop will help you begin the process of crafting a compelling testimony that can influence state legislative decisions. We’ll discuss the essentials of effective testimony writing and how you can testify in front of your state legislature. You will leave with a starting point for your own testimony to be ready for anti-book legislation in your state.
Recorded Februrary 26, 2025 at Winter Institute 2025 in Denver, CO
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Join Ingram for an informative workshop with ipage tips that can help you manage your account and bookstore more efficiently. Whether you’re new to ipage or an experienced user, gain a clearer understanding of our platform’s full capabilities allowing you to spend less time navigating and more time selling. Learn about our streamlined stock box and cart, Direct-to-Home improvements, IPS publisher direct discount cart, and so much more! This session will also focus on how you can use ipage to find Spanish-language books and books published by small presses.
Recorded Februrary 26, 2025 at Winter Institute 2025 in Denver, CO
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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The CEO and founder of Bookshop.org Andy Hunter will give bookstores all the details on how to successfully sell e-books. Andy will walk stores through the simple steps to add an additional revenue stream to their ledger, how bookstores can sell e-books on their own site, how referrals to Bookshop.org work, how much margin you'll receive, and more!
Recorded Februrary 26, 2025 at Winter Institute 2025 in Denver, CO
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Running a bookstore should be fun, but one of the less fun aspects is managing the overwhelming number of invoices you receive from publishers. To solve this problem, many bookstores have turned to Batch for Books, a free online hub that streamlines how stores organize and manage invoices and make payments to publishers. In this session, you'll learn about Batch and how it works. Then, you'll hear from booksellers who will share how they've integrated Batch into their workflows throughout their stores and how that has saved them time and money.
The session will include information on how Batch automatically stores and organizes invoices to reduce paperwork and free up time, provides easy access to invoices when and where it's most convenient for you, streamlines store processes for making payments, submitting claims for damages/shortages, and reconciling and verifying invoices, and Links with QuickBooks to automate the entry of invoices and credits and eliminate manual data entry. The Booksellers Association developed Batch for Books specifically for use by indie bookstores, and it is free to use.
Recorded Februrary 26, 2025 at Winter Institute 2025 in Denver, CO
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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The newest and hottest book is all over BookTok, but how can your bookstore profit off of an in-demand pre-order? This session will explore how you can take full advantage of pre-order opportunities so you can avoid lost sales, PR, and market share. You'll leave this session ready to successfully promote, report, and sell pre-orders.
Recorded Februrary 24, 2025 at Winter Institute 2025 in Denver, CO
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Everyone loves opening up a big box of books, but let’s talk about being on the other side of that process: packaging and shipping! This session will explore how you can drive down shipping costs while still making your customer’s ordering and unboxing experience seamless, personal, and exciting, all while reminding them why they shop indie. We’ll discuss shipping options, sustainable packaging, and packaging branding. So whether you’re a pro or just getting started with e-commerce orders, you’ll gain helpful tips that will save you time and money.
Recorded Februrary 25, 2025 at Winter Institute 2025 in Denver, CO
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Kalli King from Rediscovered Books in Boise, ID interviews DeAndra Davis, author of All the Noise at Once, available April 15, 2025, at your local independent bookstore.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Kristine Jelstrom-Hamill from Buttonwood Books and Toys in Cohassett, MA interviews Kyle Casey Chu, author of The Queen Bees of Tybee County, available April 15, 2025, at your local independent bookstore.
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Are you tired of being surprised when your bookstore is thrown for a loop by an unexpected plot twist? This session will explore how you can cultivate a proactive approach to bookselling. You’ll learn invaluable strategies for strategic thinking, goal setting, and effective prioritization, empowering you to build a resilient and thriving future for your bookstore business. This session is perfect for booksellers looking to shift from crisis management to strategic planning. Recorded Februrary 26, 2025 at Winter Institute 2025 in Denver, CO
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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The top stores using Bookshop.org don't treat it as a passive income stream — they actively look for ways to incorporate Bookshop into their business. In this session, we'll dive into the innovative strategies and practices that have propelled these top-performing stores, leaving you with actionable insights on how to elevate your store's performance and increase this critical revenue stream. Recorded Februrary 24, 2025 at Winter Institute 2025 in Denver, CO
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Dive into the world of small data sets with this session on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for bookstore success. In this presentation, you'll learn how to unlock valuable insights from POS reports, customer and staff surveys, and store traffic patterns to refine your sales, while gaining practical strategies for evaluating, tracking, and leveraging crucial KPIs. You’ll leave empowered and ready to make informed decisions to optimize your store’s impact and success. Recorded Februrary 25, 2025 at Winter Institute 2025 in Denver, CO
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) is one of the key metrics for ABA’s ABACUS survey and your store’s profitability. This session will focus on how you can manage COGS through ordering, negotiating, and diversifying your inventory. We’ll discuss high-margin books like remainders and used books, pricing and management of non-book items, and how and when to buy strategically. You’ll gain insight to prioritize improving your COGS while enhancing your store's financial health and overall success. Recorded Februrary 24, 2025 at Winter Institute 2025 in Denver, CO
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Jessica Hahl from Books Inc. in San Leandro, CA interviews Jess Callans, author of Ollie In Between, available April 8, 2025, at your local independent bookstore.
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Free Expression Friday is an interview series from ABA's American Booksellers for Free Expression celebrating the amazing work of booksellers, organizers, and book people in general fighting for the right to read.
David Landry and his wife started CLASS Bookstore in Houston with a small amount of capital and plenty of good advice from other Black bookstore owners and booksellers. Now he’s the one giving good advice in this conversation with ABA’s Philomena Polefrone, recorded at Winter Institute 2025 in Denver.
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Desirae Wilkerson from Paper Boat Booksellers in Seattle, WA interviews Emma Pattee, author of Tilt, available March 25, 2025, at your local independent bookstore.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Claire Margetts from Weller Book Works in Salt Lake City, UT interviews James Robinson, author of Whale Eyes, available March 18, 2025, at your local independent bookstore.
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ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting short talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. In February of 2024, Eileen McCormick of Green Apple Books (San Francisco, CA) discussed celebrating Independent Bookstore Day through partnerships with community organizations.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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The world of work is changing rapidly due to labor movements, the political and economic landscape, health crises, and a multigenerational labor force. Managers are facing unique challenges, as well as opportunities, when it comes to building a happy, productive team. Providing and receiving feedback is a critical part of managing employees and being an employee in a bookstore. However, it can be challenging. In this session, we will explore strategies for relaying feedback that promotes employee development and contributes to a positive workplace culture as well as receiving and responding to feedback that supports an employee in feeling heard and seen. You will learn how to effectively deliver, receive, and respond to feedback that is specific, actionable, and focused on behaviors, rather than personal traits. We will also cover strategies for dealing with difficult feedback conversations and for providing feedback in a timely and consistent manner. Presented by ZingTrain.
Session Video & Resources
Recorded June 6, 2023, at Children's Institute 2023 in Milwaukee
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Austin Carter from Pocket Books Shop in Lancaster, PA interviews Alice Austen, author of 33 Place Brugmann, available March 11, 2025, at your local independent bookstore.
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From the Archive: Recorded on January 24, 2019 at Winter Institute 2019 (Wi14)
One minute of planning can save you ten minutes in execution. Planning skills can make you a more effective bookseller and help prevent burnout because planning creates efficiency and leads to improved productivity. Cindy Dach, co-owner of Changing Hands Bookstores (Tempe, AZ), will teach booksellers techniques for time management, planning and organizing daily tasks, all with an eye toward completing the big-picture projects. This session is part of Changing Hands' professional development program.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting short talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. In February of 2024, Ryan Clark of Gibson’s Bookstore (Concord, NH) discussed celebrating Independent Bookstore Day with Bookstore BINGO and #BookHaul Photo Booths.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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From the Archive: Recorded virtually on August 31, 2021 for Children's Institute 2021 (Ci9)
Is your store composed of a staff of three people or fewer or a footprint of 1,000 square feet or under? This discussion just might be for you. An example of how small/micro store bookstore employees can utilize this roundtable discussion is to share how they make in-store operations work and seek advice on how to work smarter, not harder, with limited employees and time constraints.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Kim Brock from Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Cincinnati, OH interviews Vijay Khurana, author of The Passenger Seat, available March 4, 2025, at your local independent bookstore.
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From the Archive: Recorded virtually on April 29, 2021 for ABA's Top 10 Things to Know About webinar series
Whether your store is new or long established, it can be profitable to consider how your store could be structured differently than your current business model. Join a conversation with booksellers who will provide information on starting a new nonprofit bookstore or transitioning an existing bookstore to a nonprofit.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting short talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On February 13, 2025, ABA's Independent Bookstore Day Program Director, Courtney Wallace, discussed celebrating Independent Bookstore Day.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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From the Archive: Recorded virtually on February 19, 2021 for Winter Institute 2021 (Wi16)
Join bestselling authors Lauren Groff, Viet Thanh Nguyen, and Colson Whitehead for a discussion on the state of literature and what the future holds for the novelist in the aftermath of political upheaval. Moderated by Michelle Malonzo, buyer at Changing Hands Bookstore.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Austin Carter of Pocket Books Shop in Lancaster, PA interviews Nussaibah Younis, author of Fundamentally, available February 25, 2025, at your local independent bookstore.
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ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Sophie Chen of Belmont Books (Belmont, MA) interviews Holly Brickley, author of Deep Cuts, available February 25, 2025, at your local independent bookstore.
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From the Archive: Recorded virtually on February 16, 2022 for Winter Institute 2022 (Snow Days)
Led by author and expert Jason Thompson, this session will help stores be effective in their commitment to representation, equity, and access. A DEI audit checklist will help stores look at every aspect of their business — from hiring and training to signage, social media, and inventory — through a DEI lens, and a discussion of goals and metrics will help ensure measurable success. Jason Thompson is a successful and experienced diversity officer that has developed and led diversity programs in higher education, sports, healthcare, and tech. He has been quoted by the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Guardian, USA Today, and CNN. His education session for the ABA Board was extremely well received with some directors calling it the best session on this topic they’ve participated in.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting short talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On February 13, 2025, Susan Tunis of Bookshop West Portal (San Francisco, CA) discussed celebrating Independent Bookstore Day with unique events.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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From the Archive: Recorded on January 26, 2016 at Winter Institute 2016 (Wi11) in Denver
Kwame Alexander is a poet, educator, and New York Times bestselling author of 21 books, and the recipient of the 2015 John Newbery Medal for his novel The Crossover. His next book is Surf's Up, a picture book from NorthSouth Books. The founder of two literacy organizations, Book-in-a-Day and LEAP for Ghana, he regularly travels the world conducting writing/publishing workshops at schools and conferences. Kwame has owned several publishing companies, written for stage and television (TLC’s Hip Hop Harry), recorded a CD, produced jazz and book festivals, hosted a radio show, worked for the U.S. government, and taught high school. In 2015, Kwame served as the Bank Street College of Education’s first writer-in-residence. Visit him at KwameAlexander.com.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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In our brand new Business Book Club series, ABA's Director of Education, Lee Hooyboer, sits down with a business book author to chat about big ideas, smart strategies, and real-world insights that will help booksellers stay ahead in the ever-evolving world of bookselling.
We’re thrilled to launch our new interview series with a conversation with Seth Godin, author of This Is Strategy. Booksellers can get a free audiobook version of This Is Strategy this month (February 2025) via Libro.fm’s ALC program, so thank you to our friends at Authors Equity and Libro.fm for making that possible.
Seth Godin is the author of 21 international bestsellers that have changed the way people think about work and art. They have been translated into 38 languages. His breakthrough books include Unleashing the Ideavirus, Permission Marketing, Purple Cow, Tribes, The Dip, Linchpin, The Practice, and This is Marketing. He writes one of the most popular daily blogs in the world and has given 5 TED talks. He is the founder of the altMBA, the former VP of Direct Marketing at Yahoo!, and the founder of the pioneering online startup Yoyodyne. You can learn more about him at sethgodin.com.
Session Video
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Join ABA's Chief Financial Officer (and former bookseller), PK Sindwani, and Greg Mann, VP of Industry Insights, to review key takeaways from the 2023 ABACUS financial benchmarking report, identify opportunities for improving your store's profitability, and discuss ways you can use ABACUS in your advocacy efforts for your store. ABACUS is a free annual report filled with detailed information highlighting how your store compares to other stores in a range of areas, including profitability, productivity, and financial management. Using the ABACUS report is like adding a financial officer to your staff; it clearly highlights areas that need improving and areas in which your store is succeeding. Additional information about ABACUS reporting can be found on BookWeb at www.bookweb.org/abacus.
Session Video & Resources
This webinar was recorded on November 15, 2024.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Free Expression Friday is an interview series from ABA's American Booksellers for Free Expression celebrating the amazing work of booksellers, organizers, and book people in general fighting for the right to read.
Ramunda Lark-Young is the co-founder and owner of Mahogany Books in Washington, DC. Ramunda and her husband founded Mahogany Books to continue the work Ramunda began when working at the Howard University Bookstore and as District Manager of Karibu Books in Washington, DC: making Black books available to as many people as possible. She spoke to ABFE about her journey, the store’s mission, and how people and institutions can support Black-owned bookstores year-round — as well as some Valentines Day-appropriate discussion of owning a bookstore with her spouse.
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting short talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On February 13, 2025, Kim Behzadi of Read It & Eat Bookshop (Buffalo, NY) discussed celebrating Independent Bookstore Day as a culinary bookstore.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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From the Archive: Recorded on January 24, 2019 at Winter Institute 2019 (Wi14)
What if everyone read James Baldwin? He’s one of our most acclaimed 20th century thinkers, his writing exploring countless facets of American society and diving into subjects like sexuality, politics, marriage, police brutality, the Church, race, and love. He observed and critiqued humanity in a way that still resonates with so many of us in 2018 because his words and voice are timeless. Baldwin's groundbreaking work has inspired generations of fervent readers and fans, but what if we could widen that audience? Spread Baldwin's texts even further? Sell his work better, recommend him more frequently alongside other literary giants? We believe we can. Join the National Book Foundation for its new Author in Focus program featuring the work of James Baldwin, a four-time National Book Award nominee. The Foundation will be joined by two dynamic authors at Winter Institute as they help to answer the question of why James Baldwin's work has, does, and will always matter. This event was made possible by the Ford Foundation and Velvet Film.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Will Wi2025 be your first time at an ABA Institute? Been a while since your last Institute? Tune into our virtual meet and greet to help you navigate Winter Institute 2025, meet some ABA team members who will be around during the event to guide you, and hear from fellow booksellers with their own tips for making the most of the event.
Session Video & Resources
Recorded virtually on January 24, 2025 in preparation for Winter Institute 2025 in Denver, CO
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Suzanne Lucey of Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC interviews Alasdair Beckett-King, author of Montgomery Bonbon: Murder at the Museum, available February 11, 2025, at your local independent bookstore.
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From the Archive: Recorded on February 22, 2023 at Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle
Join a conversation with your bookselling colleagues to discuss the returns process and how best to navigate the what, when, and how of returns. Are you pulling by section or publisher, and why? Are you pulling quarterly, monthly, daily, and why? How do you manage staff scheduling and minimize your freight costs? Have you used the publisher return percent number when you create your criteria for returns? So much to discuss! Note: This conversation will focus on workflow and operations and will not include a discussion on inventory management.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Free Expression Friday is an interview series from ABA's American Booksellers for Free Expression celebrating the amazing work of booksellers, organizers, and book people in general fighting for the right to read.
Jeannine Cook is the shopkeeper of Ida’s Bookshop, Harriet’s Bookshop, and Josephine’s Bookshop in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Paris, France. Black history is more than a one-month observance in Cook’s shops: it is an organizing principle year-round, with shops named after inspiring women in Black history — Harriet Tubman, Ida B. Wells, and Josephine Baker. Jeannine spoke with ABFE about the shops, supporting black businesses, and her forthcoming novel (!!).
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting short talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. In February of 2024, Erin Ball of Third Place Books (Lake Forest Park, WA) discussed Seattle's annual bookstore crawl, held in celebration of Independent Bookstore Day.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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From the Archive: Recorded on January 24, 2020 at Winter Institute 2020 (Wi15) in Baltimore
In the 1960s and 1970s, scores of Black bookstores opened in the U.S. Founded by activist entrepreneurs, these indie stores served as a refuge and intellectual center for communities in search of books by and about Black people. This Wi15 keynote event will be a wide-open conversation about the history and vital position of Black bookstores in our communities and in our industry with pioneers of Black bookselling and publishing, moderated by Professor Joshua Clark Davis, author of From Head Shops to Whole Foods: The Rise and Fall of Activist Entrepreneurs (Columbia University Press). Speakers include: W. Paul Coates, Black Classic Press (Baltimore, MD); Shirikiana Aina Gerima, Sankofa Video Books and Cafe (Washington, D.C.); Judy Richardson, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (Atlanta, GA); Nati Kamau-Nataki, Everyone's Place (Baltimore, MD).
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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From the Archive: Recorded virtually on March 8, 2022 for Winter Institute 2022 (Snow Days)
This will be a candid and balanced information session on the nuts and bolts of unions from both an employer and employee perspective by attorneys with experience with both sides of this issue.
Jon Hiatt is a union-side labor lawyer. From 1995 to 2017 he was General Counsel and then Chief of Staff at the AFL-CIO. Previously he served as General Counsel of the Service Employees International Union, and before that he represented a variety of local unions while practicing in Boston, Massachusetts. He currently serves as counsel to the International Lawyers Assisting Workers (ILAW) Network at the Solidarity Center in Washington, DC, and is a visiting scholar at the University of California's Berkeley Labor Center.
Mark R. Reiss represents and counsels clients in a range of labor and employment matters, with particular emphasis in collective bargaining and labor arbitrations. He practices before various federal, state and local labor and employment agencies, including the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the New York State Division of Human Rights, the Connecticut Human Rights and Opportunities Commission and the Department of Labor (DOL).
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Free Expression Friday is an interview series from ABA's American Booksellers for Free Expression celebrating the amazing work of booksellers, organizers, and book people in general fighting for the right to read.
This week, Laney Hawes from the Texas Freedom to Read Project is back to talk about what lawmakers are cooking up in Texas to attack the freedom to read in the 2025 legislative session. Spoiler: it doesn’t look good. Even if you’re not in Texas, don’t skip this one: we’ve seen what happens there set the agenda for other states in years to come, and some of these laws threaten to set new legal precedent if challenged.
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting short talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On January 9, 2025, nat eastman of Chevalier's Books (Los Angeles, CA) discussed their store's Books-to-Prison Program.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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From the Archive: Recorded virtually on April 4, 2022 for Winter Institute 2022 (Snow Days)
A well-defined and executed brand strategy affects all aspects of a business and is directly connected to consumer needs, emotions, and competitive environments. We will discuss how active brand management takes a valuable asset that may be largely underused and turns it into a powerful competitive advantage.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Sophie Chen of Belmont Books in Belmont, MA interviews Maggie Su, author of Blob: A Love Story, available January 28, 2025, at your local independent bookstore.
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From the Archive: Recorded virtually on March 23, 2022 for Winter Institute 2022 (Snow Days)
Marketing strategy refers to a business’ overall plan for reaching prospective consumers and turning them into customers of your products or services. We will help you learn how to identify your ideal target market and the appropriate marketing mix to drive growth.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting short talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On January 9, 2025, Bob Attardi of Politics and Prose (Washington, DC) discussed Hosting Classes and Trips through Your Bookstore.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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From the Archive: Recorded virtually on March 9, 2022 for Winter Institute 2022 (Snow Days)
Your strategic plan is the business map that leads to the success of your store and staff, and the stability of your business. If you don't have a strategic plan, or if you need to refresh the plan you have, you will benefit from this planning session. Attendees will be guided through the process of stepping back from day-to-day operations to ask where their business is headed and what its priorities should be. This event will include a worksheet for strategic planning to guide attendees and designated time in the session for attendees to begin the process of creating a plan.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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From the Archive: Recorded on January 25, 2016 at Winter Institute 2016 (Wi11) in Denver, CO
More than any retailer in the past 20 years, Amazon.com has transformed the industry. In a groundbreaking study, Civic Economics -- a leader in research related to local economies and the impact of shopping decisions -- has for the first time quantified the real costs and ramifications of Amazon's expansion. Joining Dan Houston and Matt Cunningham of Civic Economics will be Stacy Mitchell, of the the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, who will discuss important local and national policy considerations regarding an equitable and sustainable economy.
- Dan Houston, Principal, Civic Economics (Austin, TX)
- Matt Cunningham, Principal, Civic Economics (Chicago, IL)
- Stacy Mitchell, Co-Director, The Institute for Local Self-Reliance (Portland, ME)
- Oren Teicher, ABA (White Plains, NY)
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Free Expression Friday is an interview series from ABA's American Booksellers for Free Expression celebrating the amazing work of booksellers, organizers, and book people in general fighting for the right to read.
For this week’s This Week in Book Challenges, Philomena provides updates on book challenge activity and the early pre-filed bills that are raising ABFE’s concern. Spoiler: it’s not looking good. States discussed: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting short talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On January 9, 2025, Annie Jones of The Bookshelf (Thomasville, GA) discussed Reader Retreats.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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From the Archive: Recorded on January 22, 2020 at Winter Institute 2020 (Wi15) in Baltimore
New technologies and shifting consumer buying behaviors have reshaped the business landscape. In this Wi15 keynote event, Ryan Raffaelli (@RyanLRaffaelli), associate professor of business administration at Harvard Business School, will present his groundbreaking research on how longstanding industries can increase their odds of achieving sustained growth in the face of new business threats. Professor Raffaelli will also preview findings from his forthcoming academic paper on the renewed strength of the independent bookstore channel. Drawing on eight years of in-depth field observations of bookstores in 25 states, more than 200 interviews and focus groups, and analysis of extensive archival data, the study examines the decline and subsequent rise of the U.S. independent bookselling sector from 2005 to today. Professor Raffaelli will highlight “3Cs” of reinvention – community, curation, and convening – and offer broader insights for local businesses and communities responding to current significant threats from online and corporate retail competition.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Morgan Haywood-Joy of Greenlight Bookstore in Brooklyn, NY interviews Trisha Tobias, author of Honeysuckle and Bone, available January 14, 2025, at your local independent bookstore.
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From the Archive: Recorded virtually on September 1, 2021 for Children's Institute 2021 (Ci9)
Join us for a once-in-a-lifetime conversation between bestselling authors Hanif Abdurraqib (Random House), Tiffany D. Jackson (Katherine Tegen Books), and Jason Reynolds (Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books), moderated by Tami Charles (Scholastic Press). During this keynote, the bestselling authors will discuss the intersection of music and books, representation, and the powerful impact on a young Black person when their experiences and belief system are mirrored by the words of Black artists.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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From the Archive: Recorded March 3, 2020 for ABA's Technology Meetup series
This session focuses on using Ingram’s ipage for book orders and features a demonstration from Ingram’s Marsha Wood.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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From the Archive: Recorded virtually on February 18, 2021 for Wi2021 (Wi16)
Led by Amber Cabral, author of Allies and Advocates: Creating an Inclusive and Equitable Culture (Wiley Press), in conversation with Dr. Stephanie Pinder-Amaker and Dr. Lauren Wadsworth, authors of Did That Just Happen?!: Beyond “Diversity” ― Creating Sustainable and Inclusive Organizations (Beacon Press), this session will guide booksellers in recognizing harmful practices and creating necessary steps around dismantling a culture of white supremacy in the workplace.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Jessica Hahl of Books Inc in San Leandro, CA interviews Kaitlyn Cavalancia, author of Mystery Royale, available January 7, 2025, at your local independent bookstore.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Jonathan Pope of Prologue Bookshop in Columbus, OH interviews Gloria L. Huang, author of Kaya of the Ocean, available January 7, 2025, at your local independent bookstore.
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From the Archive: Recorded on January 24, 2020 at Winter Institute 2020 (Wi15) in Baltimore
Join bestselling and award-winning authors Dr. Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds in conversation on the history of racist ideas in America and how to better navigate these complex realities. Reynolds and Kendi’s Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, March 2020) delivers a timely YA reimagining of Kendi’s National Book Award-winning Stamped From the Beginning. Through his work, Kendi has explored how racist ideas were developed by some of the most brilliant minds in history to justify and rationalize the nation’s deeply entrenched discriminatory policies. But while racist ideas have always been easy to fabricate and distribute, they can also be discredited. Jason Reynolds’s remarkable reimagining of Dr. Ibram X. Kendi’s National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning also offers the tools needed to combat these ideas. With Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You, Kendi and Reynolds have come together to deliver an energizing narrative that speaks to young people and shines a light on the many insidious forms of racism—and on ways readers can identify and stamp out racist thoughts in their daily lives.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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From the Archive: Recorded on January 23, 2020 at Winter Institute 2020 (Wi15) in Baltimore
The panel brings together respected booksellers, Shirikiana Gerima, Ramunda Lark Young, and Hannah Oliver Depp, to examine the intersections of race, literature, and entrepreneurship. The panelists will explore the importance of their contributions to the bookselling eco-system, activism, and what is required to create diverse, equitable environments. Panelists: Glory Edim, Well-Read Black Girl, Founder (New York, NY), Shirikiana Gerima, Sankofa Video, Books & Cafe (Washington, D.C.), Ramunda Lark Young, MahoganyBooks (Washington, D.C.) , Hannah Oliver Depp, Loyalty Bookstore (Washington, D.C.)
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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From the Archive: Recorded virtually on February 20, 2021 for Wi2021 (Wi16)
Neurodiversity is a broad concept and one that covers a multitude of neurological variations. This conversation with neurodiverse individuals and advocates will provide context for Wi16 attendees who are not aware of neurodiversity and the challenges and concerns neurodiverse employees experience in the workplace and customers experience in the store. If you identify as neurodiverse, need direction around communicating with neurodiverse staff or customers, or are simply interested in learning more about neurodiversity, this session is for you.
Panelists: Emily Autenrieth, A Seat at The Table Books (Elk Grove, CA); Ed Thompson, CEO, Uptimize; Katy Alexander, Global Director of Marketing & Communications, Digital Science; Jory Fleming, author of How to Be Human: An Autistic Man's Guide to Life (Simon & Schuster)
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
From the Archive: Recorded March 4, 2021 for ABA's three-part Financial Webinar Series
Designed for booksellers with some understanding of bookkeeping, this session will take a deeper dive into a store’s individual financial statements, focusing on how to read and apply the information in balance sheets, income statements, cash flow statements, and the ABACUS report, in order to make sound financial decisions.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
From the Archive: Recorded February 24, 2021 for ABA's Three-Part Financial Webinar Series
Accurate and timely bookkeeping is the foundation of a profitable business. This session will cover the fundamentals of bookkeeping, with a focus on the general ledger document, and explain how proper bookkeeping improves efficiency and, ultimately, saves time and money. In addition, attendees will get a brief overview of cash flow, income statements, and balance sheets.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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From the Archive: Recorded February 19, 2021 for ABA's Three-Part Financial Webinar Series
This session will help you plan for success by focusing on a few key topics: monitoring or creating your budget, responding to changing business conditions, managing your cash flow, and monitoring important benchmarking data to track your progress and meet your yearly goals. This session will provide a template for building your annual budget. Panelists: PK Sindwani, ABA (White Plains, NY); Jennifer Almodovar, ABA (White Plains, NY)
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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From the Archive: Recorded June 28, 2019 at Children's Institute 2019 (Ci7) in Pittsburgh, PA
You know you want to bring authors to your store and into area schools, but how do you begin to ask publishers? Two words: “Author Grids.” In this session, panelists who have mastered the author grid will share with attendees:
- Tips for a perfect pitch
- The power of your sales rep
- How to create a stellar general event profile
- How to anticipate attendance
- How to request access to grids
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
From the Archive: Recorded June 26, 2019 at Children's Institute 2019 (Ci7) in Pittsburgh, PA
Hosting events in-store and offsite is a great way to strengthen a customer base, build goodwill within your community, and make money. But tackling the ins and outs of events, no matter how large or small, is daunting, time-consuming, and, let’s face it, overwhelming. This full-day, two-part workshop led by aces in bookstore event management will teach attendees:
- Best practices for in-store author events
- Tips for navigating events in a small space
- Best practices for off-site author events, including partnering with schools and libraries, hosting large-scale events, and using alternate venues
- Best practices for ticketing events and anticipating turnout
- How to launch a book festival in your community
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
From the Archive: Recorded June 26, 2019 at Children's Institute 2019 (Ci7) in Pittsburgh, PA
Hosting events in-store and offsite is a great way to strengthen a customer base, build goodwill within your community, and make money. But tackling the ins and outs of events, no matter how large or small, is daunting, time-consuming, and, let’s face it, overwhelming. This full-day, two-part workshop led by aces in bookstore event management will teach attendees:
- Best practices for in-store author events
- Tips for navigating events in a small space
- Best practices for off-site author events, including partnering with schools and libraries, hosting large-scale events, and using alternate venues
- Best practices for ticketing events and anticipating turnout
- How to launch a book festival in your community
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Free Expression Friday is an interview series from ABA's American Booksellers for Free Expression celebrating the amazing work of booksellers, organizers, and book people in general fighting for the right to read.
2024 has been a terrible year for book bans. If we don’t keep on top of it, 2025 could be even worse. Philomena Polefrone from ABA’s Advocacy team and American Booksellers for Free Expression explains which legislative trends from 2024 could continue in 2025 and raises the alarm about a pre-filed bill in Texas for 2025. What you can do now is start preparing to testify against book ban bills that could be introduced in your state next year.
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting short talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On November 14, 2024, Flannery Buchanan of Bluebird & Co (Crozet, VA) discussed Building Community.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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From the Archive: Recorded January 21, 2020 at Winter Institute 2020 (Wi15) in Baltimore, MD
If you lost an important resource when Baker and Taylor left the indie community, this is a session you will not want to miss. The panelists will review the benefits of ordering direct from publishers and tips for organizing your resulting paperwork. Also on the panel will be booksellers who have accounts with wholesalers who can discuss those vendors' services for small stores. Panelists: PK Sindwani, ABA (White Plains, NY), Todd Dickinson, Aaron's Books (Lititz, PA), Lane Jacobson, Paulina Springs Books (Sisters, OR), Stephen Sparks, Point Reyes Books (Point Reyes Station, CA)
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
“Co-op” is a word booksellers often hear from publishers, but it can be quite confusing to try to decipher what it is. In this session, Jenny Cohen of Waucoma Bookstore in Hood River, OR provides an overview of cooperative advertising: what it is, where it comes from, and how a store can maximize their spending using accrued co-op dollars from publishers.
Session Video & Resources
Recorded June 28, 2019 at Children's Institute 2019 (Ci7) in Pittsburgh, PA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Charlie Jane Anders (Victories Greater Than Death and Dreams Bigger Than Heartbreak) gives a rousing closing keynote that examines bookstores as portals to other realms and speaks to the importance of putting the right book in the right reader's hand at the right time.
Session Video & Resources
Recorded June 22, 2022 at Children's Institute 2022 (Ci10) in Phoenix, AZ
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
In this session, bookstores with experience with the media will share how to to make your store media ready, including creating an About Us section that will attract press, how to build a media kit, which components are key, and how to select the assets to share to highlight your bookstore’s individuality in the press.
Session Video & Resources
Recorded June 22, 2022 at Children's Institute 2022 (Ci10) in Phoenix, AZ
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Free Expression Friday is an interview series from ABA's American Booksellers for Free Expression celebrating the amazing work of booksellers, organizers, and book people in general fighting for the right to read.
As a children’s book author who also works for an independent publisher, Ashley Mireles-Guerrero wanted to create a space for marginalized literature that included small-press and indie books. She also wanted to find a way to push back against the targeted book bans in her area that were threatening access to books featuring diverse voices. Her store, the Judging by the Cover Bookstore, began doing that work in Fresno, California initially as a pop-up, showing up with themed displays featuring books by marginalized authors in places where those books were needed. It continues to do this work, but as of this year, also has a brick-and-mortar storefront in Fresno’s Chinatown. Ashley joins Philomena Polefrone in conversation about the journey from pop-up to storefront, her store’s mission, and why her work feels especially important now.
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting short talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On November 14, 2024, Mekhala Villegas-Rogers of Tombolo Books (St. Petersburg, FL) discussed curating Spanish-language titles.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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From book banning challenges and troll attacks to stores faced with defending their store mission, business decisions, or mistakes, the past two years we’ve seen stores impacted by social media and PR crises. Effective crisis communication management starts long before an issue arises. In this session, learn how to create a plan to mitigate and respond to risk, and how to handle things when the plan fails.
Panelist: Andrew Gilman, CommCore Consulting Group (Washington, D.C.)
Session Video & Resources
Recorded June 20, 2022 at Children's Institute 2022 (Ci10) in Phoenix, AZ
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Learn the ins and outs of TikTok in a workshop environment. Participants will gain a better understanding of TikTok lingo, how to record and produce video, as well as basic to intermediate editing tools that will help bookstores attract customers a drive sales.
Session Video & Resources
Recorded June 20, 2022 at Children's Institute 2022 (Ci10) in Phoenix, AZ
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Free Expression Friday is an interview series from ABA's American Booksellers for Free Expression celebrating the amazing work of booksellers, organizers, and book people in general fighting for the right to read.
Mosaics Community Bookstore & Venue is unique — unique in Utah, and unique, period. Despite that, or perhaps because of it, Mosaics has repeatedly faced incredible hardship on top of the normal hardships of being a small indie bookstore: bomb threats, SWATing, and now health problems. Now Mosaics is asking for help, and demonstrating how to pivot and ask for support in times of crisis. Philomena Polefrone (she/her) from ABFE spoke to Tara Lenea (they/them), the founder of Mosaics who is stepping back to focus on their health, and Dean Mauchley (she/they), who is stepping up to take a more active role in the space.
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting short talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On November 14, 2024, Chris Steib of Transom Bookshop (Tarrytown, NY) walked us through how to DIY your profit and loss statement (P&L).
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Dr Faith Harper, licensed professional counselor and author of Unf*ck Your Brain and the YA adaptation Befriend Your Brain (Microcosm Publishing), leads booksellers on a session on mental health and self-care in a "post" pandemic world.
Session Video & Resources
Recorded June 21, 2022 at Children's Institute 2022 (Ci10) in Phoenix, AZ
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Lisa Swayze of Buffalo Street Books in Ithaca, NY interviews Tom Newlands, author of Only Here, Only Now, available November 12, 2024, at your local independent bookstore.
Theme by Constant Companion
Community partnerships are an untapped source of income for many stores. They can have a profound impact on a store’s bottom line as well as the soul of the store and its community. A panel of booksellers who work closely with community partners will share how to make initial contact, what format a partnership can take, and how to manage expectations without taking on too much. Attendees will have an opportunity for open discussion and to ask each other questions on community partnerships.
Session Video & Resources
Recorded June 22, 2022 at Children's Institute 2022 (Ci10) in Phoenix, AZ
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Free Expression Friday is an interview series from ABA's American Booksellers for Free Expression celebrating the amazing work of booksellers, organizers, and book people in general fighting for the right to read.
Lindsay Schultz didn’t open The Spine Bookshop looking for a hill to die on, but she wasn’t going to back down when book banners came to town and started threatening librarians. She found allies in Keri Lambert and the rest of the Rutherford County Library Alliance, and together they stood up and made their voices heard. They weren’t ultimately able to stop books from being banned, but it led Schultz to turn her store into a community space, launch a book access program for banned and diverse books, and plan a read-in in her store for next year. Schultz and Lambert join Philomena Polefrone to explain what happened, what made the Rutherford County School Board meetings uniquely unhinged, and how they stood up against it.
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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CoverHound is thrilled to present a special four-part webinar series for ABA members: Insuring Success: Business Insurance for Bookstores.
On September 26, CoverHound presented part four of this series, Safeguarding Our Stories: Leveraging Insurance to Navigate Book Bans, a webinar designed to help bookstore owners navigate book bans and censorship challenges. Discover how insurance coverage can play a crucial role in ensuring books remain freely available to your community. Learn about the specialized coverages that protect your book business against legal battles, loss of revenue, and reputational damage in the face of censorship efforts. We'll show you how insurance can serve as a safeguard for your bookstore's mission of promoting diverse ideas and perspectives. Engage in an interactive Q&A session to address your concerns and gain actionable strategies for protecting your bookstore's freedom of expression.
Session Video & Resources
CoverHound is proud to partner with the ABA in managing the Bookseller Insurance Program, which has been supporting the unique insurance needs of bookstores since 1997. More information can be found at https://www.bookweb.org/coverhound-business-insurance-details.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
Understanding financial benchmarks within your children’s bookstore or children’s departments can help you maximize space, optimize non-book gifts and sidelines, improve profitability, and more. This session is for children’s-only bookstores or general bookstores with a children’s department. Attendees will also learn more about ABACUS — how to participate, how to use this important tool for your business, and why it’s so important for children’s bookstores to be counted in this data.
Session Video & Resources
Recorded June 21, 2022 at Children's Institute 2022 (Ci10) in Phoenix, AZ
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Activist and author Karen Walrond (author of The Lightmaker's Manifesto) opens Children’s Institute 2022 with a keynote conversation with ABA Director of Education Lee (Kim) Hooyboer on how booksellers can maintain their spark while continuing to work for change in their communities and the world at large. By identifying tools and practices that can help booksellers define and refine their missions without succumbing to burnout, Walrond's opening keynote is sure to kindle conversations that will resonate through the entirety of Ci10.
Session Video & Resources
Recorded June 21, 2022 at Children's Institute 2022 (Ci10) in Phoenix, AZ
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Free Expression Friday is an interview series from ABA's American Booksellers for Free Expression celebrating the amazing work of booksellers, organizers, and book people in general fighting for the right to read.
Lee Wind (he/him) of the Independent Book Publishers Association knows all about how literary censorship impacts independently published books by authors from marginalized communities. A Queer author himself, Lee's books — like A Different Kind of Brave, The Gender Binary is a Big Lie, and No Way, They Were Gay? Hidden Lives and Secret Loves — are independently published, and at least one has been challenged or banned on several occasions. Philomena and Lee spoke about the impact of book bans on independently published books and IBPA's program to combat it (in collaboration with the EveryLibrary Institute), a program called We Are Stronger Than Censorship. Learn more, including how to become a bookseller partner, at wearestrongerthancensorship.org.
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting short talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On October 10, 2024, Ally Kirkpatrick of Old Town Books (Alexandria, VA) discussed Crafting Non-bookstore Partnerships.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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After traveling the country presenting education at the 2022 Fall Regional Association Tradeshows, ABA presented a virtual encore of Decoding the P&L for Booksellers, Managers, and Owners.
A bookstore’s profit and loss statement (P&L) is a critical tool for evaluating a store’s overall performance. Join ABA staff on a walk-through of a bookstore P&L statement as we lay a groundwork for understanding bookstore financials, decode individual line items to identify opportunities for improved profitability, discuss how to use ABA’s ABACUS Report, and consider ways to share financials with staff in a meaningful and cooperative manner.
Session Video & Resources
Decoding the P&L was presented at the 2022 Fall Regional Association Tradeshows.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
After traveling the country presenting education at the 2024 Fall Regional Association Tradeshows, ABA's Lee Hooyboer presents a virtual encore of Prioritizing Cash Flow: 10 Areas to Review for Improved Cash Flow and Profitability.
The true key to being in control of your business is to be in control of your cash. A bookstore’s financial stability is dependent on far more than just profitability, and cash flow determines your store’s ability to cover day-to-day expenses, such as purchasing inventory, paying suppliers, and meeting operational costs. In this session, ABA will discuss cash flow tools briefly then guide stores through ten essential steps to improve your store’s cash flow, financial stability, and long-term resilience.
Session Video & Resources
Prioritizing Cash Flow was presented at the 2024 Fall Regional Association Tradeshows. This webinar was recorded October 24, 2024.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Free Expression Friday is an interview series from ABA's American Booksellers for Free Expression celebrating the amazing work of booksellers, organizers, and book people in general fighting for the right to read.
Kay Kerimian can usually be found in a park in Brooklyn, standing next to a bright pink cargo bike that has been turned into a book display, shouting: "Free books! They're gay!" Founded just over two years ago, the Nonbinarian Book Bike is dedicated to promoting LGBTQ+ book access by giving away free books. But soon, it will also have a brick-and-mortar storefront. Philomena Polefrone from ABFE took the opportunity to talk to Kay about how an LGBTQ+ storefront will pursue the same mission by selling books (as well as giving them away through the Book Bike).
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting short talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On October 10, 2024, Leah Johnson of Loudmouth Books (Indianapolis, IN) discussed Boozy Book Fairs.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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This session is for those new to children’s bookselling (or those who want a refresher). Long-time children’s booksellers will demystify and clarify important FYIs and other details you won’t know until someone tells you! Topics discussed will be sales rep relationships, opening accounts versus ordering from a wholesaler, and more. You will leave feeling comfortable with a foundational toolbox that you will add to over time.
Session Resources
Recorded June 10, 2024 at Children's Institute 2024 in New Orleans, LA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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To highlight new titles from authors and characters from historically underrepresented groups, Ci2024 children’s publishers will demonstrate their best handselling skills! Come learn about books from Black and BIPOC authors, Trans and LGBTQIA2S+ authors, and authors and characters with disabilities, as well as upcoming sci-fi and romance titles written by those authors. An Edelweiss collection of the presented titles will be available.
Session Resources
Recorded June 12, 2024 at Children's Institute 2024 in New Orleans, LA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Free Expression Friday is an interview series from ABA's American Booksellers for Free Expression celebrating the amazing work of booksellers, organizers, and book people in general fighting for the right to read.
Lion's Tooth is a small, indie bookstore in Milwaukee, WI that specializes in alternative graphic novels and radical nonfiction. The store and the community it's rooted in are independent to the core: Lion's Tooth carries zines and art created by local independent artists as well as specializing in small presses. Philomena Polefrone from ABFE spoke to Shelly McClone-Carriere, one of the founders of Lion's Tooth, about how indie bookstores and indie creators are essential to free expression.
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting short talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On October 10, 2024, Lily Rugo of Harvard Book Store (Cambridge, MA) discussed Book Clubs and Bookstores.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
Developed for author guests in the early stages of their writing careers, this panel features booksellers who have formulated successful practices for creating events that benefit both stores and authors. This session will cover a number of issues, from author publicity to dealing with pre-event nerves.
Session Video & Resources
Recorded June 11, 2024 at Children's Institute 2024 in New Orleans, LA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Lily Taliaferro of Eagle Harbor Book Co. (Bainbridge Island, WA) interviews Kalela Williams, author of Tangleroot, available October 15, 2024, at your local independent bookstore.
Theme by Constant Companion
Rex Ogle and Mark Oshiro are inspirational authors of young people’s literature writing about queer adolescents overcoming real-life and fantastical obstacles. Both depict examples of acts of heroism, community-building, trust, generosity, reciprocity, and queer culture. During these unprecedented times of book bannings and challenges predominantly impacting the LGBTQIA2S+ community, young readers deserve (and need!) stories that illustrate what it is to be in community for transcendence. It is the commitment of booksellers to share queer stories that cultivate a culture of caring, and empathy all the while uplifting LGBTQIA2S+ authors and readers that expands their unique position of stewards of storytelling.
Session Resources
Recorded June 12, 2024 at Children's Institute 2024 in New Orleans, LA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Kristin Saner of Fables Books (Goshen, IN) interviews Nico Lang, author of American Teenager: How Trans Kids Are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy in a Turbulent Era, available October 8, 2024, at your local independent bookstore.
Theme by Constant Companion
How you plan your calendar impacts the flow of business. Knowing what’s coming down the pike can better help you navigate surprises. This session asks you to review what you can anticipate during any calendar year and plot the constants (holidays, frontlist ordering windows, weekly bestseller reporting, ABACUS, national and regional events) so that when variables (staff vacations, events & book fairs, emergencies) arise, you already have one foot out of triage and can better handle whatever comes at you.
Session Video & Resources
Recorded June 12, 2024 at Children's Institute 2024 in New Orleans, LA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Free Expression Friday is an interview series from ABA's American Booksellers for Free Expression celebrating the amazing work of booksellers, organizers, and book people in general fighting for the right to read. From our friends at Libro.fm, today's Free Expression Friday features a special episode of the Libro.fm Podcast featuring ABA's Philomena Polefrone, PhD! In this episode, Philomena discusses her role in advocating for intellectual freedom through the ABA. The conversation touches on book bans, censorship, and the role of bookstores as spaces for activism. The discussion covers the history of book bans, grassroots organizing, and the legal challenges involved in defending diverse literature. READ TRANSCRIPT
Use promo code: SWITCH when signing up for a new Libro.fm membership to get two additional credits to use on any audiobooks—meaning you’ll have three from the start. About Philomena: Philomena Polefrone is the Advocacy Associate Manager at the American Booksellers Association, where she champions intellectual freedom and free expression. With a background in bookselling and a decade in academia, Philomena brings a unique perspective to her work, blending literature and activism. She leads initiatives like the Set Books Free Project, aimed at combating book bans and promoting access to diverse, often censored literature. Her passion for defending the right to read makes her a key advocate in the fight against censorship.
Books discussed on today’s episode:
- Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe
- Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
- And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson & Peter Parnell
- The 1619 Project by Caitlin Roper, Ilena Silverman & Jake Silverstein
- Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
- Temple Folk by Aaliyah Bilal
- Catalina by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
BookED Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On September 12, 2024, Cathy Berner of Blue Willow Bookshop (Houston, TX) discussed how to run an author event signing line in your store.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
This workshop is designed to empower bookstore managers and owners with the knowledge and tools to cultivate truly inclusive environments. Over the course of two hours, this interactive session will guide participants through the nuances of recruitment, hiring, and onboarding through the lens of anti-racism, inclusivity, and accessibility. Building on the principles advocated by RISEwithUS (Radical Insightful and Solutions to create Equity), this workshop aims to integrate equity-centered practices and leadership into the very foundation of bookstore operations.
Session Resources
Recorded June 10, 2024 at Children's Institute 2024 in New Orleans, LA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Measuring turns is a good indicator of the vitality of your children’s department or bookstore. The session will explain turns in terms of your business’ health, compare children’s bookstore and children’s categories’ turns to general bookstores and non-children’s categories, teach booksellers how to measure turns, and the importance of watching them. With a foundational understanding, attendees will be allotted time during the session to brainstorm goal-setting and plans for growth for underperforming categories.
Session Video & Resources
Recorded June 12, 2024 at Children's Institute 2024 in New Orleans, LA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Free Expression Friday is an interview series from ABA's American Booksellers for Free Expression celebrating the amazing work of booksellers, organizers, and book people in general fighting for the right to read.
When Caroline Richmond was young, she experienced firsthand the impact of seeing herself represented in literature for the first time. Now, as Executive Director of We Need Diverse Books, a nonprofit dedicated to increasing diversity in literature, she works to give that experience to others. Richmond joined Philomena Polefrone from ABFE to discuss her own path to doing this work, WNDB's mission, and how they've been able to make a difference.
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On September 12, 2024, Erin Matthews of The Last Word (Mt. Airy, MD) discussed the Dos and Don'ts of Small Business Loans.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
With young adult and middle-grade readers enjoying romance, it’s no secret that romance is good for business and good for young people who are exploring their identities and feelings. Whether it’s their first crush or a big love song-worthy experience, this discussion-based session will examine how reading about romantic relationships can be a young person’s first experience with different expressions of identities in relationships, creating boundaries, and giving/receiving consent — all while growing your business.
Session Video & Resources
Recorded June 12, 2024 at Children's Institute 2024 in New Orleans, LA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
This session will teach booksellers how to calculate the cost of goods sold (COGS) and maximize gross profit/margin. Panelists will lay the foundation for an understanding of COGS so that booksellers can confidently compare their information to ABACUS data. During this session, booksellers will be given time to examine what they’ve learned and identify areas in their own business for better COGS management so that they can begin applying these concepts when they return to their stores.
Session Video & Resources
Recorded June 11, 2024 at Children's Institute 2024 in New Orleans, LA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On September 12, 2024, Philomena Polefrone of ABFE discussed Observing Banned Books Week in Your Store.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
Helping staff succeed is the primary role of a leader, though many leaders struggle with exactly how to do that. In this seminar, ZingTrain shares practical, tactical tools for leaders to use to tackle performance problems, give future-focused feedback, and manage their teams more effectively.
Session Video & Resources
Recorded June 10, 2024 at Children's Institute 2024 in New Orleans, LA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
We don’t believe in training just for training’s sake, or just because it's the right thing to do. We firmly believe that the best and most successful training positively changes behavior and, therefore, positively affects our business’ bottom lines. We’ll share key elements of how we design and deliver our staff training as well as other tips we’ve learned over the years. Presented by ZingTrain.
Session Video & Resources
Recorded June 11, 2024 at Children's Institute 2024 in New Orleans, LA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Book access programs for banned and diverse books are essential. In places where books are banned from public institutions like schools and libraries, these programs may be the only way low-income kids can see themselves reflected in literature. In this episode, the American Booksellers for Free Expression (ABFE) introduces the Set Books Free Project, a book donation initiative to create a pipeline of banned and diverse books from independent booksellers and their customers to the places experiencing the most bans. The virtual kick off event on August 19th was hosted by American Booksellers for Free Expression in collaboration with Authors Against Book Bans, the Independent Book Publishers Association, Red Wine & Blue, and others.
Session Video & Resources
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On March 14, 2024, Bregette Poore (Child's Play Toys & Books) discussed buying and sourcing toys.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
Join Ron Smithson and Marsha Wood as they discuss how Ingram is investing in indie bookstores through new warehouse improvements, and how the recent ipage enhancements can help increase productivity while decreasing downtime.
Session Resources
Recorded June 12, 2024 at Children's Institute 2024 in New Orleans, LA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Sally Sue Lavigne of Story Book Shoppe (Bluffton, SC) interviews Steven Banbury, author of The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night, available September 3, 2024, at your local independent bookstore.
Theme by Constant Companion
Reading is on the decline. We've all heard it and we're all worried. It will take a bookstore organizing and community effort to relight the spark of literacy in not just kids, but also their parents. Bookstores with active reading programs will share models that work for them that booksellers can implement in their bookstores. This session will include time for a discussion on how the collective can work together to keep kids in bookstores.
Session Resources
Recorded June 12, 2024 at Children's Institute 2024 in New Orleans, LA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Free Expression Friday is an interview series from ABA's American Booksellers for Free Expression celebrating the amazing work of booksellers, organizers, and book people in general fighting for the right to read.
Willie Carver Jr. was once Kentucky's educator of the year. But when state education guidelines were put in place targeting LGBTQ+ students and forcing teachers to participate in censorship, he had to make an impossible choice: refuse to comply or do harm to his students. Carver is one of the contributors to Trouble in Censorville, a new book from Disobedience Press, and is joined by one of the editors, Rebekah Modrak, in discussion with ABFE's Philomena Polefrone.
Content warning for systemic LGBTQ+-phobia and racism.
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On August 8, 2024, Courtney Ulrich Smith of Underbrush Books (Rogers, AR) discussed Subscription Programs.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
This session is exclusively designed for publishers and led by events managers from bookstores with longstanding histories of successful events. Booksellers will present how events (virtual, hybrid, and in-person) have evolved since the onset of COVID-19 in 2020 through today. They will investigate factors that impact the new needs of bookstores and customers as they pertain to events and school visits, and share solutions that cultivate cross-industry collaboration so that bookstores, event participants, authors, and publishers have their needs met now and into the future.
Session Resources
Recorded June 10, 2024 at Children's Institute 2024 in New Orleans, LA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
The nature of authors’ events continuously changes from one event to the next. However, COVID-19 has forced an evolution in events that can leave event coordinators wondering why they aren’t meeting their event goals. This session will discuss updated strategies for forming mutually beneficial relationships with publishing partners, managing ticketing and turnout, and creating an ordering strategy that feels less like throwing spaghetti at the wall and more like a tactical approach to hitting your event numbers bullseye.
Session Resources
Recorded June 12, 2024 at Children's Institute 2024 in New Orleans, LA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Free Expression Friday is an interview series from ABA's American Booksellers for Free Expression celebrating the amazing work of booksellers, organizers, and book people in general fighting for the right to read.
Utah has banned 13 books statewide, the first batch of what threaten to be many statewide bans under a law passed this year, HB 29. The law institutes a three-strikes system that means books banned in three districts or two districts and five charter schools could be banned statewide. It's a stunning escalation in the book ban crisis. Peter Bromberg of EveryLibrary and Let Utah Read joined ABFE to discuss the law, its implications, and how organizers and Utah have been resisting.
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On August 8, 2024 Danielle King of Left Bank Books (St. Louis, MO) discussed Writing Compelling Shelf Talkers.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
In this spotlight on Black publishers Cheryl Willis Hudson (Just Us Books), Kwame M’Balia (Freedom Fire), and Bria Ragin (Delacorte Press) candidly discuss what inspired them to pursue careers as publishers of children’s books and their journeys to success in the publishing industry. It is a frank conversation about the history and experiences of Black publishers and the responsibility of all bookstores to invest in Black publishers, authors, illustrators, and children.
Session Resources
Recorded June 12, 2024 at Children's Institute 2024 in New Orleans, LA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Virtual book fairs and teacher wishlist fulfillment are practical ways to support schools and students. Learn the fundamentals of planning, marketing, running, and fulfilling virtual book fairs and wishlists.
Session Resources
Recorded June 11, 2024 at Children's Institute 2024 in New Orleans, LA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Free Expression Friday is an interview series from ABA's American Booksellers for Free Expression celebrating the amazing work of booksellers, organizers, and book people in general fighting for the right to read.
With a background in social work, Tayler Simon is passionate about helping people. But when she saw anti-DEI and anti-CRT measures targeting higher ed spill over into book bans, she saw another way to help. She started Liberation is Lit as a social media presence and it soon became an online and pop-up bookstore. Now, she is getting ready to open a physical space for organizing and bookselling in her community. She spoke with ABFE's Philomena Polefrone about Liberation is Lit, rampant but under-emphasized book censorship in South Carolina, and how she's using bookselling to make a difference. Read the interview on ABA's Blog.
Recorded August 13, 2024
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On August 8, 2024, Lyn Ciurro of Bound to Happen Books (Stevens Point, WI) discussed being a Blue Dot in a Red State.
Session Video & Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
Edelweiss provides a suite of tools that will allow everyone in your team to contribute to sustaining your children's literature sections. In this session we will cover core, analytics, community, and 360 Edelweiss tools that you can leverage for discovery, building out, and boosting your store sections. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of Edelweiss tools for the purposes of knowledge sharing, previewing, and handselling.
Session Resources
Recorded June 12, 2024 at Children's Institute 2024 in New Orleans, LA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Can a bookstore be a Rube Goldberg machine? Realistically? Probably not, but here booksellers will apply the geometric law of syllogism (“If this, then that”) to demonstrate how to automate processes or develop systems to follow a consistent pattern or trigger a chain reaction of “this, then that.” Attendees will learn about low code/no code automation, and have the chance to examine and re-evaluate systems that can be streamlined to create an outcome that follows a chain reaction pattern — whether it’s an Excel formula or a standard procedure for fluid store operations.
Session Resources
Recorded June 12, 2024 at Children's Institute 2024 in New Orleans, LA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Presented by ABA and the League of Women Voters (LWV), “Local Voter Engagement in 2024 and Beyond” was designed to help independent bookstores mobilize and empower voters in their communities. Recorded July 25, 2024.
Session Video & Resources
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On April 11, 2024, Liz Whitelam of Whitelam Books (Reading, MA) discussed using Slack for staff communication.
Session Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
With consideration to the thousands of children who have transitioned from learning to read to reading to learn during the pandemic, how have the events of the last four years impacted reading comprehension and the middle-grade readers’ experience of reading? This session will investigate the rise of sales in graphic novels, manga, licensed character novels and stories, and comic books in relation to the drop in sales of the traditional middle-grade novel. We will also critically examine the independent bookstore’s relationship with licensed characters and media property tie-ins in terms of competing businesses like Walmart and Target and our own implicit bias against licensed character novels and stories.
Session Resources
Recorded June 12, 2024 at Children's Institute 2024 in New Orleans, LA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Preet Singh of Eagle Eye Book Shop (Decatur, GA) interviews Danica Nava, author of The Truth According to Ember, available August 6, 2024 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Kromeklia Bryant of Solid State Books (Washington, DC) interviews g. haron davis, author of The Lonely Below, available August 6, 2024 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme by Constant Companion
Whether it’s to advocate for better public infrastructure, get out the vote for school board elections, stand up to book challenges, protect drag story times, or support a cause that aligns with your store’s mission, bookstores have the ability to influence change that can help their business and their community. In this session, booksellers will share examples of the ways their bookstore has influenced change and the obstacles they face.
Session Resources
Recorded June 12, 2024 at Children's Institute 2024 in New Orleans, LA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Free Expression Friday is an interview series from ABA's American Booksellers for Free Expression celebrating the amazing work of booksellers, organizers, and book people in general fighting for the right to read.
Ariel Hakim became a stay at home mom after working at a public library, but she wasn't ready to leave banned books behind. Instead, she started Banned Books Box, a monthly subscription service for banned books. Themed boxes make sure people have access to banned books while giving them their next great read. Ariel talks about her background, motivations, and what she's learned along the way.
Recorded July 23, 2024
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
CoverHound is thrilled to present a special four-part webinar series for ABA members, Insuring Success: Business Insurance for Bookstores.
On July 25, at 3:00 pm ET, CoverHound presented part three of this series, Workers' Compensation: Navigating Claims, Compliance, and Coverage. In this webinar, as we explore the crucial topic of workers' compensation insurance. Discover the essential coverage options necessary to protect your employees and your business. From slip-and-fall accidents to repetitive strain injuries, we'll discuss real-life scenarios where workers' comp proves indispensable, Gain valuable insights, ask questions during our interactive Q&A, and leave equipped with the knowledge to safeguard your bookstore and support your team effectively.
Session Resources
CoverHound is proud to partner with the ABA in managing the Bookseller Insurance Program, which has been supporting the unique insurance needs of bookstores since 1997. More information can be found at https://www.bookweb.org/coverhound-business-insurance-details.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
Following the Children’s Book Market Overview, booksellers can attend this idea exchange to investigate the data further, formulate opinions, and set goals for the final quarter of the year to prepare for a robust holiday season.
Session Resources
Recorded June 11, 2024 at Children's Institute 2024 in New Orleans, LA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
The recent decline in middle grade readership has set off an alarm for independent children’s booksellers. With children losing interest in reading between the ages of 8–12, in only a few short years, the number of adult readers will also be diminishing. In this session, booksellers and Brenna Connor from Circana will share the middle grade trends bookstores are seeing, ideas for addressing the issue head on, and open the floor for a collaborative discussion.
Session Resources
Recorded June 10, 2024 at Children's Institute 2024 in New Orleans, LA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Brenna Connor, Books Insights Manager for Circana BookScan, will explain and identify the US children’s book market key trends to watch, highest growth areas, and performance by genre, format, and age range. This can’t-miss session is based on the latest Circana BookScan data and Brenna’s industry expertise.
Session Video & Resources
Recorded June 11, 2024 at Children's Institute 2024 in New Orleans, LA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On July 11, 2024, Philomena Polefrone of ABA's American Booksellers for Free Expression discussed the forthcoming Right to Read Handbook.
Session Video and Resources
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On July 11, 2024, Aysia Brown of Protagonist Black (Pomona, CA) discussed Supporting Indie Authors through their Friends of the Shop local author program.
Session Resources
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
Adults don’t always have the answers. And just like adults, kids have the urge and want to seek out answers to difficult questions and situations. In this session, booksellers will discuss how bookstores can display, discuss, and create an environment for young readers where they feel empowered to ask about and find the answers to their tough questions and difficult events happening in our world.
Session Resources
Recorded June 11, 2024 at Children's Institute 2024 in New Orleans, LA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Donna Liu of Kepler's Books (Menlo Park, CA) interviews Josh Galarza, author of The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky, available July 23, 2024 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Holly Weinkauf of Red Balloon Bookshop (St. Paul, MN) interviews Johanna Taylor, author of The Ghostkeeper (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers), available July 23, 2024 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme by Constant Companion
Bookstores have obvious indicators of success. The business is in the black, new customers walk through the doors, regular customers return, and events are well attended. In this session, booksellers examine what other measurements of success exist outside systemic measurements. What are benchmarks of success that are not part of a traditional capitalist understanding of measuring success?
Files & Links
- Slide Deck
Speakers
- Erica Tso Haidas, Belonging Books - Brewster, MA
- Rebekah Shoaf, Boogie Down Books - Bronx, NY
- Bunnie Hilliard, Brave + Kind Bookshop - Decatur, GA
- Hannah Oliver Depp, Loyalty Bookstores - Washington, DC
Recorded June 11, 2024 at Children's Institute 2024 in New Orleans, LA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Free Expression Friday is an interview series from ABA's American Booksellers for Free Expression celebrating the amazing work of booksellers, organizers, and book people in general fighting for the right to read.
Angie Hayden remembers when her girls would come home from the library with stacks of books up to their noses. Now, her home state of Alabama has become one of the states pushing book censorship to new levels — including trying to criminalize librarians doing their jobs. She talks to ABFE about co-founding Read Freely Alabama to defend libraries against the assault on free expression. Read the interview on ABA's Blog.
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Recorded March 11, 2024
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting short talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On July 11, 2024, Morgan Haywood-Joy of Greenlight Bookstore (Brooklyn, NY) discussed community outreach.
Files & Links
- Video Recording
- Slide Deck
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
This idea exchange acknowledges that books are a luxury and children who don’t have access to books won’t have access unless a concerted effort is made by a bookstore. We will assess the role of a community bookstore, critique school events, and connect ways in which bookstores can integrate financially accessible or no-cost ways to deliver books to children — strengthening community bonds and infusing all young people with a lifelong love of reading while remaining fiscally conscious of the business.
Files & Links
- Slide Deck
Speakers
- Tanvi Rastogi, Dog-Eared Books - Ames, IA
- Pranoo Kumar, Rohi's Readery - West Palm Beach, FL
- sweet pea Flaherty, King's Books - Tacoma, WA
- Latanya Devaughn, Bronx Bound Books - Bronx, NY
Recorded June 12, 2024 at Children's Institute 2024 in New Orleans, LA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
The Indies Introduce program is about what independent booksellers do best: discovering exciting debut authors and sharing the best with readers across the country. Enjoy lunch while learning about the title selection process from the bookseller panelists who curated the Summer/Fall 2024 Indies Introduce Kids’ list. Many of the Summer/Fall 2024 Indies Introduce Kids’ debut authors will be present to read a short passage and answer a question posed by one of the bookseller panelists.
Files & Links
- Video Recording
- Slide Deck
- Summer/Fall 2024 Indies Introduce Flier (PDF)
Featured Authors
- K. A. Cobell, Looking for Smoke (Heartdrum/HarperCollins Children's Books)
- Freddie Kölsch, Now, Conjurers (Union Square & Co.)
- Aimee Lim, The Spindle of Fate (Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan Children's Publishing Group)
- Daisy Garrison, Six More Months of June (Flatiron Books/Macmillan Publishers)
- John Cochran, Breaking Into Sunlight (Algonquin Young Readers/Hachette Book Group)
- Josh Galarza, The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky (Henry Holt and Co./Macmillan Children's Publishing Group)
- g. haron davis, The Lonely Below (Scholastic Press)
- Steven Banbury, The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers/Hachette Book Group)
- Kalela Williams, Tangleroot (Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan Children's Publishing Group)
Summer/Fall 2024 Kids' Bookseller Panelists
- Holly Weinkauf - Red Balloon Bookshop, St. Paul, MN
- Sally Sue Lavigne - The Storybook Shoppe, Bluffton, SC
- Donna Liu - Kepler’s Books, Menlo Park, CA
- Lily Taliaferro - Eagle Harbor Book Co., Bainbridge Island, WA
- Emmy Widener - Changing Hands, Phoenix, AZ
- Kromeklia Bryant - Solid State Books, Washington, DC
- Katie Pionk - McLean & Eakin Booksellers, Petoskey, MI
Recorded June 11, 2024 at Children's Institute 2024 in New Orleans, LA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
In this session, attendees will learn essential budgeting principles, including maintaining various budgeting reports and monitoring sales, payroll, inventory, and other key financial metrics. We’ll explore practical strategies for managing expenses, maximizing revenue, and maintaining financial health, as well as review ways to share this critical data with staff. Whether you’re a new bookstore owner or a seasoned veteran, this session will provide valuable insights to help you navigate the financial landscape with confidence.
Files & Links
- Slide Deck
- 2022 ABACUS Report
- Budgeting and Monitoring Workbook
- 2022 ABACUS Snapshot
Speakers
- Jessica Stockton-Bagnulo, Greenlight Bookstore - Brooklyn, NY
- Gabriel Moushabeck, Booklink Booksellers Inc. - Northampton, MA
- Sarah Hutton, Village Books - Bellingham, WA
- Tina Ferguson, Face in a Book - El Dorado Hills, CA
Recorded June 11, 2024 at Children's Institute 2024 in New Orleans, LA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting short talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On May 9, 2024, Preet Singh (Eagle Eye Book Shop) discussed book fest planning and logistics.
Files & Links
- Video Recording
- Slide Deck
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
Free Expression Friday is an interview series from ABA's American Booksellers for Free Expression celebrating the amazing work of booksellers, organizers, and book people in general fighting for the right to read.
Founding member of the Texas Freedom to Read Project, Laney Hawes was just a normal parent who wanted the best education possible for her kids. But when she realized that her school board had been taken over by book banners with deep pockets, and that the same thing was happening all over Texas and the US, she realized she had to do something. In this episode, Laney speaks to ABFE about helping to found the Texas Freedom to Read Project, the organization on the front lines of fighting Texas Book Bans. Read the interview on ABA's Blog.
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Recorded April 5, 2024
Theme by Constant Companion
Book bans and challenges have disproportionately harmed the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities, with 30% of challenges targeting books including BIPOC characters or anti-racist themes and another 30% targeting books with LGBTQ+ characters and themes. Panelists will discuss the targeted impact of book bans on these and other marginalized communities, how they use bookselling to fight back in their own communities, and how other booksellers can do the same. Files & Links * Slide Deck * ABA Right to Read Toolkit
Speakers * Jihye Shin, The Nonbinarian Book Bike - Brooklyn, NY * Erin Decker, White Rose Books & More - Kissimmee, FL * Annastasia Williams, The Bottom - Knoxville, TN * Leah Johnson, Loudmouth Books - Indianapolis, IN
Renée Watson is a #1 New York Times-bestselling author. Her books include Piecing Me Together, which received a Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Award, the Ryan Hart series, and acclaimed picture books like Maya’s Song and The 1619 Project: Born on the Water, written with Nikole Hannah-Jones.
Files & Links * Video Recording * Slide Deck
Speakers Renée Watson, All the Blues in the Sky (Bloomsbury) - New York, NY Recorded June 11, 2024 at Children's Institute 2024 in New Orleans, LA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting short talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On March 14, 2024, Emily Autenrieth (A Seat at the Table Books) discussed calculating sales for store sustainability.
Files & Links
- Video Recording
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Matthew Aragon of West Side Books (Denver, CO) interviews O.O. Sangoyomi, author of Masquerade (Forge Books/Macmillan), available July 2, 2024 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Mary Taris of Strive Bookstore (Minneapolis, MN) interviews Donyae Coles, author of Midnight Rooms (Amistad/HarperCollins), available July 2, 2024 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme by Constant Companion
Join Ingram for an informative workshop with ipage® tips that can help you manage your account and store more efficiently. Whether you’re new to ipage or an experienced user, gain a clearer understanding of our platform’s full capabilities allowing you to spend less time navigating and more time selling. Learn about our streamlined stock box and cart, Direct-to-Home improvements, IPS publisher direct discounts and cart, and so much more!
Speakers
- Johanna Hynes, Publishers Group West/ Two Rivers - Louisville, KY
- Leslie Jobson, Ingram Content Group - La Vergne, TN
- Marsha Wood, Ingram Content Group - La Vergne, TN
Files & Links
- Slide Deck
Recorded February 13, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
CoverHound is thrilled to present a special four-part webinar series for ABA members, Insuring Success: Business Insurance for Bookstores.
On Thursday, May 30, 2024, CoverHound presented part two of this series, (Web)Pages of Protection: Cybersecurity and Cyber Insurance For Bookstores. In this webinar, we dive into the vast realm of cybersecurity. Learn practical and easy-to-implement cybersecurity tips and best practices that fortify a bookstore against online threats. Gain insight into the essential Cyber Insurance coverages necessary to protect bookstores and online retailers against digital threats such as data breaches, hacks, and cyberattacks. Explore real-life scenarios where Cyber Insurance can be indispensable, safeguarding businesses from financial losses and reputational damage. Cap off the session with an interactive Q&A, where you can address concerns and gain clarity on implementing your own cybersecurity measures.
CoverHound is proud to partner with the ABA in managing the Bookseller Insurance Program, which has been supporting the unique insurance needs of bookstores since 1997. More information can be found at https://www.bookweb.org/coverhound-business-insurance-details.
Links & Files
- Video Recording
- Slide Deck
- Handouts
- Part 1: Safeguarding Your Shelves: Business Insurance Basics for Book Retailers
- Register for part 3 of the Insuring Success webinar series - Workers' Compensation: Navigating Claims, Compliance, and Coverage
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting short talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On June 6, 2024, Claudia Vega (Whose Books) discussed launching their reading access nonprofit, ARCO: Activating Reading Communities Organization.
Files & Links
- Video Recording
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On April 11, 2024, Amani Jackson (The Ivy Bookshop) discussed balancing scheduling and employee morale.
Files & Links
- Video Recording
- Slide Deck
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
In this interactive session, as a follow-up to his morning keynote, James Rhee will lead a discussion on measurements and operational processes enhancing balance, agility, and goodwill as it relates to the business of life and the life of business.
Speakers
- James Rhee, author of red helicopter (available now from HarperOne/HarperCollins)
Files & Links
- Video Recording
- Slide Deck
Recorded February 12, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Developed for author guests in the early stages of their writing careers, this panel features booksellers who have formulated best practices for creating events that benefit both stores and authors. This session will cover a number of issues, from author publicity to dealing with pre-event nerves.
Speakers
- Paul Hanson, Village Books - Bellingham, WA
- Linda Kass, Gramercy Books - Bexley, OH
- Errol Anderson, Charis Books and More - Decatur, GA
- Bunnie Hilliard, Brave + Kind Bookshop - Decatur, GA
- Javier Ramirez, Exile in Bookville - Chicago, IL
Files & Links
- Video Recording
- Slide Deck
- Education for Authors Handout
Recorded February 13, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
During this session, we will explore various use cases and best practices for using spreadsheets in your bookstore. Whether you use Excel or Google Sheets, you will come away from this session with new ways to analyze, evaluate, and apply information. This session will provide an overview of the basics of spreadsheets and formulas, before delving into more advanced functionalities that are particularly useful for bookstores.
Speakers
- Hannah Oliver Depp, Loyalty Bookstores - Washington, DC
- Emma Kaas, The Norwich Bookstore - Norwich, VT
- Beth Seufer Buss, Bookmarks - Winston-Salem, NC
- Maddie Ciliotta-Young, Watchung Booksellers - Montclair, NJ
Files & Links
- Video Recording
- Slide Deck
Recorded February 12, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On May 9, 2024, Sophie Nogar of Second Star to the Right Books (Denver, CO) discussed book donation campaigns to increase access to LGBTQIA2S+ books.
Files & Links
- Video Recording
- Carabiner Collections Donation Registry
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On May 9, 2024, Lily Taliaferro of Eagle Harbor Book Company (Bainbridge Island, WA) discussed building awareness & visibility for the children's section in your bookstore.
Files & Links
- Video Recording
- Slide Deck
- Eagle Harbor's Bookseller Scavenger Hunt
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
A radical approach to running a business, Open Book Management empowers everyone in an organization to actively participate in tracking metrics that directly contribute to business success. By tracking key numbers and learning the story behind the scoreboard results, employees get a real sense of how they directly impact the success of the business. Explore what Open Book Management is, why it works, and what it looks like in the day-to-day of your store.
Speaker
- Elnian Gilbert, ZingTrain - Ann Arbor, MI
Files & Links
- Video Recording
- Slide Deck
- Intro to Open Book Management Workbook
Recorded February 11, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Holly Weinkauf of Red Balloon Bookshop (St. Paul, MN) interviews John Cochran, author of Breaking Into Sunlight (Algonquin Young Readers/Hachette Book Group), available June 18 at your local independent bookstore.
The changing landscape of bookselling brings new challenges every day, and it is essential to learn how to respond without losing sight of your goals or purpose. Join Bonnie Wan, author of The Life Brief, for a workshop that creates space to declare your ambitions/focus for 2024 and design a brief for how you will achieve growth, engagement, and concentrate on what matters most deeply to you and your business.
Speaker
- Bonnie Wan, author of The Life Brief: A Playbook for No-Regrets Living (Simon Element)
Files & Links
- Video Recording
- Slide Deck
Recorded February 14, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Free Expression Friday is an interview series from ABA's American Booksellers for Free Expression celebrating the amazing work of booksellers, organizers, and book people in general fighting for the right to read.
In this episode, ABA's Advocacy Associate Manager, Philomena Polefrone talks with Annastasia Williams, Bookstore Director at The Bottom Bookshop in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On June 6, 2024, Kira Wizner of Merritt Bookstore (Millbrook, NY) discussed filling out ABACUS, ABA’s free annual industry benchmarking report.
Files & Links
- Video Recording
- Slide Deck
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
How can we survive—and even thrive—in this age of conflict? Negotiation expert William Ury, coauthor of the best-selling Getting to YES, introduces a transformative mindset in his new book, Possible: How We Survive (and Thrive) in an Age of Conflict. Drawing on 45 years of experience, Ury presents an actionable framework, a “Path to Possible”, for navigating conflicts of any scale—from boardroom battles to large-scale international conflict —by sharing a range of personal stories intermixed with practical takeaways. Whether you’re facing a family feud, a workplace dispute, or a political crisis, Possible will help you turn any challenge into an opportunity. Equal parts memoir, manual, and manifesto, Possible empowers us all to be “Possibilists”: those who believe in the human potential to transform today’s toughest conflicts creatively and constructively.
Speakers
- William Ury
Files & Links
- Video Recording
- Slide Deck
- Live Captioning
Recorded February 12, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Arden Harris of A Seat at the Table Books (Elk Grove, CA) interviews Suzi Ehtesham-Zadeh, author of The Stars Too Fondly (Harper Voyager/HarperCollins), available June 11 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Kristin Saner of Fables Books (Goshen, IN) interviews Suzi Ehtesham-Zadeh, author of Zan: Stories (Dzanc Books), available June 11 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Katie Pionk of McLean & Eakin Booksellers (Petoskey, MI) interviews Daisy Garrison, author of Six More Months of June (Flatiron Books/Macmillan Publishers), available June 11 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme by Constant Companion
According to the United States Federation of Worker Cooperatives (USFWC), “Worker cooperatives are values-driven businesses that put worker and community benefit at the core of their purpose. Worker members…participate in the profits, oversight, and often management of the enterprise using democratic practices.” If you are interested in opening a worker-owned co-op bookstore or transitioning to one, this conversation is for you. In this session, a representative from USFWC will talk about the benefits of a worker-owned model as well as the drawbacks. They will review legalities of incorporation, decision making, financial operations, and more. Leave this session with the knowledge you need to evaluate if this shift is the right fit for you.
Speakers
- Cullen Nawalkowsky, Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse - Baltimore, MD
- Talia Whyte, Rozzie Bound Books - Boston, MA
- Ellen Vera, Co-op Cincy - Cincinnati, OH
Files & Links
- Video Recording
- Slide Deck
Recorded February 13, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On January 11, 2024, Laura DeLaney of Rediscovered Books (Boise, ID) discussed Testifying In Committee.
Files & Links
- Video Recording
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On January 11, 2024, Emma Kaas of Norwich Bookstore discussed Taking Annual Inventory.
Files & Links
- Video Recording
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
It’s critical that owners and managers understand Human Resources (HR) practices. This three-hour seminar will be divided into three 45-minute segments with a ten minute break between each segment. In segment one, booksellers will receive a foundational understanding of what HR is, what it is not, and clarity on federal HR rules and regulations that are in place to protect a business. Segment two will provide booksellers with more specifics on HR hot-topics in the small business space including onboarding, employee record keeping, termination, communication and more. The seminar will conclude with a panel discussion with plenty of room for Q&A.
Part 1
- HR Essentials for Small Business with Martin Patrick, GTM HR Consulting, Inc.
Part 2
- HR Talent Lifecycle with Randy Egolf, VP, Human Resources, Joseph-Beth Booksellers
- Health and Heart with Chonteau McElvin, Director of Conscious Culture, Spiral Circle
Part 3
Panel Discussion with Q&A, featuring:
- Randy Egolf, Joseph-Beth Booksellers - Cincinnati, OH
- Chonteau McElvin, Spiral Circle - Orlando, FL
- Eileen McCormick, Green Apple Books - San Francisco, CA
- Martin Patrick, GTM HR Consulting - Clifton Park, NY
Files & Links
- Video Recording
- Slide Deck
- Handbook Policy Checklist
- ABA Bookstore Resource Library
- HR Talent Lifecycle
- Joseph-Beth Culture Committee
- Joseph Beth Leadership Competencies
Recorded February 11, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Donna Liu of Kepler's Books (Menlo Park, CA) interviews Aimee Lim, author of The Spindle Of Fate (Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan Children's Publishing Group), available June 4 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Kelly Evert of Village Books (Bellingham, WA) interviews Briony Cameron, author of The Ballad of Jacquotte Delahaye (Atria Books/Simon & Schuster), available June 4 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Kromeklia Bryant of Solid State Books, Washington, DC interviews K. A. Cobell, author of Looking for Smoke (Heartdrum/HarperCollins Children's Books), available June 4 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Emmy Widener of Changing Hands Bookstore (Tempe, AZ) interviews Freddie Kölsch, author of Now, Conjurers (Union Square & Co.), available June 4 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.
In this episode, Lisa Swayze of Buffalo Street Books in Ithaca, NY interviews Essie Chambers, author of Swift River (Simon & Schuster), available June 4 at your local independent bookstore.
Theme by Constant Companion
It’s critical that owners and managers understand Human Resources (HR) practices. This three-hour seminar will be divided into three 45-minute segments with a ten minute break between each segment. In segment one, booksellers will receive a foundational understanding of what HR is, what it is not, and clarity on federal HR rules and regulations that are in place to protect a business. Segment two will provide booksellers with more specifics on HR hot-topics in the small business space including onboarding, employee record keeping, termination, communication and more. The seminar will conclude with a panel discussion with plenty of room for Q&A.
Part 1
- HR Essentials for Small Business with Martin Patrick, GTM HR Consulting, Inc.
Part 2
- HR Talent Lifecycle with Randy Egolf, VP, Human Resources, Joseph-Beth Booksellers
- Health and Heart with Chonteau McElvin, Director of Conscious Culture, Spiral Circle
Part 3
Panel Discussion with Q&A, featuring:
- Randy Egolf, Joseph-Beth Booksellers - Cincinnati, OH
- Chonteau McElvin, Spiral Circle - Orlando, FL
- Eileen McCormick, Green Apple Books - San Francisco, CA
- Martin Patrick, GTM HR Consulting - Clifton Park, NY
Files & Links
- Video Recording
- Slide Deck
- Handbook Policy Checklist
- ABA Bookstore Resource Library
- HR Talent Lifecycle
- Joseph-Beth Culture Committee
- Joseph Beth Leadership Competencies
Recorded February 11, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Free Expression Friday is an interview series from ABA's American Booksellers for Free Expression celebrating the amazing work of booksellers, organizers, and book people in general fighting for the right to read.
In this episode, ABA's Advocacy Associate Manager, Philomena Polefrone talks with Tanvi Rastogi, former librarian and current bookseller at Dog-Eared Books of Ames, Iowa. Learn more about how Tanvi is using middle grade fiction to build empathy and practice allyship with the Good Books Young Troublemakers book club on ABA's blog!
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
It’s critical that owners and managers understand Human Resources (HR) practices. This three-hour seminar will be divided into three 45-minute segments with a ten minute break between each segment. In segment one, booksellers will receive a foundational understanding of what HR is, what it is not, and clarity on federal HR rules and regulations that are in place to protect a business. Segment two will provide booksellers with more specifics on HR hot-topics in the small business space including onboarding, employee record keeping, termination, communication and more. The seminar will conclude with a panel discussion with plenty of room for Q&A.
Part 1
- HR Essentials for Small Business with Martin Patrick, GTM HR Consulting, Inc.
Part 2
- HR Talent Lifecycle with Randy Egolf, VP, Human Resources, Joseph-Beth Booksellers
- Health and Heart with Chonteau McElvin, Director of Conscious Culture, Spiral Circle
Part 3
Panel Discussion with Q&A, featuring:
- Randy Egolf, Joseph-Beth Booksellers - Cincinnati, OH
- Chonteau McElvin, Spiral Circle - Orlando, FL
- Eileen McCormick, Green Apple Books - San Francisco, CA
- Martin Patrick, GTM HR Consulting - Clifton Park, NY
Files & Links
- Video Recording
- Slide Deck
- Handbook Policy Checklist
- ABA Bookstore Resource Library
- HR Talent Lifecycle
- Joseph-Beth Culture Committee
- Joseph Beth Leadership Competencies
Recorded February 11, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Channeling ten years of feedback from booksellers, IndieCommerce 2.0 is an entirely new platform built from the ground up with new features and a fresh new design. Learn how you can harness the power of IndieCommerce 2.0 in this panel discussion with three booksellers who are using the new platform. Each panelist will showcase their site and share their first hand experiences with the new platform. They will discuss strategies for effectively matching their IndieCommerce 2.0 site to their in-store business model, highlight their favorite new features, and offer tips and tricks for maximizing the potential of IndieCommerce 2.0.
Speakers
- Geetha Nathan, ABA - IndieCommerce - White Plains, NY
- Kazemde Ajamu, The Black Dot Cultural Center & Bookstore - Lithonia, GA
- Steve Iwanski, Charter Books - Newport, RI
- Sophie Nogar, Second Star to the Right - Denver, CO
Files & Links
- Slide Deck
Recorded February 14, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Free Expression Friday is an interview series from ABA's American Booksellers for Free Expression celebrating the amazing work of booksellers, organizers, and book people in general fighting for the right to read.
In this episode, ABA's Advocacy Associate Manager, Philomena Polefrone talks with Moira Marquis, Senior Manager of the Freewrite Project at PEN America.
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On April 11, 2024, Robin Stern (Books Inc.) discussed Creating a Sensory-Friendly Store Environment to improve Autistic inclusion in your store.
Files & Links
- Video Recording
- Slide Deck
- Better Community Business Certification Digital Brochure
- Better Community Best Practices Guide
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
Nearly half of small businesses fail within the first five years, and only 25% make it to 15 years or more - and bookselling can be a particularly tough industry to crack. This makes it all the more impressive when a bookstore manages multiple decades in business, with no sign of stopping. This panel features five indomitable booksellers with more than 100 years of combined bookselling experience. They will share their stories and the ups and downs of their careers in bookselling, what motivates them to keep going, and their hopes for the future of the industry. Come learn from our bookselling veterans!
Speakers
- Kris Kleindienst, Left Bank Books - St. Louis, MO
- Janet Jones, Source Booksellers LLC - Detroit, MI
- Rick Simonson, Elliott Bay Book Company - Seattle, WA
- Brein Lopez, Children's Book World - Los Angeles, CA
- Shirikiana Gerima, Sankofa Video and Books - Washington, DC
Files & Links
- Video Recording
- Slide Deck
Recorded February 14, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
The heart of a bookstore is the bookseller in the stacks, on the floor, behind the counter, or in the back room. These are the dedicated professionals who create the welcoming environment your community experiences every day. How do you keep this team? This session will cover important factors that impact employee retention today. You will be asked to consider your store culture, the openness of store-wide communication, your diversity and inclusion efforts, and conditions around compensation, among other important factors that drive employee satisfaction and retention. Come prepared to listen, engage, and leave with the beginnings of an action plan.
Speakers
- Suzanna Hermans, Oblong Books - Millerton, NY
- Jamie Thomas, Women & Children First - Chicago, IL
- DJ Johnson, Baldwin & Co. - New Orleans, LA
- Lyn Roberts, Square Books - Oxford, MS
Files & Links
- Video Recording
- Slide Deck
Recorded February 14, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Edelweiss Analytics, a tool created uniquely for indie booksellers, allows you to easily manage your inventory by integrating POS data into Edelweiss to analyze your stock, view order & sales history, and access aggregate market data without missing a beat. Whether your store uses Square or a bookstore-specific POS system, this conversation is for you. An Edelweiss team member in collaboration with bookseller panelists will examine each tier of Edelweiss Analytics and explain the value of utilizing these tools for better collaboration with publishers, and for amplifying the power of the indie market as a whole. If you’re not currently signed up, remember Edelweiss Analytics’ base tier — Basecamp — is free for ABA members the first year so come check it out! If you’re already signed up, come hear best practices and ways to optimize it for your store.
Speakers
- Jeanne Costello, Maria's Bookshop - Durango, CO
- Jenny Cohen, Waucoma Bookstore - Hood River, OR
- Dan Brewster, Prologue Bookshop - Columbus, OH
- Nicolette Siclare, Edelweiss by Above the Treeline - Ann Arbor, MI
Files & Links
- Slide Deck
Recorded February 14, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
You’ve meticulously curated your inventory, designed the perfect displays, and developed an events program for your community — but how will you know if what you’re doing is working? Tracking Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) will give you the answer. KPIs are specific outcome-based targets that support your strategic plan and can be measured quantitatively, such as inventory turnover ratios, sales per square foot, and average transaction value. By the time you leave this session, you will: (1) understand the meaning and value of critical retail KPIs and how to track them, (2) understand how to compare your store’s KPIs against financial metrics found in the ABACUS report, and (3) be able to apply this data to create an improvement plan for at least one area of your store’s performance.
Speakers
- Cynthia Compton, MacArthur Books - Carmel, IN
- Melissa DeMotte, The Well Read Moose - Coeur d'Alene, ID
- Candice Anderson, Tombolo Books - St. Petersburg, FL
Files & Links
- Video Recording
- Slide Deck
Recorded February 13, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Free Expression Friday is an interview series from ABA's American Booksellers for Free Expression celebrating the amazing work of booksellers, organizers, and book people in general fighting for the right to read.
In this episode, ABA's Advocacy Associate Manager, Philomena Polefrone talks with Maggie Tokuda-Hall, an acclaimed Children's and YA author and one of the organizers of Authors Against Book Bans. Read the full interview on Bookweb.
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
Investing in the leadership skills of your staff has both short-term and long-term benefits, from building a better culture for your team to identifying potential successors when you retire. In this session, Kim Scott, author of Radical Candor and the forthcoming Radical Respect, will teach you how to nurture staff into leadership roles, and evaluate the process for success!
Speakers
- Kim Scott, author of Radical Respect : How to Work Together Better
Files & Links
- Video Recording
- Slide Deck
Recorded February 13, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Clearly defined systems save time and mental energy and can set clear expectations for everyone on a team which means great (consistent!) results. These systems are the start of any training program and can even help improve employer/employee communication and increase sales! Sounds great, right? But where do we start with defining these systems? We start with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Join this session for practical education on writing and following SOPs for your store. Presented by ZingTrain.
Speakers
- Arianna Téllez Léon, ZingTrain - Ann Arbor, MI
Files & Links
- Video Recording
- Slide Deck
- Writing Standard Operating Procedures Workbook
Recorded February 12, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Free Expression Friday is an interview series from ABA's American Booksellers for Free Expression celebrating the amazing work of booksellers, organizers, and book people in general fighting for the right to read.
In this episode, ABA's Advocacy Associate Manager, Philomena Polefrone talks with Tara Lipsyncki (they/them), a drag performer, owner of Mosaics Community Bookstore & Venue in Provo, Utah, and director of the United Drag Alliance nonprofit. In April 2024, they received a bomb threat to their store in response to their Drag Story Hour programming, the most recent of many threats they’ve received and part of a major uptick in threatening content. If you have received or think you may receive a threat, consult our Drag Story Time security tipsheet and get in touch with abfe@bookweb.org. Read the full interview on Bookweb. Recorded May 3, 2024.
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
Most of us know how to help when we see someone in cardiac arrest — we start CPR, or at the very least, call 9-1-1. But too few of us might know how to respond when we see a customer having a panic attack, or if we are concerned that a co-worker shows signs of alcoholism. Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is a training program that takes the fear and hesitation out of starting conversations about mental health and substance use problems. It helps to improve understanding and provides an action plan that teaches people to safely and responsibly identify and address a potential mental illness or substance use disorder. Rich Palmer, a certified MHFA instructor, will provide an introduction to basic MHFA skills on how to navigate hard conversations, tackle stigma in the workplace, and address what resilience truly means – with strategies to alleviate burnout.
Speakers Rich Palmer, Mental Health America of Northern KY and Southwest OH - Blue Ash, OH
Files & Links
- Slide Deck
- Video Recording
- MHFA Resources Handout
Recorded February 13, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Doris Kearns Goodwin is an acclaimed presidential historian, international keynote speaker, and Pulitzer Prize-winning, New York Times #1 bestselling author of books including Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, Leadership: In Turbulent Times, and the newly-released An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History.
Speakers
- Doris Kearns Goodwin, author of An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s
- Philomena Polefrone, Advocacy Associate Manager for ABA's American Booksellers for Free Expression
Files & Links
- Video Recording
- Slide Deck
- Live Captioning
Recorded February 14, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Free Expression Friday is an interview series from ABA's American Booksellers for Free Expression celebrating the amazing work of booksellers, organizers, and book people in general fighting for the right to read.
In this episode, ABA's Advocacy Associate Manager, Philomena Polefrone talks with Ronna Dewey, the Pennsylvania Program Director for Red Wine & Blue, a national advocacy organization dedicated to friend-to-friend organizing among suburban women to fight extremism and book bans. Read the full interview on Bookweb. Recorded February 9, 2024.
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
As booksellers continue to be on the front lines of many consumer and human rights issues, the need for professionally-led training to keep booksellers safe has never been more important. In this session, participants will learn essential de-escalation skills and strategies to gracefully handle difficult customer interactions and defuse tensions while prioritizing staff safety. Empower yourself with the tools you need to navigate challenging situations with confidence and professionalism, fostering a welcoming and supportive atmosphere in your bookstore.
Speakers Chasity Rush, Talbert House - Cincinnati, OH
Files & Links
- Slide Deck
- Video Recording
- De-Escalation Language
Recorded February 14, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Independent bookstores are unique — your story, history, values, causes, and specialties are what differentiate you from others. Your “About Us” section on your website should be unlike anyone else’s too! It’s the easiest way, and one of the most important ways, to promote your store. Join this workshop on how to shift from a generic description about community and curation to one that reflects your store’s personality, makes loyal customers, entices new customers, and helps ABA pitch your store to the media, publishers, and others.
Speaker
- Matt Banker, Banker Creative - Saint Paul, MN
Files & Links
- Slide Deck
- Video
Recorded February 12, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Free Expression Friday is an interview series from ABA's American Booksellers for Free Expression celebrating the amazing work of booksellers, organizers, and book people in general fighting for the right to read.
In this episode, ABA's Advocacy Associate Manager, Philomena Polefrone, chats with Lauren Groff about opening her bookstore in Florida, banned books, and celebrating Independent Bookstore Day.
Watch the video on YouTube or read the full interview on Bookweb.
Lauren Groff is the author of The Vaster Wilds, Matrix, Florida, and others. She is also the owner of the indie bookstore The Lynx, which will have its grand opening in Gainesville, Florida on April 28th (but will be open on April 27th for Independent Bookstore Day). Earlier this week, she was named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2024.
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
AI is rapidly becoming part of the day-to-day and booksellers are beginning to explore what that means for bookselling. Being pro-author and pro-employee doesn't have to mean being anti-AI or rejecting the opportunities that AI represents for the industry. Go beyond the AI hype with Director of ABA Technology Greg Galloway and ABA’s Director of IndieCommerce Phil Davies as they consider AI’s place in publishing today, what the future might hold for AI and independent retailers, and how AI can be made to serve labor, creative arts, and commerce (not vice-versa).
Speakers Phillip Davies, Director of IndieCommerce - American Booksellers Association Greg Galloway, Director of ABA Technology - American Booksellers Association
Files & Links Slide Deck Featured Websites
Recorded February 12, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Contemporary fiction increasingly invites the reader to see race, gender, and sexuality not as binary identities, but as a vibrant spectrum of diversity. This year's new fiction is opening up space for new ideas about how we might expand our understanding of identity and what myriad of relational dynamics are possible beyond the normative concepts of race, gender, and sexuality. In this keynote panel, four authors share their thoughts and experiences writing for a world that has moved beyond the traditional binary definitions of identity and belonging. Speakers
- Miranda July, author of All Fours (On sale May 14, 2024 from Riverhead Books/Penguin Random House)
- Danzy Senna, author of Colored Television (On sale September 3, 2024 from Riverhead Books/Penguin Random House)
- LaDarrion Williams, author of Blood at the Root (On sale May 7, 2024 from Labyrinth Road/Penguin Random House)
- Maysoon Zayid, author of Shiny Misfits: A Graphic Novel (On sale April 16, 2024 from Graphix/Scholastic)
- Anton Bogomazov, Politics and Prose Bookstore - Washington, DC
Files & Links
- Live Captioning
- Video Recording
Recorded February 13, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On March 14, 2024, Angie Zhao of bbgb books (Richmond, VA) discussed School Author Events.
Files & Links Slide Deck
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
The world of work has changed. New worker expectations, growing labor movements, pandemic trauma, increased need for de-escalation skills, and pandemic-induced skill gaps are creating new challenges and opportunities for managers and frontline employees. In this session, hear from an expert on current labor trends to consider when hiring, developing, and supporting staff.
Speaker Nicolas Williams, University of Cincinnati - Cincinnati, OH
Files & Links Slide Deck
Recorded February 14, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
Michele Norris is one of America’s most trusted voices in journalism, earning numerous honors over a long career, including Peabody, Emmy, Dupont, and Goldsmith awards. As founding director of The Race Card Project, a Peabody Award–winning narrative archive where people around the world share their reflections on identity—in just six words, she ignited the conversation with the seemingly simple prompt: Race. Your Thoughts. Six Words. Please Send. The responses she received have been challenging and complicated, intimate and candid, revealing fear, pain, triumph, and humor. Her transformative new book, OUR HIDDEN CONVERSATIONS (Simon & Schuster) and her work with The Race Card Project reminds us that even during times of great division, honesty, grace, and a willing ear can provide a bridge toward understanding and maybe even empathy.
Speakers Michele Norris, author of Our Hidden Conversations: What Americans Really Think about Race and Identity (available now from Simon & Schuster)
Files & Links
- Slide Deck
- YouTube Video
Recorded February 13, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
CoverHound is thrilled to present a special four-part webinar series for ABA members, Insuring Success: Business Insurance for Bookstores. On March 28 at 3:00 pm ET, CoverHound presented part one of this series, Safeguarding Your Shelves: Business Insurance Basics for Book Retailers. In this webinar, tailored to book retailers and bookstore owners, CoverHound guides bookstore owners through the essential aspects of commercial insurance. Learn about the coverage options necessary to safeguard your book business against unforeseen risks, including property damage, liability claims, and business interruption. CoverHound is proud to partner with the ABA in managing the Bookseller Insurance Program, which has been supporting the unique insurance needs of bookstores since 1997. More information can be found at https://www.bookweb.org/coverhound-business-insurance-details. Links & Files Slide Deck Insurance Checklist Scenario Checklist Claims Checklist
Keeping a bookstore running can feel like having too many tabs open in your brain at once. Luckily, there are project management tools and strategies that can help with that. In this presentation, booksellers who have cracked the code on project management will share the tools and strategies that have helped them set goals and timelines and stay organized with their short- and long-term projects. You’ll leave this session with a better understanding of effective project management, which tool or approach is right for you, and what your next steps are for getting started!
Speakers Kirsten Hess, The End & Let's Play Books Bookstore(s) - Emmaus, PA Angela Schwesnedl, Moon Palace Books - Minneapolis, MN Rachel Watkins, Avid Bookshop - Athens, GA Cori Theroux, The Green Dragon Bookstore - Fort Dodge, IA
Files & Links Slide Deck Project Management Reading List
Recorded February 13, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion
In an industry with such slim margins, direct ordering can make all the difference to your bookstore’s bottom line. In this session, Ted Hill of Pubnet/Pubeasy, Deidre Dumpson of Edelweiss, and a bookseller panelist will guide you through the key elements of creating a direct ordering strategy, and show you how to use Edelweiss to order frontlist and Pubnet/Pubeasy to order backlist directly from publishers and distributors. If you’re a new bookstore who has primarily sourced your inventory from wholesalers and are now looking to diversify your ordering, this session is for you! You’ll leave this session with the ability to: understand the importance of balanced ordering from both wholesalers and publishers; create a customized ordering strategy; leverage the technology of Edelweiss, Pubnet, and Pubeasy to streamline direct ordering; and build lasting publisher relationships.
Speakers Jill Hendrix, Fiction Addiction - Greenville, SC Ted Hill, Pubeasy & Pubnet - Brooklyn, NY Alison Langlois, Edelweiss by Above the Treeline - Ann Arbor, MI
Files & Links Slide Deck Direct Ordering on Edelweiss for Booksellers Bookseller Tips and Tricks for Effective Direct Ordering Developing a Strategy for Ordering Direct How to Get Your Very Own Book Representative
Recorded February 12, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
Every bookseller in the UK uses Batch to simplify their Accounts Payable and publisher invoice management and over 300 US booksellers (and growing!) are now using it. Come learn more about this free platform to:
- Automatically and electronically organize publisher invoices to reduce paperwork and free up time.
- Provide access to invoice information 24x7, enabling you to manage invoices when it’s most convenient for you.
- Provide electronic invoices, allowing you to verify shipments and raise claims for damages or shortages at the point of delivery.
- Allow payments to be prepared and remittances received and stored electronically.
- Link with QuickBooks, enabling automated entry of invoice data directly into QuickBooks.
The more booksellers that sign up for Batch, the more publishers that will sign up! Saving everyone time and money.
Speakers Kathy Burnette, Brain Lair Books - South Bend, IN Kate Layte, Papercuts Bookshop - Boston, MA Zachary Matelski, McLean and Eakin Booksellers - Petoskey, MI Nathan Halter, Batch for Books
Files & Links Slide Deck
Recorded February 13, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
A well-planned seasonal inventory can result in big profits, while missing the mark can be a costly mistake. Buyers from a large urban store, a medium-sized store in a college town, and a bookmobile will discuss how they plan their seasonal inventory while keeping in mind store budgets, physical space, and more.
Speakers Elese Stutts, Flyleaf Books - Chapel Hill, NC Kim Brock, Joseph-Beth Booksellers - Cincinnati, OH Zsamé Morgan, Babycake's Book Stack - Saint Paul, MN Emily Schroen, Main Street Books - Saint Charles, MO
Files & Links Slide Deck
Recorded February 13, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
Used books can meet a variety of needs for you and your customers. They offer customers a deeper selection with more accessible pricing, they reduce your cost of goods, and they reduce your carbon footprint. This panel will feature experienced booksellers from used bookstores who understand the process of curating used books and will walk you through best practices for buying, pricing, managing, and marketing used books. Specifically, this panel is designed for booksellers from used bookstores or for stores that curate a used section.
Speakers Danielle King, Left Bank Books - St. Louis, MO Pete Mulvihill, Green Apple Books - San Francisco, CA Amy Hall, Hudson Valley Books for Humanity - Ossining, NY
Files & Links Slide Deck
Recorded February 12, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
This information session hosted by the ABA team and your bookseller colleagues will answer questions like: What is Batch? What is license plate receiving? What are event grids? And more! ABA will begin the discussion by reviewing industry opportunities you may not know about like RISE scholarships for booksellers and bookstore owners to visit international conferences and bookstores; Books Across Borders opportunities; the Professional Booksellers School; ABA opportunities like the Board, Nominating Committee, Audit Committee, Governance Committee, Indies Introduce, Education Task Force, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, Booksellers Advisory Committee, ABA Children’s Group Advisory Council, etc. No question is too basic — come as you are and leave a little more enlightened!
Speakers Christine Bollow, Loyalty Bookstores - Washington, DC Tegan Tigani, Queen Anne Book Company - Seattle, WA Camden Avery, Booksmith - San Francisco, CA Ryan Quinn, American Booksellers Association Joy Dallanegra-Sanger, American Booksellers Association
Files & Links Slide Deck Welcome to Bookselling Handout ABA's Bookstore Resource Library
Recorded February 12, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
Although you may be creating events that look successful, your return on investment might not be. Come to this session to learn what information you should be tracking, how to track it, and how to analyze this data so you can evaluate whether or not an event is worth your staff’s time.
Speaker Cindy Dach, Changing Hands Bookstore - Tempe, AZ
Files & Links Slide Deck
Recorded February 14, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
This session presents practical ways to prepare to fight book bans before they come to your area. Staff from the American Booksellers for Free Expression (ABFE), ABA’s free expression initiative, will advise attendees on what they can do locally: how to engage with their community and local government, and what actions to take if attempted book bans do arrive. Presented by the ABA Children’s Group.
Speakers Cathy Berner, Blue Willow Bookshop - Houston, TX Leah Johnson, Loudmouth Books - Indianapolis, IN Philomena Polefrone, American Booksellers Association - White Plains, NY Angela Cooper, ACLU of Kentucky - Louisville, KY
Files & Links Slide Deck ABA's Right to Read Toolkit KYGA Book Bans Digital Toolkit
Recorded February 13, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
Join this bookseller-led panel for a discussion on supporting trans and nonbinary staff and colleagues. With LGBTQIA2S+ (particularly trans) rights under constant siege, it is more important than ever to have procedures in place that protect our staff and colleagues. Panelists will discuss what active allyship means for all employees, and will review best practices for responding to anti-trans legislation and community hate.
Speakers Gretchen Treu, A Room of One's Own Bookstore - Madison, WI Kai Burner, Bookworm of Edwards - Edwards, CO Linda Sherman-Nurick, Cellar Door Bookstore - Riverside, CA Brein Lopez, Children's Book World - Los Angeles, CA
Files & Links Slide Deck Active Allyship Checklist
Recorded February 13, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
This panel session, led by Andy Hunter of Bookshop.org, will feature a panel of booksellers discussing how they use digital platforms to sell books, build an online audience, and drive in-person and online sales. The panel will discuss selling with e-commerce, highlighting events and community through social media, reviewing and acting on website traffic to increase the visibility of your store with search engine optimization (SEO), and engaging customers through Edelweiss to create email marketing.
Speakers Veronica Liu, Word Up Community Bookshop/Librería Comunitaria - New York, NY Amanda Lepper, Dog-Eared Books - Ames, IA Evisa Gallman, Uncle Bobbie's Coffee and Books - Philadelphia, PA Andy Hunter, Bookshop.org - Brooklyn, NY
Files & Links Slide Deck
Recorded February 13, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
In-person book fairs are a fantastic way to build relationships with your local schools and can be a profitable undertaking for a bookstore. If you’ve never done one before, knowing how to start is the first step to success. This session is for bookstores that are new to book fairs and will feature booksellers with established relationships with their local school districts. They will present how to build a realistic timeline for a book fair, manage people’s expectations based on a school’s needs, and create a checklist to ensure your fair goes off without a hitch. Presented by the ABA Children’s Group.
Speakers Molly Olivo, Child’s Play - Washington, DC Rebecca Crosswhite, Rediscovered Books - Boise, ID Holly Weinkauf, Red Balloon Bookshop - Saint Paul, MN
Files & Links Slide Deck ABA's Book Fair Toolkit Shop Local Flyer
Recorded February 12, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
The media landscape and consumer reading and listening habits have changed considerably in recent years. We have witnessed the growth of new and existing social media channels and many traditional media outlets have disappeared or reduced coverage and content. What are the most effective channels for bookstores to reach their customers, market to new customers, and engage with their community? This session will break this down, answer your questions, and provide some guiding principles to help you make the right choices for your store.
Speakers Kassie King, The Novel Neighbor - Webster Groves, MO Cris Siqueira, Lions Tooth - Milwaukee, WI Kalli King, Rediscovered Books - Boise, ID Laura Trujillo, USA TODAY - Tysons, VA
Files & Links Slide Deck
Recorded February 12, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
Using his seven years as the unlikely and heralded Chairman and CEO of Ashley Stewart, a business with deep roots in Black American communities, as the basis for his narrative, James Rhee weaves together a tapestry of ideas including humanism, neuroscience, race, economics, and capitalism to paint a picture of what is possible through the mutually reinforcing forces of kindness, math, and goodwill. His book, red helicopter (HarperOne/HarperCollins), empowers readers to lead change in business and in life. As all booksellers know, what we read shapes our society, and James offers a simple path to a world that is at once kinder and more successful. As a long-time private equity investor, an educator as the Johnson Chair of Entrepreneurship at Howard University and Senior Lecture at MIT Sloan School of Management, and student of life, James implicitly and explicitly makes the case for a set of measurements that captures and scales what’s best in us. It is there, alongside a few financial and accounting formulas, where life, money, and joy can be valued. Recorded February 12, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On January 11, 2024, Kelsy April of Bank Square Books (Mystic, CT) discussed hosting a "Mini Winnie" for your staff to bring Winter Institute back to your store.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
Join four new genre authors as they come together in conversation to discuss how they use and subvert different genre tropes to reimagine worlds past, present, and future.
Moderator: Calvin Crosby, Owner, The King’s English Bookshop (Salt Lake City, UT)
Panelists: Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, Chain Gang All Stars (Pantheon); Chloe Gong, Immortal Longings (Gallery/Saga Press); Taj McCoy, Zora Books Her Happily Ever After (MIRA); Andrew Joseph White, The Spirit Bares Its Teeth (Peachtree)
Recorded February 21, 2023 at Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle, WA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
Employers use diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives to create a more equitable, inclusive, and dynamic workforce. Designing and developing a DEI program involves four main phases: 1) Data collection and analysis to determine the need for change; 2) Strategy design to match business objectives; 3) Implementation; 4) Evaluation and continuing audit of the plan. This session will be lead by Jason Thompson, author of Diversity and Inclusion Matters: Tactics and Tools to Inspire Equity and Game-Changing Performance (Wiley). Booksellers will leave this session with practical implementation ideas to begin a DEI program for their store. (All)
Speakers: Jason Thompson, VP for DE&I at Western Governors University
Recorded February 22, 2023 at Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle, WA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
Build a culture of great service and treat your customers and colleagues like royalty! Join Elnian Gilbert, an educator with ZingTrain, as she teaches the recipe for providing service in a way that will make your store stand out! You will learn easy-to-implement (and teach) skills. When you leave this session you will understand what a culture of service looks like, how to deliver it consistently, and how to measure results.
Speakers: Elnian Gilbert, ZingTrain (Ann Arbor, Michigan)
Recorded February 22, 2023 at Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle, WA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
Bookstores are places that go beyond merchandising — they transport readers to other worlds. The physical environment of your store should do the same and evoke the transportive experience of reading. Curate delight through all five senses! Partner with local candlemakers to create scent marketing for your store; bring in signature sweets; learn how to use cinematic color palettes that capture the mood of your store; create playlists that set the vibe and show off your booksellers’ personalities; even unique textiles tell a story. Find the magic ingredients that can be used to curate the unique experience of being in YOUR store. In this workshop, you will reimagine your store as a garden of earthly delights, and come up with a plan to curate delight in your store. (All)
Speakers: Revati Kilaparti, Old Firehouse Books (Fort Collins, Colorado); Cris Siqueira, Lion's Tooth (Milwaukee, Wisconsin); Samuel Krowchenko, Literati Bookstore (Ann Arbor, Michigan); Cassie Clemans, Roundabout Books (Bend, Oregon)
Recorded February 21, 2023 at Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle, WA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
Join Michelle MiJung Kim, award-winning author of The Wake Up: Closing the Gap Between Good Intentions and Real Change, and Hannah Oliver Depp of Loyalty Bookstores for a thought-provoking conversation about how each of us can — and must — be a part of creating a more equitable world. Drawing upon her lived experiences as a queer immigrant woman of color and her work across various industries, Michelle MiJung Kim will share how to move beyond performative allyship to building real solidarity toward social change. Known for her compassionate criticality, Kim’s session is one you won’t want to miss.
Recorded February 22, 2023 at Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle, WA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme by Constant Companion
On-shift training is the primary form of training in many businesses - one trainer teaching skill-based information to one or two trainees. Despite its popularity, it is often hard to get consistent results when not all trainers are on the same page, are not working with the same expectations, and sometimes, are not on the same skill level. This leads to frustrated trainees, managers, and trainers. The 5 Steps for Effective On-Shift Training are guaranteed to improve the experience of trainer and trainee alike - and lead to better, more enjoyable results!
Speakers Timo Anderson, ZingTrain - Ann Arbor, MI Recorded June 5, 2023 at Children's Institute 2023 in Milwaukee, WI
The handout for this session, along with additional bookstore education resources, can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On August 10, 2023, Dick Hermans of Oblong Books (Rhinebeck, NY) discussed music retailing.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Join Native authors Cynthia Leitich Smith, Traci Sorell, and Danielle Greendeer in a conversation about how reader awareness and shifts in publishing have affected the way they create new stories with native characters at the center, and share stories of the past.
Panelists: Cynthia Leitich Smith, editor of Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids (HarperCollins); Danielle Greendeer, Keepunumuk: Weeâchumun's Thanksgiving Story (Charlesbridge); Traci Sorell, We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga (Charlesbridge)
Recorded June 22, 2022 at Children's Institute 2022 in Phoenix, AZ
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Join a panel of booksellers as they discuss ways that they have become more efficient in basic bookstore operations. The panel will review how to organize invoices for efficiency, provide samples of easy-to-use forms to streamlined processes, discuss how to communicate with staff around new operations procedures, and more. Come to the session to listen and also share your own best practices.
Speakers: Luis Correa, Avid Bookshop (Athens, Georgia); Emma Nichols, Norwich Bookstore (Norwich, Vermont); Lauren Nopenz Fairley, Curious Iguana (Frederick, Maryland); Darryl Peck, Righton Books (St Simons Island, Georgia)
Recorded February 23, 2023 at Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle, WA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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This Winter Institute keynote conversation between Cory Doctorow (co-author of Chokepoint Capitalism) and Stacy Mitchell (Director of the Institute for Local Self Reliance) will explore the threats posed by corporate consolidation, and far-reaching strategies for fighting back. Corporate monopolies are as powerful as ever, making it harder and harder for American small businesses to thrive. The explosive growth of monopolizers like Amazon has implications beyond booksellers, too, impacting creative workers, privacy advocates, the environment, and American labor. But with a new antitrust movement already claiming important victories, incremental progress is being made. Bookstores now have an opportunity for bold action to tell our story and resist corporate consolidation. In this discussion between three leading anti-monopoly thinkers, learn about the risks posed by capitalist chokepoints, and gain strategies for how to fight back.
Speakers: Cory Doctorow, Beacon Press; Stacy Mitchell, Institute for Local Self-Reliance (Minneapolis, MN)
Recorded February 21, 2023 at Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle, WA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Join ABA Director of Education, Kim Hooyboer, as we review some of the top crises that bookstores have experienced this past year. From cybersecurity threats to a car driving into the store, we will provide resources and tips to prepare for and, when possible, avoid these crises at your store. Topics will include: fire, flood, and natural disasters; protesters, break-ins, and ransomware, credit card fraud, and more. Throughout the session, we’ll explore ways to respond to these crises, prioritize employee communication, and mitigate the risk of these events occurring at your store. Think of this session as insurance and take this time to invest in protecting your business. The video recording, session guide and accompanying templates can be found in the ABA Bookstore Resource Library. This is a Fire Drill was presented at the Fall 2023 Regional Shows. The webinar was recorded November 9, 2023. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Independent bookstores’ online sales have increased over 600% since 2019. We’ve made incredible progress, but it’s clear we need to do more to lock in our gains and keep growing. The indie channel sells only about 2% of the books bought online versus roughly 10% of physical retail. Our goal is to increase indie channel e-commerce sales by 5x so that local, independent bookstores capture our share of online sales.
Presented by Andy Hunter, founder and CEO of Bookshop.org, and Phil Davies, ABA’s Director of Ecommerce/IndieCommerce, this session will discuss strategies to increase consumer awareness of the importance of supporting local businesses when shopping online. We will review how to increase online sales for all stores — no matter what platform you use — by looking at digital marketing, audience growth, conversion rates, and other best practices for e-commerce. We’ll also examine how online consumer behavior has dramatically changed in the post-COVID world, including trends we are seeing on IndieCommerce sites and how stores are adapting. Together, we can leverage our combined market power to capture our fair share of online book sales, safeguard our future, and be a model for how local businesses can hold their own against giant monopolist e-retailers. (All)
Recorded February 21, 2023 at Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle, WA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On August 10, 2023, Cynthia Compton of 4 Kids Books & Toys (Zionsville, IN) discussed the platform Podium.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Join Ingram for an informative workshop with essential tips and techniques for using ipage®. Whether you’re new to ipage® or an experienced user, gain a clearer understanding of our platform’s full capabilities so you will spend less time navigating and more time selling. In this session, you will learn how to refine your searches and order, understand tracking within ipage®, and learn more about Direct-to-Home ordering.
Speakers: Trent Shaw, Ingram Content Group (La Vergne, Tennessee); Leslie Jobson, Ingram Content Group (Berkeley, California); Johanna Hynes, Ingram Content Group (La Vergne, Tennessee)
Recorded February 23, 2023 at Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle, WA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On October 12, 2023, Clark Mason, CFO of Vroman's Bookstore (Pasadena, CA), discussed the e-commerce fraud protection program, NoFraud.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On October 12, 2023, Chelsia Rice of Montana Book Company (Helena, MT) discussed hosting Drag Story Hour.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Whether you have owned a store for many years and are considering exiting a much-loved business, are planning for your store’s long-term future, or are a bookseller exploring options for keeping a business viable for many years to come, this is the session for you. This seminar will cover store valuation, alternate models for succession, how to raise capital, the importance of an emergency plan, and more!
The third and final part of this series features Kate Larson and Suzanne Droppert, current and former owners of Ballast Book Company (Bremerton, Washington); Michelle Bear and Mary Kay Sneeringer, current and former owners of Edmonds Bookshop (Edmonds, Washington); and David Sandberg, owner of Porter Square Books (Cambridge, Massachusetts).
Recorded February 20, 2023 at Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle, WA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Whether you have owned a store for many years and are considering exiting a much-loved business, are planning for your store’s long-term future, or are a bookseller exploring options for keeping a business viable for many years to come, this is the session for you. This seminar will cover store valuation, alternate models for succession, how to raise capital, the importance of an emergency plan, and more!
Part two of this three-part series features Tara Vitale and Peter Smith, Managing Partners at Apex Law Group.
Recorded February 20, 2023 at Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle, WA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On June 15, 2023, Angela Trigg of The Haunted Book Shop (Mobile, AL) discussed harnessing the power of Airtable.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Whether you have owned a store for many years and are considering exiting a much-loved business, are planning for your store’s long-term future, or are a bookseller exploring options for keeping a business viable for many years to come, this is the session for you. This seminar will cover store valuation, alternate models for succession, how to raise capital, the importance of an emergency plan, and more!
Part one of this three-part series features Toraya Miller of Washington State’s LGBTQ+ & Allied Chamber of Commerce.
Recorded February 20, 2023 at Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle, WA
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On October 12, 2023, Lane Jacobson of Paulina Springs Books (Sisters, OR) discussed strategies for employee retention.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On August 10, 2023, Zsamé Morgan of Babycake's Book Stack (Twin Cities, MN) discussed weekly events inventory curation in a niche model bookstore.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Storytelling is essential for business innovation. It allows owners and managers to build purpose-driven businesses by dismantling restrictive mental models and challenging the status quo. This workshop, led by novelist and business professor Anna Bruno, will enable you to excavate your origin stories. Storytelling models will rely on Aristotle’s rhetorical triangle (ethos, pathos and logos), as well as the structural techniques of audience engagement (beginnings, endings and transitions). The workshop will help you tell origin stories with memorable detail, break down barriers and build resilient relationships, and adapt stories for various business purposes (marketing, programming, products and services).
Speaker: Anna Bruno, University of Iowa - Iowa City, IA
Recorded June 5, 2023 at Children's Institute 2023 in Milwaukee, WI
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Store-branded clothing is the concert tee of your bookstore. Once it walks out the door, it is free marketing, signaling through the wearer's swagger that your store is lit in all the ways. In a sea of business-branded t-shirts, it can be challenging to keep designs fresh, so we're bringing in the experts. In this session, we will explore the principles of effective t-shirt design, including color theory, typography, composition, and branding and you will learn how to create designs that capture your bookstore's unique style and voice. This session is great for marketing managers, directors, and coordinators. It is accessible to all who attend and want to learn how to leverage the power of t-shirts to promote their brand and engage their customers.
Speaker Michael Fusco-Straub, M+E/Michael Fusco Design - Brooklyn, NY
Recorded June 5, 2023 at Children's Institute 2023 in Milwaukee, WI
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In a world struggling with issues of acceptance and tolerance, Jonathan Hamilt, Executive Director of Drag Story Hour, shares the necessity of LGBTQAI+ family programming. He explores how the powerful art-form of drag teaches young humans about inclusivity, celebrating diversity, the vital freedom of self-expression, and the role bookstores play in building compassionate communities where there is room for everybody’s story on the shelf.
Speaker Jonathan Hamilt, Drag Story Hour - New York, NY
Recorded June 7, 2023 at Children's Institute 2023 in Milwaukee, WI
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Social-emotional development refers to a series of critical developmental processes encompassing a child’s ability to express and manage their emotions and form meaningful relationships with peers and adults. Children need support from the adults in their lives in order to facilitate healthy social-emotional development. With an understanding of social-emotional development, booksellers can better understand young customers and create a supportive and inclusive environment. In this session, Dr. Marietta Collins, a child psychologist and children’s author, will explain the stages of a child’s social and emotional development, how traumas and other adverse experiences can disrupt development, and how adults who work with children can help facilitate their growth even through brief supportive interactions. If you would like to continue this conversation, please join us the following day for the idea exchange "Kids Being Kids: Supporting Social & Emotional Learning Through Books.”
Speaker Dr. Marietta Collins
Recorded June 6, 2023 at Children's Institute 2023 in Milwaukee, WI
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Pre-order campaigns get readers excited for the books YOU'RE excited about and if you’re just starting out, this session is for you. Booksellers will learn about the nuts and bolts of pre-order campaigns including best practices for marketing to customers, what a successful campaign can look like for your business, how pre-order sales can uplift underrepresented voices and genres, and also the importance of reporting pre-order sales.
Speakers Christine Bollow, Loyalty Bookstores - Silver Spring, MD Jessica Palacios, Once Upon A Time Bookstore - Glendale, CA Joy Preble, Brazos Bookstore - Houston, TX Jess Stauffer, American Booksellers Association - White Plains, NY
Recorded June 7, 2023 at Children's Institute 2023 in Milwaukee, WI
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Book fairs and fundraisers hosted on your store's website or on Bookshop.org are a great way to partner with your community. In this session, we’ll look at examples from stores utilizing ABA’s IndieCommerce platform and Bookshop.org and share how you can get started planning your own virtual book fairs and fundraisers almost right away.
Speakers Sarah High, Bookshop.org Daron Mueller, ABA IndieCommerce Phillip Davies, ABA IndieCommerce
Recorded June 7, 2023 at Children's Institute 2023 in Milwaukee, WI
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What is a concierge program, and how does it differ from a subscription box? In this panel, booksellers with experience running concierge programs and subscription boxes will answer these questions, give examples of different types of services, and show you how to create an inclusive, one-of-a-kind boutique experience for customers, no matter the size of your store.
Speakers Lauren Savage, The Reading Bug - San Carlos, CA Avery Shelburne, Fabled Bookshop and Cafe - Waco, TX Jaya Anderson, Red Balloon Bookshop - Saint Paul, MN Beth Shapiro, Skylark Bookshop - Columbia, MO
Recorded June 7, 2023 at Children's Institute 2023 in Milwaukee, WI
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Led by Caprice Hollins, author of Inside Out: The Equity Leader’s Guide to Undoing Institutional Racism, this workshop will address current conflicts in retail spaces. Participants will have practice opportunities with real-life scenarios.
Speaker: Caprice Hollins, Cultures Connecting, LLC (Renton, Washington)
Recorded February 21, 2023, at Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle, WA
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Flip your children's book fair on its head and turn it into a book fair for grown-ups. This session will delve into how to curate and purchase your book selection based on your customer demographic and site location, merchandizing an offsite location, nonbook items to carry, and any special permits needed to serve food and drinks at an offsite location.
Speakers Nicole Menzel, Bound to Happen Books - Stevens Point, WI Claire Bone, Wild Sisters Book Company - Sacramento, CA Nahin Cano, Semicolon Bookstore - Chicago, IL Kassie King, The Novel Neighbor - Webster Groves, MO
Recorded June 7, 2023, at Children's Institute 2023 in Milwaukee
Additional bookseller education can be found at www.bookweb.org. Theme by Constant Companion https://constantcompanion.bandcamp.com
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On June 15, 2023, Isis Asare of Sistah SciFi (Oakland, CA) discussed book vending machines.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Many industries now stress the importance of racial diversity, but the numbers do not show much progress. In the book industry specifically, Black workers are underrepresented as store owners, may be assigned to positions in the back rather than front of the store, and may observe that titles by Black authors receive less recognition, promotion, and visibility from booksellers. In this session, Dr. Adia Harvey Wingfield presents data from her forthcoming book Gray Areas to explain how and why these processes persist. Blending interview, survey, and statistical data, Wingfield shows how the everyday, taken-for-granted aspects of work can preclude booksellers from increasing racial diversity, and delivers evidence-based suggestions for how to change this outcome.
Speakers Dr. Adia Harvey Wingfield, Gray Areas (HarperCollins)
Recorded June 6, 2023, at Children's Institute 2023 in Milwaukee
Additional bookseller education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
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Small bookstores (less than 1000 square feet of selling space) have a lot to share with larger bookstores about financial sustainability. This bookseller-led panel will present innovative ideas for how to manage budgeting, buying, displaying, selling, and returns to keep your store financially stable, no matter the size.
Speakers Kathy Burnette, Brain Lair Books - South Bend, IN Bunnie Hilliard, brave + kind bookshop - Decatur, GA Heather Hebert, Children's Book World - Haverford, PA PK Sindwani, American Booksellers Association - White Plains, NY
Recorded June 6, 2023, at Children's Institute 2023 in Milwaukee
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These days, adults are devouring young adult literature, and more and more YA stories feature teens but in more adult situations. In this panel, booksellers come together to discuss the shift in YA, which genres and tropes actually interest young people, how to make connections with young people in the community in order to better curate your selection, and more strategies for de-centering the adult in "young adult."
Speakers Nicole Brinkley, Oblong Books - Rhinebeck, NY Cathy Berner, Blue Willow Bookshop - Houston, TX Stephanie Appell, Freelance Book Reviewer - Grosse Pointe, MI Eric Smith, PS Literary - Philadelphia, PA
Recorded June 7, 2023, at Children's Institute 2023 in Milwaukee
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Daniel Nayeri is a former publisher, editor, and pastry chef. His autobiographical novel, Everything Sad is Untrue (a true story) won multiple awards including the Printz Medal.
Speakers: Daniel Nayeri, The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams (Levine Querido) Introduction by Allison Hill, ABA CEO
Recorded June 6, 2023, at Children's Institute 2023 in Milwaukee
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Neurodiversity refers to the natural variation of human brain functioning, including conditions like autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and others. Understanding and embracing neurodiversity can have a positive impact on workplace culture, productivity, and inclusivity. In this session, we will discuss practical strategies for accommodating diverse learning, and working styles, as well as the importance of communication and collaboration. We will also address common misconceptions and stereotypes about neurodivergent individuals and provide guidance on how to avoid discrimination and promote respect. Attendees will leave this session with a better understanding of neurodiversity and practical strategies for creating a more inclusive workplace. Bookstore owners and managers are encouraged to attend and learn how to support and empower neurodivergent employees.
Speakers Emily Raclaw, Marquette University - Milwaukee, WI
Recorded June 6, 2023, at Children's Institute 2023 in Milwaukee
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Nikki Grimes and Brian Pinkney (A Walk in the Woods) know that not every child can take a walk in the woods to soothe the soul after experiencing a devastating loss, but all children can pick up a book that speaks directly to such hurt, or read a story that reminds them they are not alone—provided someone has crafted such a story especially for them. These award-winning creators share how they tackle tough topics for the youngest readers, and why it's so important to do so.
Nikki Grimes is the recipient of numerous literary lifetime achievement and excellence awards, as well as a Coretta Scott King Book Award and five Coretta Scott King Award Honors. Her memoir, Ordinary Hazards, received both a Sibert and a Printz Honor. Ms. Grimes lives in Corona, California.
Brian Pinkney continued illustrating A Walk in the Woods after his father, Jerry Pinkney, passed away, supplementing Jerry’s sketches with watercolor painting. He has illustrated many books for children, and is the recipient of two Caldecott Honors and the Coretta Scott King Book Award for In the Time of the Drums. He lives with his family in Brooklyn, New York.
Recorded June 7, 2023, at Children's Institute 2023 in Milwaukee
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Prolific and debut authors are landing on banned books lists across school districts and in statewide book bans. Bookstores may soon become the only place where children have freedom of choice when it comes to reading. A panel of children's librarians and booksellers will discuss the current state of banned books, how this affects the book industry, and what bookstores can do to support children's freedom to read, particularly in places where that access is being limited.
Speakers Laura DeLaney, Rediscovered Books - Boise, ID Lance McGrath, The College of Idaho - Caldwell, ID Hannah Reimer, University School of Milwaukee - River Hills, WI Jake Bowen, Oak Creek Public Library - Oak Creek, WI
Recorded June 7, 2023, at Children's Institute 2023 in Milwaukee
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Purchasing manga for the bookstore can quickly take over a buyer's brain space, not to mention figuring out where to shelve it and how to display it. This bookseller-led panel will give attendees foundational plans for researching what's hot as well as best practices for marketing, shelving, and selling manga to the 12-and-up crowd.
Speakers Cori Theroux, The Green Dragon Bookstore - Fort Dodge, IA Danielle Pernell, King's Books - Tacoma, WA
Recorded June 7, 2023, at Children's Institute 2023 in Milwaukee
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A book club for young people engages them with reading and can make them feel like a part of your store's community. It's also a great way to do some covert market research! In this session, booksellers will share details of their middle-grade book clubs, illustrate how they create a positive community for middle-grade readers (including those who are English language learners or who have exceptionalities), and help you more effectively capture and grow this reading demographic.
Speakers Tanvi Rastogi, Dog-Eared Books - Ames, IA Hannah Oxley, Mystery to Me - Madison, WI Meghan Goel, BookPeople - Austin, TX sweet pea Flaherty, King's Books - Tacoma, WA
Recorded June 7, 2023, at Children's Institute 2023 in Milwaukee
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Booksellers know it's important to create a space where readers can find stories with characters that represent their experiences, but how does one do that if some authors aren't receiving the same buzz as other authors with high sales records? How can bookstores market and support debuting LGBTQIA2S+, Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian American, and Pacific Islander authors so that everyone can read their stories? In this session, a panel of booksellers will discuss these questions and share how curating a diverse selection of books impacts their community and businesses.
Speakers: Revati Kilaparti, Old Firehouse Books - Fort Collins, CO Rebecca Crosswhite, Rediscovered Books - Boise, ID Sydne Conant, A Room of One's Own Bookstore - Madison, WI Cortney Yee, Changing Hands Bookstore - Tempe, AZ
(Recorded June 6, 2023, at Children's Institute 2023 in Milwaukee)
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For people in historically marginalized communities, having a space to exist, work, play, and connect can be a powerful thing. There are many ways to honor your community by creating space, and this panel will feature four booksellers who have done just that. You will leave this session with great hope for the future and promise of bookselling and with new ideas for creating space for the communities to which you belong.
Speakers: Davis Shoulders, Atlas Books (Johnson City, Tennessee); Lee Francis, Red Planet Books and Comics (Albuquerque, New Mexico); Janet Jones, Source Booksellers (Detroit, Michigan); Jonah Zimiles, [words] Bookstore (Maplewood, New Jersey)
Recorded February 23, 2023, at Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle.
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Book deserts are communities without access to printed books. They exist in all kinds of locations, from urban neighborhoods to rural communities. Independent bookstores in neighboring communities can help fill the gaps in book deserts. This session will present ideas for how indies can expand their reach to support literacy in communities with less access or no access to printed books.
Speakers Calvin Crosby, The King's English Bookshop - Salt Lake City, UT Brein Lopez, Children's Book World Los Angeles - Los Angeles, CA Ashley Valentine, Rooted MKE - Milwaukee, WI Tegan Tigani, Queen Anne Book Company - Seattle, WA
(Recorded June 6, 2023, at Children's Institute 2023 in Milwaukee)
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The rights of readers and the importance of representation in books is critical to the work of independent bookstores. The wave of book bans threaten these rights and these values as an orchestrated movement attempting to silence historically marginalized voices and experiences. As authors, publishers, and booksellers are under constant attack from random and targeted book bans, ABA has assembled a diverse group to discuss the effects of these bans. Heather Hall from Green Feather Book Company; Maia Kobabe, author of Gender Queer ; Laura DeLaney from Rediscovered Books; and Kendrick Washington, Policy Advocacy Director of the Seattle ACLU, will share their experiences as well as their insight and wisdom on how to deal with an increasingly pervasive occurrence. The discussion will be moderated by Ray Daniels, Chief Communications Officer of ABA. Gather here to understand first hand what is at stake when book bans happen in your community and how you can respond or even prevent them.
Speakers: Laura DeLaney, Rediscovered Books (Boise, Idaho); Heather Hall, Green Feather Book Company (Norman, Oklahoma); Kendrick Washington, ACLU of Washington; Ray Daniels, American Booksellers Association (White Plains, New York); Maia Kobabe, Simon & Schuster
Recorded on February 23 at ABA's Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle, WA.
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A school partnership is an important asset to any bookstore. It strengthens the community, introduces books to younger readers, generates future customers, and supports a bookstore’s bottom line. This session is a bookstore-presented panel on how to best establish school connections from square one. Booksellers will learn first steps to take to begin a healthy partnership, key roles in school administration to get to know, how to work with teachers, and what events and means of support a bookstore can provide to create trust and put the store front of mind when opportunities arise. Presented by the ABC Children’s Group for all booksellers.
Speakers: Susan Williams, M. Judson Booksellers & Storytellers (Greenville, South Carolina); Cathy Berner, Blue Willow Bookshop (Houston, Texas); Heather Jeziorowski, Little Shop of Stories (Decatur, Georgia)
Recorded on February 23 at ABA's Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle, WA.
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There are many factors that go into publisher decisions for author visits and tours, and bookseller event grids help them make those choices. In this session, publishers will provide sample event grids, explain how they use them to determine author tours, and share info on what has changed in their approach to events since 2020. Booksellers will learn: - The number one thing publishers are looking for in potential events - How to make your event proposal stand out - How to make your grids more specific - Important ways to follow up after you submit the grid - The ways in which publishers determine virtual vs in-person vs hybrid events (All)
Speakers: Ronnie Kutys, HarperCollins Publishers (New York, New York); Melissa Bullock-Campion, Macmillan Publishers (New York, New York); Emily Hall Schroen, Main Street Books (St. Charles, Missouri); Wendy Ceballos, Abrams Books (New York, New York)
Recorded on February 21 at ABA's Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle, WA.
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This session will offer insight into the small data sets you didn’t know you had and how to mine data to better focus your efforts. Information from POS reports, one-question customer surveys, and even understanding store traffic patterns can make the difference between a good day and a great one. (All)
Speakers: Cynthia Compton, 4 Kids Books & Toys (Zionsville, Indiana); Melissa DeMotte, The Well-Read Moose (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho)
Recorded on February 23 at ABA's Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle, WA.
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A big challenge for all bookstores is the volume and management of publisher invoices. In this session, you’ll hear from Batch colleagues and current Batch users about how they save time and money using Batch to manage their invoices and prepare payments to publishing partners. The session will include discussion and demonstrations with focus on how Batch: - Automatically and electronically organizes invoices to reduce paperwork and free up time. - Provides access to invoice information 24x7, enabling you to manage invoices when it’s most convenient for you. - Provides electronic invoices, allowing you to verify shipments and raise claims for damages or shortages at the point of delivery. - Allows payments to be prepared and remittances received and stored electronically. - Links with QuickBooks; enabling automated entry of invoice data directly into QuickBooks.
Speakers: Nathan Halter, Batch for Books (Hartford, Connecticut); Nic Bottomley, Mr B's Emporium of Reading Delights (Bath, Somerset); Christine Onorati, WORD Bookstores (Brooklyn, NYC and Jersey City, NJ)
Recorded on February 23 at ABA's Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle, WA.
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Whether your store or a portion of your bookstore is classified by the IRS as a nonprofit or not, you can still raise funds by applying for grants. Come to this session to learn more about the art and science of grant writing for both nonprofit and for-profit bookstores. (All)
Speakers: Brandon Lueken, Bellevue College (Bellevue, Washington)
Presentation powerpoint is available on Bookweb.org
Recorded on Wednesday, February 22 at ABA's Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle, WA.
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This financial modeling workshop will help you evaluate potential new initiatives for your business. Whether you think it’s time to expand your space with another physical or pop-up location, you want to begin or increase your offering of used books or non-book items, or you’re considering adding a cafe or bar, this workshop will walk you through the financial analysis to help you make sound business decisions. Preliminary work in the Strategic Planning Series: Part I, Part II, and Part III will benefit attendees of this session.
Speakers: Peter Brous, Seattle University Business School (Seattle, Washington)
Presentation powerpoint is available on Bookweb.org
Recorded on Tuesday, February 21 at ABA's Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle, WA.
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What is a book fair if not a mobile and pop-up bookstore appearing at different times at various locations? In this session, bookstores with robust and successful book fair programs will share how to apply their book fair business principles of inventory management, set up, and execution to the inventive business models of pop-up and mobile bookstores. Presented by the ABC Children’s Group for all booksellers.
Speakers: Molly Olivo, Child's Play Toys and Books (Washington, District of Columbia); Heather Hebert, Children's Book World (Haverford, Pennsylvania); Valeria Cerda, La Revo Books (Greenfield, Wisconsin); Holly Weinkauf, Red Balloon Bookshop (St. Paul, Minnesota)
Recorded on Wednesday, February 22 at ABA's Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle, WA.
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This session is a celebration of the symbiotic relationships between independent bookstores and other literary institutions. Featuring representatives from Town Hall Seattle and Hugo House, as well as booksellers who have relationships with these institutions. The panelists will highlight how their partnerships began and will discuss the creative and successful results of these ongoing collaborations. (All)
Speakers: Rick Simonson, The Elliott Bay Book Company (Seattle, Washington); Stesha Brandon, Seattle Public Library (Seattle, Washington); Gary Luke, Hugo House (Seattle, Washington); Megan Castillo, Town Hall Seattle (Seattle, Washington); Spencer Ruchti, Third Place Books (Lake Forest Park, Washington)
Recorded on Thursday, February 23 at ABA's Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle, WA.
Theme by Constant Companion https://constantcompanion.bandcamp.com
Gen Z — ages 10 to 25 years old — is the largest population in the world. Come to this fun panel where members of Gen Z will share their thoughts on merchandise, marketing, and partnerships that engage this essential group of readers with buying power. Presented by the ABC Children’s Group for all booksellers.
Speakers: Tegan Tigani, Queen Anne Book Company (Seattle, Washington); Payton; Aurora; Rachel
Recorded on Wednesday, February 22 at ABA's Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle, WA.
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On Monday, April 24, 2023, the American Booksellers for Free Expression (ABFE), the free speech initiative of the American Booksellers Association, hosted a virtual panel on how to fight book bans in your community.
The panel discussion, "Local Organizing to Combat Book Bans," featured Chris Finan, Executive Director of the National Coalition Against Censorship; Samiya Bashir, Executive Director, Lambda Literary; Vera Eidelman, staff attorney with the ACLU's Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project; and Zoe Perzo, Content Coordinator, ABA. It was moderated by Ray Daniels, ABA Chief Communications Officer, and David Grogan, ABFE Director.
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Many bookstores have found creative financial stability and community buy-in through the nonprofit model. Others have added a nonprofit component to their business. By recognizing the intrinsic social and community benefits of independent bookstores, these bookstore owners have moved beyond the retail model and transitioned some or all of their business into a nonprofit organization. Hear from a panel of booksellers who will walk you through a brief overview of how and why they chose to operate in this way. (Owners)
Speakers: Anne Waters, Hub City Bookshop (Spartanburg, South Carolina); Jamie Rogers Southern, Bookmarks (Winston-Salem, North Carolina); Sonja Coates, Seminary Co-Op Bookstore (Chicago, Illinois); Errol Anderson, Charis Books & More (Decatur, Georgia)
Recorded on Wednesday, February 22 at ABA's Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle, WA.
Theme by Constant Companion https://constantcompanion.bandcamp.com
If you are a user of Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, and you haven’t yet examined your user analytics from these platforms, today is the day! This workshop will teach you how to access analytics on each of these platforms and interpret the data in order to spot trends. Bring your laptop and get ready to dive into your data. But wait, there’s more! Bring what you learn in this workshop to the session tomorrow at 9:05 am, Using Your Social Media Data to Create a Social Media Marketing Plan, and learn how to use your social media analytics data to create a more personalized and relevant marketing plan. (All)
Speakers: Christina Ciampa, All She Wrote Books (Somerville, Massachusetts); Candice Huber, Tubby & Coo's Mid-City Book Shop (New Orleans, Louisiana); Jordan Brannon, Coalition Technologies (Seattle, Washington)
Recorded on Wednesday, February 22 at ABA's Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle, WA.
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Whether you refer to them as sidelines, non-book, or gift merchandise, they're important to the profitability and customer experience for many bookstores. Come to this panel to gain insight into the process of curating, merchandising, and selling sidelines.
Speakers: Elizabeth Freeman, East Bay Booksellers (Oakland, California); Susan Kehoe, Browseabout Books (Rehoboth Beach, Delaware); Kelly Evert, Village Books (Bellingham, Washington); Mack Burner, Bookworm of Edwards (Edwards, Colorado)
Recorded on Thursday, February 23 at ABA's Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle, WA.
Theme by Constant Companion https://constantcompanion.bandcamp.com
Regular and honest communication creates stronger teams and stronger customer connections. However, our current age is one of great volatility and great change, making successful communication harder than ever. But don’t despair! Marjorie Ingall and Susan McCarthy, authors of Sorry, Sorry, Sorry: The Case for Good Apologies (Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster) will offer you insight on how to improve your communication skills. You will learn principles of psychology and human behavior that you can leverage to effectively and empathetically communicate with your team and customers. You will learn how to apologize when needed, and why good apologies are essential, powerful, and restorative. Even in the face of large ideological conflicts, good communication is possible! Join us for this important conversation!
Recorded on Tuesday, February 21 at ABA's Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle, WA.
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A good hiring process will help you attract and retain high-quality booksellers who are passionate about your mission. Onboarding new employees, while time consuming, can make or break that employee’s successful transition from a new employee to an involved and productive employee. If it’s been a while since you took some time to think about hiring and onboarding in a strategic way, then this session is for you! Booksellers who have developed processes around these critical bookstore procedures will share hiring and onboarding strategies for bookstores of all sizes. (Managers)
Speakers: Erin Chervenock, Village Books (Bellingham, Washington); Alsace Walentine, Tombolo Books (St. Petersburg, Florida); Camden Avery, The Booksmith (San Francisco, California); Hannah Oliver Depp, Loyalty Bookstore (Washington, District of Columbia)
Recorded on Tuesday, February 21 at ABA's Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle, WA.
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The last few years have revealed the realities of the impact of long-term stress and burnout. Join this conversation with Dr. Corey Yeager, author of How Am I Doing?: 40 Conversations to Have with Yourself, (HarperCollins Christian) and Christine Onorati, ABA board member, bookseller and therapist, as they discuss skills to manage self-care. Topics will include communicating your needs, respecting your limitations, normalizing conversations about mental health and overall well-being, and more.
Speakers: Dr. Corey Yeager, HarperCollins; Christine Onorati, WORD Bookstores (Brooklyn, NYC and Jersey City, NJ)
Recorded on February 23 at ABA's Winter Institute 2023 in Seattle, WA.
Theme song by Constant Companion https://constantcompanion.bandcamp.com
Author Jason Reynolds tells the story of being a reluctant reader as a child, to being a bookseller at Karibu Bookstore, and how all of it helped shape him as a writer.
This panel discussion is among booksellers who successfully curate their stores with a focus on the importance of backlist. They discuss how to choose and display books, which titles sell well, and which children’s categories to invest in to maintain a robust backlist collection.
The panelists are Karin Schott, Devaney, Doak & Garrett Booksellers (Farmington, ME), Molly Olivo, Barstons Child's Play (Washington, DC), Erin Barker, Hooray for Books! (Alexandria, VA), and the moderator is Meghan Goel, BookPeople (Austin, TX).
Marley Dias discusses her journey from New Jersey tween to viral activist sensation—and now to author. Marley’s effort to diversify the characters on her bookshelf by collecting #1000BlackGirlBooks was celebrated by thousands of readers, and by booksellers across the country who supported her campaign in their stores and on social media.