Winter Institute 2019 Program

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Sessions marked with this symbol require pre-registration.
Tuesday, January 22, 2019  

7:30 am to 6:00 pm

ABA Welcome and Registration Desk Ground Level, West Building 2nd Street Entrance, ACC

Pick up your badge, the official Wi14 welcome bag from Candlewick, and a full schedule of Institute events from ABA Member Relationship Managers Elizabeth Roberts and Daniel O’Brien. Also on hand to greet you will be representatives from MPIBA. This area will be the meeting place for Tuesday's chartered tours and Arcadia Press author Roger Zimmerman will be available to answer questions about the local area for those who want to explore on their own. Free guided tours of downtown organized by Zimmerman are scheduled for 10 am, 12 pm, and 1 pm.

Refugee Book Drive Ground Level, West Building 2nd Street Entrance, ACC

A Refugee Book Drive will be held during Wi14, beginning on Tuesday at the Welcome Desk, then moving to the Galley Room for the remainder of the Institute. Spanish-language books are being collected to benefit parents and children from Central America and Mexico. Organized by Denise Chávez (Casa Camino Real Bookstore, Las Cruces, NM) and administered by Border Servants Corps. Genres and subject suggestions are posted here on BookWeb.org. Refugees are people who have been forced to leave their homes or their country, either because of war, economic or societal problems, their political or religious beliefs, or natural disaster.

8:15 am to 4:15 pm

Acoma Pueblo Tour West Building 2nd Street Entrance, ACC

Pre-registration required; $65 fee per person; cost includes admission and lunch. Registration and Waitlist are closed.

Experience the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in North America, the Acoma Pueblo, home to the Anasazi people. In addition to a guided tour of this 13th-century pueblo, you will have access to the Haak'u Museum and enjoy the local cuisine. Arcadia author Paul Second will accompany you to provide information about the “Sky City" community of New Mexico’s southwest Indians. At the Acoma Pueblo, Native people carry on the customary traditions of their ancestors through Native American pottery-making and tribal celebrations.

8:30 am to 4:15 pm

Santa Fe Day Trip West Building 2nd Street Entrance, ACC

Pre-registration required; $35 fee per person. Registration and Waitlist are closed.

Travel the famed Turquoise Trail from Albuquerque to Santa Fe and enjoy a day of history, haunted tales, and sightseeing. Arcadia Publishing’s YourTown program will provide local Santa Fe authors to narrate during the hour-long chartered coach ride. Ana Pacheco (Early Santa Fe/ Pueblos of New Mexico), historian for the city of Santa Fe, will do an historical overview of Santa Fe on one bus while local guide and culture enthusiast Allen Steele (Santa Fe 1880) will discuss Santa Fe art and cuisine on the second bus. Self-guided tours of the city, prepared exclusively for Wi14, plus maps and special discount coupons will be available.

Arriving in Santa Fe, booksellers disembark at Collected Works Bookstore, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. Coffee and breakfast items may be purchased inside the bookstore. From there, choose one or more city tours, such as Historic Santa Fe, the Art of Santa Fe, Literary Santa Fe, Culinary Santa Fe, or Shopping Santa Fe. Exclusive shuttles will run continuously between the store, Museum Hill, and Canyon Road for those who wish to explore these fascinating parts of Santa Fe.

Participants will mingle with authors from Santa Fe during a 2:00 pm reception at Collected Works. At 3:00 pm, attendees begin the return trip to Albuquerque.

Santa Fe author James McGrath Morris, a professional New Mexico tour guide, and Dorothy Massey, owner of Collected Works, will be available all day for consultation in person, by phone, or by text.

9:00 am to 5:00 pm

IndieCommerce Institute Anasazi, 10 Lower West ACC

Pre-registration required; $59 fee per person per seminar; space is limited; attendance at Winter Institute is not required.
The IndieCommerce Institute is an interactive, classroom-style workshop for users of ABA's IndieCommerce platform. Attendees can register for either a morning or an afternoon seminar for $59 each, or for both morning and afternoon for $118. Each seminar will include step-by-step instructions for each topic covered. See complete IndieCommerce Institute schedule here. Register here

Geetha Nathan, ABA (White Plains, NY); Scott Nafz, ABA (White Plains, NY); Chanthee Keokhaw, ABA (White Plains, NY); Phil Davies, ABA (White Plains, NY)

9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Paz Workshop: Introduction to Retail Bookselling Apache, 17 Lower West ACC

Pre-registration required; $119 fee per person; space is limited and lunch is provided. Register here

A one-day seminar for anyone interested in opening a bookstore. Students will receive a crash course on the essentials of opening a new bookstore or buying an existing one. The workshop is open to ABA Provisional members and employees of Regular member stores, and is limited to three booksellers per ABA member company. Admission to Winter Institute is optional but guaranteed; separate Wi14 fee applies. The workshop will be facilitated by Donna Paz Kaufman and Mark Kaufman of Paz & Associates’ Bookstore Training Group (Fernandina Beach, Florida).

10:00 am to 3:00 pm

Free Downtown Guided Tours Ground Level West Foyer 3rd Street Entrance, ACC

Organized by Roger Zimmerman of Arcadia Publishing and the Albuquerque Historical Society. Scheduled for 10 am, 12 pm and 1 pm. Meet at the Arcadia Publishing table in the Albuquerque Convention Center, 3rd Street entrance. (Tours subject to cancellation based on attendance.)

The tours cover the history of the development of Albuquerque with emphasis on New Town. Over fifteen historic buildings and happenings within them are highlighted along Central Avenue between First and Eighth streets in a tour that normally takes about 1 ½-2 hours.

10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Staff Management and Human Resources: Small Business Management Seminar Nambé/Navajo, 23 Lower West ACC

Pre-registration required; $40 per person. Space is limited. Must be attending Wi14. Register here

For the first time in history, five generational groups are all working side-by-side in today’s workforce from baby boomers to millennials—and now Gen Z. Managing people from different generations and understanding their varying perspectives can be critical to fostering a successful and productive work environment. Topics covered in this workshop will include the challenges of recruitment and retention as well as the dynamics involved in creating a diverse workforce representing multiple generations of employees.

Dr. Robert G. DelCampo, is the inaugural Executive Director of the University of New Mexico Innovation Academy and current Interim Dean of University College at the University of New Mexico. Dr. DelCampo has overseen many successes, including a very successful Hispanic Leadership Development Program in collaboration with the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce. His teaching expertise is in Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management, and his extensive research focuses on the underrepresented members of the workforce, generational issues at work, work-family conflict, turnover and psychological contracts. He has authored seven books and published or presented over 75 papers. DelCampo has been recognized for his work and commitment to the community being named to Albuquerque Business First’s “40 Under 40" and as one of Albuquerque The Magazine’s “15 People Who Will Change Albuquerque."

11:00 am to 4:30 pm

Ingram's Indies by the Fireside La Sala, Lower West ACC

Ingram invites everyone to relax and chat by the fire in La Sala with independent booksellers and publishers from around the country and the globe.

With more than 25 presses represented at Winter Institute and over 600 independent publishers under its wing, Ingram is home to some of the most brilliant and beautiful books in the marketplace. Come chat with publishers and editors, enjoy a cup of coffee and New Mexico’s famous biscochito butter cookies, and browse an array of books we love.

You’ll see why buyers consider Ingram such a rich resource: its distribution companies offer an incredible breadth of subject matter and beautiful objects that infuse your stores with texture, diversity, and irresistible character.

1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Design for Strategic In-Store Merchandising: Small Business Management Seminar Cochiti, 18 Lower West ACC

Pre-registration required; $45 fee per person; space is limited. Must be attending Wi14. Register here

This seminar is an intensive, three-hour deep dive into key strategies and real-life applications of traditional and non-traditional visual merchandising (“VM") techniques. While addressing the growing challenges of booksellers’ retail and online business,VM expert Paula Taylor will take participants through a series of hands-on modules, lectures, and discussions. Attendees will learn the important role VM plays as a “secret salesperson" and how to incorporate new digital marketing concepts, technologies, and methodologies into virtual merchandising. The workshop provides hands-on examples and takeaways, positioning VM as a signature marketing tool and the key component in driving conversions and sales. The ABA Visual Merchandising workshop will emphasize practical and realistic techniques that don’t require a big budget or a massive store remodel.

Attendees will participate in hands-on activities and real-life problem solving of VM issues. The workshop includes breakout sessions and group presentations aimed at solving a series of VM problems by applying concepts and techniques learned. Participants can expect to gain practical strategies in the following categories:

  • The fundamentals of VM
  • Current trends and best practices in the merchandising industry
  • Key strategies and intent to VM
  • Omnichannel VM
  • Fixture placement and product assortment
  • How to employ failsafe merchandising techniques
  • Color psychology as a tool for merchandising and marketing

    In addition, Lisa Uhrik of Franklin Fixtures will provide a thirty-minute segment on fully utilizing existing fixtures. She will discuss what makes a fixture really work as your silent sales force and how to optimize sales and merchandising space.

    Paula Taylor owns and operates Paula Taylor Productions. Mrs. Taylor maintains an active international consulting business in retail management, Visual Merchandising, and brand development. Mrs. Taylor’s career has included traditional, and nontraditional visual merchandising for nationally branded retail stores, independent boutiques, and pop-up shops around the globe. Paula spent 8 years as an Adjunct Professor at the Art Institute of Tucson in Fashion Design, Retail Management, and Visual Merchandising and Marketing programs.

    As co-owner of Franklin Fixtures, Lisa Uhrik is a passionate Indie advocate with organizational development expertise. She aims to use her unique visibility in a wide array of bookstores to help create a repository of knowledge about creating success through the physical Pattern Languages that are present and utilized in bookstores.

Used Bookstore Forum: Small Business Management Seminar Isleta/Jemez, 19 Lower West ACC

Pre-registration required; no fee; space is limited; registrants need not be registered for Winter Institute. Email Lisa Winn ([email protected]) to register.
Discuss the art of selling used and rare books with fellow booksellers. Topics will include merchandising policies, inventory acquisition, events, displays, remainders, online sales, store layout, and more. Hear from veterans and newbies alike about the unique world of used books. Developed and presented by Shane Gottwals of Gottwals Books and the Walls of Books Franchise (Warner Robins, GA).

2:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Independent Publishers Caucus Crystal Ballroom, DoubleTree

The Independent Publishers Caucus is an advocacy group with a mission to foster a true and mutually beneficial sense of community among independent publishers, between publishers and booksellers, and with readers through a variety of initiatives and shared resources.  This meeting is by invitation only to independent publishers and their staff.  For more information, visit www.indiepubs.org/winter-institute or email [email protected].

4:15 pm to 4:45 pm

Friends of Bill (A Private Meeting) Sierra Vista, Hyatt Regency

Friends of Bill (A Private Meeting)

4:45 pm to 5:30 pm

Mentor/Mentee Meet & Greet Grand Pavilion Ballroom Foyer, Hyatt Regency

Mentors and Mentees meet before the Welcome Reception. Mentors will be holding name paddles; meet your group and say hello.

5:30 pm to 7:30 pm

Wi14 Welcome Reception, co-sponsored by Shelf Awareness Grand Pavilion Ballroom, Hyatt Regency

Co-sponsored by Shelf Awareness, ABA’s 2019 Winter Institute Welcome Reception is an opportunity to celebrate the beautiful state of New Mexico while enjoying cocktails, snacks, and the company of your colleagues from around the world.

9:30 pm to 10:00 pm

The Bookshop Band Hotel Andaluz Lobby

The Bookshop Band is the offspring of an artistic love-affair between a duo of English folk singer-songwriters and a multi-award winning independent bookshop in the U.K., Mr B's Emporium of Reading Delights. They write and perform songs inspired by books, inspired by hundreds of authors from Shakespeare to Philip Pullman, and have released 13 studio albums featuring many of the authors they have worked with. See schedule for other performance times of The Bookshop Band at Wi14.

10:00 pm to 1:00 am

The Afterparty Casablanca Ballroom, Hotel Andaluz

An invitation to all booksellers to dance and drink with new and old friends and to ring in Winter Institute 14 together. Live music until midnight. This is a great opportunity for fun and engaging conversations about bookselling. Hosted by the National Book Foundation, Lit Hub, Bookselling Without Borders, and indie presses Archipelago, Catapult, Counterpoint, Europa Editions, Graywolf, New Directions, New York Review Books, Other Press, and Soft Skull.

Wednesday, January 23, 2019  

6:45 am to 7:15 am

Friends of Bill (A Private Meeting) Sierra Vista, Hyatt Regency

Friends of Bill (A Private Meeting)

7:00 am to 6:00 pm

Ask ABA Desk Upper West Foyer, ACC

Pick up your badge, the official Wi14 welcome bag from Candlewick, and a full schedule of Institute events. Representatives from MPIBA will also be on hand to greet you. Group and table assignments are printed on bookseller badges. Member Relationship Managers Elizabeth Roberts and Daniel O’Brien can answer any questions about ABA or Wi14.

7:30 am to 7:45 am

Mentors-Mentees Meet for Breakfast Ballroom B/C, Upper West ACC

Mentors and mentees meet at designated tables to enjoy the breakfast keynote together.

7:45 am to 9:00 am

Breakfast Keynote: Reshma Saujani Ballroom B/C, Upper West ACC

Reshma Saujani is the author of Brave, Not Perfect: Fear Less, Fail More, and Live Bolder, Currency.

9:00 am to 6:00 pm

Galley Room and Winter Institute Shipping Desk powered by Ingram Ballroom A, Upper West ACC

The always-popular Galley Room is filled with ARCs of upcoming titles from Wi14 sponsors. A limited supply of book totes will be on hand. This year, Ingram has offered to assist in shipping your galleys back to your bookstores.

9:00 am to 11:55 am

IndieCommerce One-on-One Appointments Anasazi, 10 Lower West ACC

IndieCommerce and IndieLite are ABA’s online platforms for marketing events and author appearances as well as selling books and other merchandise. Both users and non-users of IndieCommerce and IndieLite are invited to schedule a one-on-one time with a program specialist from the IndieCommerce team. Space is limited, but walk-ins are welcome. Sign up here.

9:00 am to 4:30 pm

MPIBA Hospitality Suite Laguna, 20 Lower West ACC

The Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association is pleased to host the Hospitality Suite at this year’s Winter Institute. Stop by for a chance to decompress, grab a beverage, and refuel before heading back out to join your peers. Open to booksellers from all regions.

9:00 am to 5:00 pm

The Quiet Room San Juan, 22 Lower West ACC

The Quiet Room is intended to provide a quiet, calm space where conference attendees can spend time away from noise, light, and other stimuli of conference spaces. The quiet room is not available for conversations or meetings.

9:20 am to 10:20 am

Bookseller Discussion Groups Various Locations

Booksellers gather with colleagues to discuss issues raised by the Breakfast Keynote (below). Discussions are led by ABA Board members. Group and room assignments are printed on attendee badges.
1) As booksellers do you see yourselves as more in the "bravery" or the "perfectionist" camp? Why is that? How might embracing bravery make you a better bookseller?
2) After listening to Reshma Saujani, has your viewpoint changed on the difference between excellence and perfection? Does a different perspective change how you might approach your role at the store?
3) How does a fear of failure impact your business decisions? What is the fear of? Is it a “bottom line” issue, or a more personal one? Could answering this question help envision what your store would look like in 5 years?

Education for Publishers: ABACUS and Bookstore Finances Crystal Ballroom, DoubleTree

In this detailed financial session, two booksellers will walk publishers through the ABACUS Financial Benchmarking Report and discuss the financial realities of owning and operating a general bookstore in a storefront retail space.

David Sandberg, Porter Square Books (Cambridge, MA); Michael Becher, Industry Insights (Dublin, OH); Jeanne Costello, Maria's Bookshop (Durango, CO)

10:40 am to 11:40 am

Your Landlord, Your Business Partner , 23 Lower West ACC

Your landlord can be one of the most important influencers on the success of your business, but this critical relationship is often only considered when the rent is due or when it’s time to sign the lease. Bookstore owners who have experienced the positive results of cultivating the landlord relationship will share their experiences and explore effective strategies for landlord relations. Panelists will discuss:

  • Best practices for improving landlord relationships
  • Tips for turning your landlord into an advocate for your business as well as indie businesses in your community
  • Tips for lease negotiations

Scott Abel, Solid State Books (Washington, DC); Jill Hendrix, Fiction Addiction (Greenville, SC); Annie Philbrick, Bank Square Books (Mystic, CT); Michael Tucker, Books Inc. (San Francisco, CA)

Selling International and Diverse Books: Panel with Bookselling Without Borders Alumni & Organizers Isleta/Jemez, 19 Lower West ACC

Never has there been a greater need for diverse and international voices in the American market. In this session, panelists will discuss practices they have brought back to their stores from their experiences with Bookselling Without Borders, a fellowship program that sends U.S. booksellers to foreign book fairs as part of a book industry professional exchange program. Among other things, the Bookselling Without Borders program seeks to help booksellers develop concrete ideas for increasing sales of diverse and international literature in the indie market.

Stefani Beddingfield, Inkwood Books (Tampa, FL); Christie Henry, Princeton University Press (Princeton, NJ); Michael Reynolds, Europa Editions (New York, NY); Lyn Roberts, Square Books (Oxford, MS); David Sandberg, Porter Square Books (Cambridge, MA); Anna Thorn, Busboys and Poets (Washington, D.C.)

Bringing Play and Revenue into the Store: Board Games are Back! Ruidoso, 220 Upper East ACC

If the thought of playing board games brings up childhood memories of Monopoly and Risk and not much else, you have some catching up to do. Board games are a hot trend and a growing business. And they’ve grown a lot more sophisticated than what you might remember. The popular digital games that have made the leap to board games, the games inspired by viral internet challenges, and the traditional games of your childhood all have something in common: face-to-face social interaction, which is a key component of successful independent bookstores. Come hear from booksellers who have integrated board games and play nights into their sales and events. An independent board game seller joins the panel to discuss the aspects of his business and how booksellers can bring games -- and customers -- into the bookstore.

Victor Briseno, Slice and Dice Pizzeria (Albuquerque, NM); Todd Dickinson, Aaron's Books (Lititz, PA); Andrea Jones, The Galaxy Bookshop (Hardwick, VT); John Ward, The Game Manufacturers Association (Columbus, OH)

ABC Group Presents: Hosting A+ Educator Nights Acoma/Tesuque/Zuni, 32 Lower West ACC

Community educators are important bookstore allies. They work closely with children, and children need books! Making sure bookstores are carrying what teachers are recommending is essential to strengthening the relationship between the two. In this session, event planners and buyers will share how they have implemented and had success hosting Educator Nights. Booksellers will learn:

  • Why Educator Nights are important
  • How to build a bookstore’s list of educator contacts
  • The type of information educators are seeking out when they come to an in-store Educator Night

Important topics to discuss at these events

Kristen Gilligan, Tattered Cover Book Store (Denver, CO); Lizzy Nanney, Quail Ridge Books (Raleigh, NC); Rebekah Shoaf, Boogie Down Books (Bronx, NY); Heidi Wieland, Sourcebooks (Naperville, IL)

Industry Trends and Analytics Cochiti/Taos, 18 Lower West ACC

Industry experts present a review of the most recent data on the U.S. book market with a deep-dive into the latest trends. There will be plenty of new insights to help attendees improve their business in the coming year.

Brian O'Leary, Book Industry Study Group (New York, NY); Allison Risbridger, NPD Group, Inc. (New York, NY); Michael Becher, Industry Insights (Dublin, OH)

Lower Your Cost of Goods Picuris/Sandia/Santa Ana, 27 Lower West ACC

Increasing margin through better buying and careful budgeting can improve your cost of goods. This session will use data from ABA’s ABACUS report to outline a path to improvements in a store’s cost of goods, leading to improved financial decisions and substantial savings. The booksellers on this panel are excited to share straightforward financial practices that will make a big difference to the financial health of your business. In this session, booksellers will learn:

  • How to read the ABACUS report, including how to compare your data with national averages
  • How to make small changes to cost of goods that will result in a positive financial impact
  • How long it takes to see the results of small changes to cost of goods
  • How to evaluate which financial changes are the ones that will most benefit your business with the least worry and work

Melissa DeMotte, The Well-Read Moose (Coeur d'Alene, ID); Nicole Magistro, Bookworm of Edwards (Edwards, CO); Kate Schlademan, Learned Owl Book Shop (Hudson, OH); Robyn DesHotel, ABA (White Plains, NY)

11:55 am to 1:55 pm

Rep Picks Speed Dating Lunch - Day 1 Ballroom B/C, Upper West ACC

Enjoy lunch with reps and learn about great upcoming titles from the Winter Institute’s publisher sponsors. Seats are assigned; table numbers are printed on bookseller badges.

Education and Lunch for International Guests: The State of the U.S. Book Industry La Cienega, 240 Upper East ACC

International guests are invited to join their colleagues from around the world for an informative discussion about the current state of the American book business. Lunch will be served.

John Mutter, Shelf Awareness (Seattle, WA); Edward Nawotka, Publishers Weekly (New York, NY); Allison Risbridger, NPD Group, Inc. (New York, NY)

1:30 pm to 4:30 pm

IndieCommerce One-on-One Appointments Anasazi, 10 Lower West ACC

IndieCommerce and IndieLite are ABA’s online platforms for marketing events and author appearances as well as selling books and other merchandise. Both users and non-users of IndieCommerce and IndieLite are invited to schedule a one-on-one time with a program specialist from the IndieCommerce team. Space is limited, but walk-ins are welcome. Sign up here.

2:00 pm to 2:30 pm

Attendee Coffee Break (Sponsored by Boom! Studios) La Sala, Lower West ACC

2:10 pm to 3:10 pm

Stars of Albuquerque Indie Retail Nambé/Navajo, 23 Lower West ACC

Being an independent bookstore in today’s retail environment means working tirelessly to stay connected with your community while also promoting yourself online as an alternative to other online retailers. All independent retailers, not just booksellers, are meeting this challenge in various ways. Come to this session to hear from Albuquerque’s independent retailer stars, ask questions, and discover ideas to apply to your bookstore.

Tess Coats, Spur Line Supply Co. (Albuquerque, NM); Amanda Sutton, Bookworks (Albuquerque, NM); Kei Tsuzuki (Kei & Molly Textiles, LLC (Albuquerque, NM)

ABC Group Presents: Selling Direct to Schools Pecos, 230 Upper East ACC

Bookstores that sell direct to schools are an invaluable resource to the local community and a successful strategy for increasing cash flow and profits. Bookseller panelists who have worked closely with their school districts will share with Institute attendees how they too can foster a relationship with school districts and add to their stores’ bottom line. In this session booksellers will learn:

  • How to find appropriate school contacts
  • How to create teacher wishlists
  • How to become a school’s one-stop book fair distributor
  • How to manage in-school author visit orders
  • Best practices for orders
  • How to establish and manage subscription services

Kenny Brechner, Devaney, Doak & Garrett Booksellers (Farmington, ME); Cindy Dach, Changing Hands Bookstore (Tempe, AZ); Emily Hall, Main Street Books (St. Charles, MO); Heather Hebert, Children's Book World (Haverford, PA)

Yes She Can: Programs and Partnerships to Empower Women Ruidoso, 220 Upper East ACC

Join your colleagues for a discussion on creating events and opportunities to highlight women's voices in the store and larger retail community. Hear from booksellers who are fostering women entrepreneurs, cross-promoting with women-owned businesses, creating dynamic in-store programming, and more. ABA members know that a diverse business district promotes a thriving local economy, and they are finding ways to ensure their stores, their communities, and their business districts are as dynamic and profitable as possible.

Casey Coonerty Protti, Bookshop Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz, CA); Sarah Hollenbeck, Women & Children First (Chicago, IL); Mary Laura Philpott, Parnassus Books (Nashville, TN); Janet Webster Jones, Source Booksellers (Detroit, MI)

Advanced Education: Idea Exchange for the Newer Owner or Manager (Less Than 6 Years) Acoma/Tesuque/Zuni, 32 Lower West ACC

If you have been an owner or manager of store for five years or fewer, this is the discussion group for you! Owning and/or managing a bookstore for under five years comes with specific challenges. Join your colleagues to hear how others are addressing their own unique obstacles and advantages as a newer owner.

Janet Geddis, Avid Bookshop (Athens, GA)

Maximizing and Marketing Pre-Order Sales Cochiti/Taos, 18 Lower West ACC

Pre-orders are becoming an increasingly important way in which books are sold and marketed in 2018, and indie bookstores can and should take part in this growing business. Heavily influenced by television and social media, the months before a title’s publication are critical, and pre-orders are a growing component of a book’s ultimate sales. By working with publishers to take full advantage of pre-order opportunities, indie bookstores can avoid lost sales, lost PR, and lost market share. In this session, panelists will discuss ways that stores can successfully promote and sell pre-orders to become an integral partner to publishers and authors. Learn about new methods developed and tested by a task force of indie stores--including processes and protocols for stores using various POS systems--that all stores can use to maximize pre-orders through marketing, tracking, and reporting. The session will include bookseller participation from the pre-order task force.

 

 

Suzanne Droppert, Liberty Bay Books (Poulsbo, WA); Sarah Goddin, Quail Ridge Books (Raleigh, NC); Robert Sindelar, Third Place Books (Lake Forest Park, WA); Geetha Nathan, ABA (Whte Plains, NY); Joy Dallanegra-Sanger, ABA (White Plains, NY)

Advanced Education: Idea Exchange for the Experienced Owner or Manager (6 Years or More) Picuris/Sandia/Santa Ana, 27 Lower West ACC

If you have been an owner or manager of store for six years or more, this is the discussion group for you! Owning and/or managing a bookstore for this long comes with specific challenges. Join your colleagues to hear how other longtime owners are addressing their unique challenges and opportunities.

Kris Kleindienst, Left Bank Books (St. Louis, MO)

3:25 pm to 4:25 pm

Afternoon Keynote: Hanif Abdurraqib Kiva Auditorium, Upper West ACC

Hanif Abdurraqib is the author of Go Ahead In the Rain: Notes to A Tribe Called Quest, University of Texas Press.

4:45 pm to 5:30 pm

Bookseller and Publisher Focus Groups - First Shift Various Locations

Focus groups designed to encourage further interaction between booksellers and publishers. There are two 45-minute shifts for booksellers; check badges for shift and time assignments.

5:30 pm to 6:15 pm

Bookseller and Publisher Focus Groups - Second Shift Various Locations

Focus groups designed to encourage further interaction between booksellers and publishers. There are two 45-minute shifts for booksellers; check badges for shift and time assignments.

6:20 pm to 7:30 pm

Ingram Drinks & Hors d'oeuvres Open Reception La Sala, Lower West ACC

Wi14 lead sponsor Ingram hosts an open reception to close day one of the Institute. Join your colleagues for drinks and nibbles.

9:30 pm to 11:30 pm

Scholastic’s YA Fest Afterparty Barcelona Ballroom, Hotel Andaluz

Enjoy drinks and desserts at the Scholastic YA Fest Afterparty! Meet YA authors, get a first look at upcoming books, and take home gifts!

Thursday, January 24, 2019  

6:45 am to 7:15 am

Friends of Bill (A Private Meeting) Sierra Vista, Hyatt Regency

Friends of Bill (A Private Meeting)

7:30 am to 7:45 am

Mentors-Mentees Meet for Breakfast Ballroom B/C, Upper West ACC

Mentors and mentees meet at designated tables to enjoy the breakfast keynote together.

7:30 am to 5:00 pm

Ask ABA Upper West Foyer, ACC

Member Relationship Managers Elizabeth Roberts and Daniel O’Brien await your questions about ABA and Wi14.

7:45 am to 9:00 am

Margaret Atwood in Conversation with Erin Morgenstern Ballroom B/C, Upper West ACC

Margaret Atwood, author of the upcoming The Handmaid's Tale (The Graphic Novel), (Nan A. Talese/Doubleday) speaks with Erin Morgenstern, author of the upcoming The Starless Sea (Doubleday).

7:45 am to 8:00 am

The Bookshop Band Ballroom B/C, Upper West ACC

Enjoy songs from The Bookshop Band to start the day.

9:00 am to 7:00 pm

Galley Room and Winter Institute Shipping Desk powered by Ingram Ballroom A, Upper West ACC

The always-popular Galley Room is filled with ARCs of upcoming titles from Wi14 sponsors. A limited supply of book totes will be on hand. This year, Ingram has offered to assist in shipping your galleys back to your bookstores.

9:00 am to 10:30 am

IndieCommerce One-on-One Appointments Anasazi, 10 Lower West ACC

IndieCommerce and IndieLite are ABA’s online platforms for marketing events and author appearances as well as selling books and other merchandise. Both users and non-users of IndieCommerce and IndieLite are invited to schedule a one-on-one time with a program specialist from the IndieCommerce team. Space is limited, but walk-ins are welcome. Sign up here.

9:00 am to 5:00 pm

MPIBA Hospitality Suite Laguna, 20 Lower West ACC

The Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association is pleased to host the Hospitality Suite at this year’s Winter Institute. Stop by for a chance to decompress, grab a beverage, and refuel before heading back out to join your peers. Open to booksellers from all regions.

The Quiet Room San Juan, 22 Lower West ACC

The Quiet Room is intended as a quiet, calm space where conference attendees can spend time away from noise, lights, and other stimuli of conference spaces. The quiet room is not available for conversations or meetings.

9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Consultation Station Upper West Foyer, ACC

The Consultation Station offers booksellers the opportunity to meet with representatives from ABA’s business solution partners, POS vendors, and other service providers. The full list of Consultation Station participants and contact information is visible here.

9:20 am to 10:20 am

Introduction to Publisher Event Grids , 23 Lower West ACC

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, booksellers will see sample event grids from publisher panelists and learn more about how publishers approach author tours and what they are looking for from bookstores. Booksellers will learn:

  • The number-one thing publishers are looking for in potential events
  • How to make your event proposal stand out
  • How to use Edelweiss to make your grids more specific
  • Important ways to follow up after you submit the grid

Linda Kass, Gramercy Books (Bexley, OH); Ronnie Kutys, HarperCollins (New York, NY); Lara Phan, Penguin Random House (New York, NY); Angela Whited, Red Balloon Bookshop (St. Paul, MN); Joy Dallanegra-Sanger, ABA (White Plains, NY)

Idea Exchange: Making Strides in Diversity and Equity in Your Store Pecos, 230 Upper East ACC

This idea exchange, moderated by members of the ABA Diversity Task Force, provides an opportunity and a dedicated space for members to discuss issues of diversity and equity in their stores and communities; to share practical ideas on marketing, handselling, buying and discussing diverse books; and to talk about other related issues.

Advanced Education: Developing Leaders in Your Store, with Alden Mills Ruidoso, 220 Upper East ACC

Pre-registration required; for owners and managers only.
Register here

As a bookstore owner or manager, having multiple responsibilities means your to-do list is never done. And as your business grows, your days only get longer. In order to keep your sanity, you need staff who can take on more responsibilities and grow with the business, providing leadership in your store and possessing the confidence to represent your store in the community. For this to happen, you need employees who can think strategically, take initiative, and feel empowered to solve problems. Alden Mills—Inc. 500 CEO, Navy SEAL, and author of Unstoppable Teams: The Four Essential Actions of High-Performance Leadership (HarperBusiness)—will teach important strategies you can apply immediately to develop leaders in your stores. You’ll walk away with Alden’s C.A.R.E.-based model that focuses on building relationships in four ways—with customers, co-workers, and community.

This Advanced Education Session is designed for in-depth exploration among peers about management and operational concerns. Space is limited and registration is first-come, first-served. Each ABA member company is limited to two AES participants. ABA will attempt to accommodate all interested stores with at least one AES placement; assignments will be e-mailed prior to the start of Winter Institute. Presented twice on Thursday, 1/24: 9:20 to 10:20 am and 3:30 to 4:30 pm.

Author in Focus: Why James Baldwin Always Matters, Presented by Casey Gerald and Robin Coste Lewis With the National Book Foundation Acoma/Tesuque/Zuni, 32 Lower West ACC

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.

Casey Gerald, "There Will Be No Miracles Here," Riverhead; Robin Coste Lewis, "Voyage of the Sable Venus," Knopf; Hannah Oliver Depp, Loyalty Bookstore (Silver Spring, MD)

Top Tips for Instagram Success With Two Cats Communications Cochiti/Taos, 18 Lower West ACC

Gain a better understanding of the valuable role Instagram can play in your bookstore’s marketing program with Two Cats Communication as they share a holistic overview of best business practices utilizing the social media platform. This session will set bookstores up for Instagram success by teaching attendees:

  • Optimization tips
  • The benefits of an Instagram Business Account
  • How to develop a consistent brand
  • Platform features that can increase your reach and bring value to your bookstore

Mary Cate Stevenson and Noah Nofz, Two Cats Communications (Houston, TX)

How to be a Highly Effective Bookseller, Manager or Buyer Picuris/Sandia/Santa Ana, 27 Lower West ACC

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.

Cindy Dach, Changing Hands Bookstore (Tempe, AZ)

10:40 am to 11:40 am

ABA Town Hall Meeting Kiva Auditorium, Upper West ACC

The Town Hall is an opportunity for open discussion about industry and association issues. ABA Board President Robert Sindelar (Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park, WA) and Vice President Jamie Fiocco (Flyleaf Books, Chapel Hill, NC) will facilitate the meeting. The full ABA Board will respond to questions and comments from all booksellers; booksellers who would like to send questions in advance can e-mail [email protected].

12:00 pm to 2:00 pm

Rep Picks Speed Dating Lunch - Day 2 Ballroom B/C, Upper West ACC

Enjoy lunch with reps and learn about great upcoming titles from the Winter Institute’s publisher sponsors. Seats are assigned; table numbers are printed on bookseller badges.

Author Education and Lunch Crystal Ballroom, DoubleTree

Developed for author guests at Winter Institute this lunch panel features booksellers who have formulated best practices for creating events that benefits both store and author. This session will cover a number of issues, from author publicity to dealing with pre-event nerves.

Kenny Brechner, Devaney, Doak & Garrett Booksellers (Farmington, ME); Susan Hans O'Connor, Penguin Bookshop (Sewickley, PA); Michael Herrmann, Gibson's Bookstore (Concord, NH); Christine Onorati, WORD Bookstores (Brooklyn, NY, and Jersey City, NJ); Mary Laura Philpott, Parnassus Books (Nashville, TN)

Education and Lunch for International Guests: Idea Exchange La Cienega, 240 Upper East ACC

International guests are invited to lunch with their colleagues and participate in an informal discussion about bookselling developments and trends from around the world. All countries represented at Wi14 will be given an opportunity to provide a short country report. Take a break, relax, and enjoy an informal discussion with other international bookselling colleagues.

2:00 pm to 5:00 pm

IndieCommerce One-on-One Appointments Anasazi, 10 Lower West ACC

IndieCommerce and IndieLite are ABA’s online platforms for marketing events and author appearances as well as selling books and other merchandise. Both users and non-users of IndieCommerce and IndieLite are invited to schedule a one-on-one time with a program specialist from the IndieCommerce team. Space is limited, but walk-ins are welcome. Sign up here.

Consultation Station Upper West Foyer, ACC

The Consultation Station offers booksellers the opportunity to meet with representatives from ABA’s business solution partners, POS vendors, and other service providers. The full list of Consultation Station participants and contact information is visible here.

2:20 pm to 3:20 pm

The Indies Introduce Authors and Booksellers Kiva Auditorium, Upper West ACC

Indies Introduce is about what independent booksellers do best: Discovering exciting debut authors and sharing the best with readers across the country. You will hear about the title selection process from the bookseller panelists who curated the list, which, according to Destenie Fafard of Cellar Door Books (Riverside, CA), provides panelists with "the privilege of reading debut authors’ work and giving a spotlight to those who perhaps wouldn’t be seen without our platform." Many of this season’s debut authors will be present to read a short passage and answer a question posed by one of the panelists.

3:40 pm to 4:40 pm

Using ABACUS as a Budgeting Tool Isleta/Jemez, 19 Lower West ACC

ABACUS is a yearly benchmarking survey that gathers essential information and insights on bookstore financials. This unique and actionable data is key to a store’s long-term viability, as it can be used to create budgets and analyze important business questions. Bookseller panelists who regularly submit to ABACUS will explain how they have been able to implement changes based on their ABACUS report. In this session, booksellers will learn:

  • How to read key lines in an ABACUS report
  • How to recognize and make changes in bookstore financials
  • Important points to consider when making short- and long-term budgets based on ABACUS data

Information on how and when to submit your data to participate in the ABACUS report

Michael Becher, Industry Insights (Dublin, OH); Jamie Fiocco, Flyleaf Books (Chapel Hill, NC); Dan Cullen, ABA (White Plains, NY)

ABC Presents: Crash Course in Kids' Bookselling Nambé/Navajo, 23 Lower West ACC

Scenario: your store's children's bookseller is out sick and not one general bookseller has even an inkling about kids’ books. Never fear! Geared towards general booksellers with ZERO experience in the kid’s department, children’s frontlist booksellers on this panel will provide a crash course to prepare any bookseller to head into the children's department. In the session, general booksellers will learn:

  • Key phrases to use when selling a kids book
  • Important questions to ask a child and a parent when selecting a book
  • Signs to look for when selecting a book (shelf talkers, inferences from the cover)
  • Basic important information to always have in their back pocket
  • Where to look for recommendations

Cathy Berner, Blue Willow Bookshop (Houston, TX); Meghan Dietsche Goel, BookPeople (Autsin, TX); Sara Grochowski, McLean & Eakin Booksellers (Petoskey, MI); Christy McDanold, The Secret Garden (Seattle, WA)

Idea Exchange: Tech Tools to Manage Programs and Communicate with Staff Pecos, 230 Upper East ACC

Keeping your bookselling team connected is an ongoing challenge. From Podio to Slack and Team Snap, technology continues to offer ways to manage projects and communicate with staff. A panel of booksellers will review the tech tools they are using to good business effect. This discussion will provide insight into:

  • Options for both project management and staff communication
  • Choosing the best tech solution for your needs
  • Letting go of systems that do not work
  • Understanding when technology is NOT the answer

Rebecca George, Volumes Bookcafe (Chicago, IL)

Advanced Education: Developing Leaders in Your Store With Alden Mills Ruidoso, 220 Upper East ACC

Pre-registration required; for owners and managers only. Register here As a bookstore owner or manager, having multiple responsibilities means your to-do list is never done. And as your business grows, your days only get longer. In order to keep your sanity, you need staff who can take on more responsibilities and grow with the business, providing leadership in your store and possessing the confidence to represent your store in the community. For this to happen, you need employees who can think strategically, take initiative, and feel empowered to solve problems. Alden Mills—Inc. 500 CEO, Navy SEAL, and author of Unstoppable Teams: The Four Essential Actions of High-Performance Leadership (HarperBusiness)—will teach important strategies you can apply immediately to develop leaders in your stores. You’ll walk away with Alden’s C.A.R.E.-based model that focuses on building relationships in four ways—with customers, co-workers, and community. This Advanced Education Session is designed for in-depth exploration among peers about management and operational concerns. Space is limited and registration is first-come, first-served. Each ABA member company is limited to two AES participants. ABA will attempt to accommodate all interested stores with at least one AES placement; assignments will be e-mailed prior to the start of Winter Institute. Presented twice on Thursday, 1/24: 9:20 to 10:20 am and 3:40 to 4:40 pm.

Bookstores Launch the Open Discussion Project Acoma/Tesuque/Zuni, 32 Lower West ACC

As part of the pilot program of the Open Discussion project, five independent bookstores will be launching reading groups in the fall of 2018 with the goal of bringing liberals and conservatives together to discuss the issues that divide them. The Open Discussion Project is sponsored by the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) in partnership with ABA. NCAC and ABA are inviting booksellers to join the Open Discussion Project when it goes national next year. A panel of booksellers who are participating in the pilot will discuss their experience.

Sarah Goddin, Quail Ridge Books (Raleigh, NC); Bradley Graham, Politics and Prose Bookstore (Washington, DC); Alana Haley, Schuler Books (Grand Rapids, MI); Christopher Finan, National Coalition Against Censorship (New York, NY)

Dealing With Difficult People Cochiti/Taos, 18 Lower West ACC

The goal of this session is to help bookstore owners and employees learn how to empower themselves to end uncomfortable situations, including harassment, with professionalism and respect. Among other things, the panel will discuss tips for identifying and navigating out of these distressing situations and suggestions for talking points booksellers can rely on while under duress. Booksellers will hear discussions on:

  • Prioritizing personal safety
  • Tips for changing the power dynamic
  • Tips for extricating yourself from a situation in a professional way
  • Learning how to ask for help when needed

Alena Jones, Seminary Co-Op Bookstore (Chicago, IL); Lissa Muscatine, Politics and Prose Bookstore (Washington, DC); Rachel Watkins, Avid Bookshop (Athens, GA); Meg Smith, ABA (White Plains, NY)

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone: Building Successful Relationship With Publishers Picuris/Sandia/Santa Ana, 27 Lower West ACC

Creating and nurturing relationships with publishers is key to building a thriving business. Panelists in this session will provide an overview of how publishers work with independent bookstores and discuss steps booksellers can take to capitalize on and grow these relationships. Booksellers will learn:

  • Best practices for networking with publishers at industry events
  • What publishers look for in event proposal and how to land the A-List author
  • Best practices for pitching events in person
  • How to keep your relationships moving forward

Sarah Bagby, Watermark Books and Cafe (Wichita, KS); Michael Link, Joseph-Beth Booksellers (Cincinnati, OH); Pete Mulvihill, Green Apple Books (San Francisco, CA); Craig Popelars, Algonquin Books (Chapel Hill, NC); Karen Torres, Hachette Book Group (New York, NY)

5:00 pm to 6:30 pm

Author Cocktail Reception Ballroom B/C, Upper West ACC

Thanks to the generosity of ABA’s publisher sponsors, many authors and illustrators will be on hand to chat with booksellers and autograph new and forthcoming titles at the Author Reception. Hors d’oeuvres and refreshments will be served.

9:30 pm to 11:00 pm

"I Am Not Your Negro" Film Screening presented by the National Book Foundation Kiva Auditorium, Upper West ACC

Join the National Book Foundation for a screening of Raoul Peck's award-winning documentary on James Baldwin, "I Am Not Your Negro." Inspired by a manuscript left unfinished at the time of his death, the film uses Baldwin's collection of personal notes and letters to recount the lives of his friends and civil rights leaders Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., and Medgar Evers, and explores the history of racism in the United States. This screening was made possible by the Ford Foundation and Velvet Film.

Friday, January 25, 2019  

6:45 am to 7:15 am

Friends of Bill (A Private Meeting) Sierra Vista, Hyatt Regency

7:30 am to 8:00 pm

Galley Room and Winter Institute Shipping Desk powered by Ingram Ballroom A, Upper West ACC

The always-popular Galley Room is filled with ARCs of upcoming titles from Wi14 sponsors. A limited supply of book totes will be on hand. This year, Ingram has offered to assist in shipping your galleys back to your bookstores.

7:30 am to 3:00 pm

Ask ABA Desk Kiva Foyer, Upper West ACC

Member Relationship Managers Elizabeth Roberts and Daniel O’Brien can answer any questions about ABA or Wi14.

7:45 am to 9:15 am

Rep Picks Breakfast Presentations Ballroom B/C, Upper West ACC

Enjoy breakfast while hearing about great upcoming titles from more of Winter Institute’s publisher sponsors. Seating is unassigned for this breakfast.

9:15 am to 5:00 pm

IndieCommerce One-on-One Appointments Anasazi, 10 Lower West ACC

IndieCommerce and IndieLite are ABA’s online platforms for marketing events and author appearances as well as selling books and other merchandise. Both users and non-users of IndieCommerce and IndieLite are invited to schedule a one-on-one time with a program specialist from the IndieCommerce team. Space is limited, but walk-ins are welcome. Sign up here.

The Quiet Room San Juan, 22 Lower West ACC

The Quiet Room is intended to provide a quiet, calm space where conference attendees can spend time away from noise, lights, and other stimuli of conference spaces. The quiet room is not available for conversations or meetings.

9:15 am to 4:00 pm

MPIBA Hospitality Suite Laguna, 20 Lower West ACC

The Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association is pleased to host the Hospitality Suite at this year’s Winter Institute. Stop by for a chance to decompress, grab a beverage, and refuel before heading back out to join your peers. Open to booksellers from all regions.

9:15 am to 12:00 pm

Meet the Presses La Sala, Lower West ACC

Booksellers have the opportunity to meet with small and mid-size publishers for informal conversations. These publishers, many of which are first-time ABA event sponsors, will have sample copies of their books, as well as additional copies for giveaways at their discretion.

Consultation Station Upper West Foyer, ACC

The Consultation Station offers booksellers the opportunity to meet with representatives from ABA’s business solution partners, POS vendors, and other service providers. The full list of Consultation Station participants and contact information is visible here.

9:15 am to 10:45 am

Publisher Office Hours La Sala, Lower West ACC

Immediately following their breakfast presentations, reps from participating publisher sponsors will be available to meet with interested booksellers for further discussion. The following publishers will be available:
Arcadia Publishing
Blair
Creston Books
DC Entertainment
Granity Studios
Greystone Books
Harvard University Press
Holiday House
Manga Classics
Patagonia Books
Phaidon
Poisoned Pen Press
Restless Books
University of Minnesota Press
University of Texas Press

9:30 am to 10:30 am

Managing a Multi-Location Business , 23 Lower West ACC

If you are thinking about opening a second location -- or if you have recently done so -- this session is for you. A panel of experts who have been through the process will share tips and provide insight on how to know if opening a second store is the correct decision for your business, and if so, how to navigate the process. The topics discussed will include:

  • Review: Make sure your business is currently financially stable
  • Resources: monetary, staffing, and current owner responsibilities
  • Financing: Accessing traditional financing and other options

Market research: Ensuring your choice for the second location is sound

Chris Morrow, Northshire Bookstore (Manchester Center, VT); Fabian Paagman, Paagman's (Den Haag, The Netherlands); Jessica Stockton-Bagnulo, Greenlight Bookstore (Brooklyn, NY); Ron Tucker, Politics and Prose Bookstore (Washington DC)

ABC Presents: Experiential Reading — Graphic Novels Shape the Way Young People Read Isleta/Jemez, 19 Lower West ACC

Graphic novels can be a useful springboard into reading for reluctant readers, but they can also serve as a vehicle to launch readers into the symbiotic relationship between text and visuals. In this session, attendees will learn from booksellers and experts:

  • How the role of graphic novels has evolved in the bookstore and literacy
  • How to have a productive conversation with staff and customers about graphic novels
  • Types of programming that highlight and elevate the genre
  • The importance and impact of the representation of diverse characters in graphic novels
  • What the current educational terrain looks like and how bookstores can work with school libraries to incorporate graphic novels into the curriculum

Justin Colussy-Estes, Little Shop of Stories (Decatur, GA); Ashley Delacqua, University of New Mexico (Albuquerque, NM); Lee Francis, Red Planet Books & Comics (Albuquerque, NM); Javier Ramirez, The Book Table (Oak Park, IL)

Independent Bookstore Day Ruidoso, 220 Upper East ACC

On April 28, indie booksellers will celebrate the fifth annual Independent Bookstore Day (IBD). In this panel, new concepts and a new ordering system will be revealed. Attendees will hear from booksellers who have figured out how to make the most of IBD and increase their sales dramatically. It takes a little effort and imagination, but having a highly successful Independent Bookstore Day doesn’t have to tax your staff or break the bank. Booksellers will learn:

  • How to order and make the most of the IBD exclusive merchandise
  • How to throw a party that will get people into your store
  • How to publicize your store’s party
  • How to take advantage of social media

 

Robbie Egan, Australian Booksellers Association (Kew East VIC, Australia); Bonnie Monnier, Curious Iguana (Frederick, MD); Clarissa Murphy, The MIT Press Bookstore (Cambridge, MA); Samantha Schoech, Independent Bookstore Day (San Francisco, CA); Mary Williams, Skylight Books (Los Angeles, CA)

Mixing Bookstores and Bars Acoma/Tesuque/Zuni, 32 Lower West ACC

Independent bookstores are champions of innovation when it comes to business models. For the last few years, many bookstores have added bars to their business model by blending books with booze. This session will feature booksellers from both small and large stores who have experienced the successes and challenges of this business model.

Aaron Curtis, Books & Books (Coral Gables, FL); Donna Paz Kaufman, Story and Song Bookstore Bistro (Fernandina Beach, FL); Tom Roberge, Riffraff Bookstore and Bar (Providence, RI); Nicole Sullivan, BookBar (Denver, CO)

Edelweiss Presents: The New Shelf Report Cochiti/Taos, 18 Lower West ACC

Edelweiss+Analytics is excited to present the new Shelf Report, created to help bookstores succeed against competitive pressures by providing unique decision intelligence. This new tool provides benchmarks for your store’s inventory, using the aggregate performance of hundreds of other independent bookstores on four key measures of sales and inventory health – across genres. Join us to learn more about how this tool can help you view your store from the outside-in and point to where you can focus your attention to make sure your inventory is working its hardest for you.

John Rubin, Above the Treeline (Ann Arbor, MI); Joe Foster, Above the Treeline (Ann Arbor, MI)

Do We Need to Talk? ​Surviving the Political ​& Cultural ​Divide With Your Co-Workers Picuris/Sandia/Santa Ana, 27 Lower West ACC

Divisive political commentary and ongoing reports of cultural and social misconduct continue to be highlighted in both national and local media. Because bookstores are both unique meeting places and businesses, many booksellers are struggling with how to navigate the resulting personal and professional pressures. What are the questions that owner/managers and staff should be asking that can lead to fruitful discussions and solutions? If you have found yourself thinking about this and discussing it with colleagues, please join the conversation. Facilitated by a professional moderator, this is an opportunity for booksellers to participate in this important discussion.

Robert DelCampo, University of New Mexico (Albuquerque, NM); Bradley Graham, Politics and Prose Bookstore (Washington, DC); Amanda Ibarra, Flyleaf Books (Chapel Hill, NC); Lane Jacobson, Paulina Springs Books (Paulina Springs, OR); Angela Maria Spring, Duende District Books (Albuquerque, NM)

10:45 am to 11:45 am

ABA Past Presidents in Conversation Kiva Auditorium, Upper West ACC

Join us for an inspiring and informative look at the book industry through the combined experiences of ABA past presidents still actively engaged in the management of their stores. As booksellers, their innovation and leadership not only grew their individual businesses -- often in challenging times -- but also helped bring about the resurgence of indie bookselling that we have seen over recent years. This expert panel will share lessons learned from a lifetime of bookselling and discuss their thoughts on the current state of the industry.

Oren Teicher moderates this session with past presidents Becky Anderson, Anderson's Bookshops (Naperville, IL); Betsy Burton, The King's English Bookshop (Salt Lake City, UT); Mitchell Kaplan, Books & Books (Coral Gables, FL); Gayle Shanks, Changing Hands Bookstore (Tempe, AZ): Michael Tucker, Books Inc. (San Francisco, CA)

12:00 pm to 1:30 pm

Author Lunch Reception Brazos, 115 Main East ACC

Enjoy lunch and meet an additional lineup of authors and illustrators from Winter Institute’s sponsors, who will be on hand to chat with booksellers and autograph their new and forthcoming titles.

1:30 pm to 7:00 pm

Meet the Presses La Sala, Lower West ACC

Booksellers have the opportunity to meet with small and mid-size publishers for informal conversations. These publishers, many of which are first-time ABA event sponsors, will have sample copies of their books, as well as additional copies for giveaways at their discretion. See the list of Meet the Presses participants here.

1:45 pm to 2:45 pm

POS User Groups Ballroom B/C

If you’d like to share questions, feedback, and ideas about your POS system with representatives of your system, plan on attending one of the POS User Groups meetings. These group discussions are an opportunity for users to ask questions and gain insight into maximizing the use of their current POS system.
Anthology with Jim Bean; Square with Dave Lucey, Page 158 Books (Wake Forest, NC); Basil with Michael McKnight; Booklog with Rick Donagrandi; IBID / WordStock with Dave Walton

Thriving as a New Bookstore Owner Nambé/Navajo, 23 Lower West ACC

If you have been in business for five years or fewer, this is the session for you. Hear from booksellers who will look back over those first critical years and share tips for making it through the next five.

Danny Caine, Raven Book Store (Lawrence, KS); Brad Johnson, East Bay Booksellers (Oakland, CA); Angela Maria Spring, Duende District Books (Albuquerque, NM); Tom Nissley, Phinney Books (Seattle, WA)

Idea Exchange: Marketing to Genre Readers Pecos, 230 Upper East ACC

Genre book buyers are dedicated readers who are willing to spend time and money on these titles. Whether it’s mystery, romance, science fiction, or another genre, independent booksellers can profit by creating ways for these readers to connect, purchase titles, and enjoy lively discussions. This idea exchange is an opportunity for booksellers to discuss genre marketing, merchandising, events, and more.

Jon Breninger, Peregrine Book Company (Prescott, AZ)

IndieCommerce Can Probably Do That For Your Website! Acoma/Tesuque/Zuni, 32 Lower West ACC

IndieCommerce™ is the ABA’s e-commerce platform for independent bookstores. The system provides the tools for indie bookstores to create unique, content-rich, and easy-to-operate, fully transactional, e-commerce enabled websites. Over the past few years, the IndieCommerce team has been working closely with booksellers to to help them achieve their online marketing and sales goals. This session will highlight some of the most impactful changes that individual stores have made to their websites over the past year, including before and after examples.

Beth Seufer Buss, Bookmarks (Winston-Salem, NC); Elissa Sweet, Bank Square Books (Mystic, CT); Elayna Trucker, Napa Bookmine (Napa, CA); Geetha Nathan, ABA (White Plains, NY)

Expect the Unexpected: Planning for Store Longevity Cochiti/Taos, 18 Lower West ACC

The ability to stay in business for decades—and longer—means weathering change by staying adaptable and flexible. Customer relationships and sales are just part of the equation that can ensure the longevity of a business and even turn it into a celebrated, longstanding institution. Careful planning and understanding of your store’s resources, a flexible business plan, continuously improving operations, and a culture that willingly embraces change in order to adapt and improve are all factors that influence where your business will be around in 5, 10, or 20 years—or more. A a panel of longtime booksellers will lead this not-to-be-missed conversation.

Glenda Childs, The Doylestown Bookshop (Doylestown, PA); Kelly Estep, Carmichael's Bookstore (Louisville, KY); David Sandberg, Porter Square Books (Cambridge, MA); Paul Hanson, Village Books (Bellingham, WA);

Dazzling In-Store Displays Picuris/Sandia/Santa Ana, 27 Lower West ACC

You only have a few seconds to attract—and hold—a customer’s attention, so it’s critical that you get it right if you want to turn a browser into a buyer. From the whimsical to the thought-provoking, store displays done right tell a story that taps into a customer’s needs—needs for entertainment, introspection, fantasy, connection, and more. Booksellers who are skilled at telling stories through engaging displays will present tips and visuals on how to make an eye-catching in-store displays that turn browsers into buyers.

Tess Coats, Spur Line Supply Co. (Albuquerque, NM); Luisa Smith, Book Passage (Corte Madera, CA); Katie McGinley, Wild Rumpus (Minneapolis, MN); Meg Smith, ABA (White Plains, NY)

2:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Consultation Station Upper West Foyer, ACC

The Consultation Station offers booksellers the opportunity to meet with representatives from ABA’s business solution partners, POS vendors, and other service providers. The full list of Consultation Station participants and contact information is visible here.

2:45 pm to 3:15 pm

The Bookshop Band La Sala, Lower West ACC

What's better than coffee? Coffee and music. The Bookshop Band will perform during the afternoon coffee break.

3:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Salute to Authors of New Mexico Kiva Auditorium, Upper West ACC

Dorothy Massey, owner of Collected Works of Santa Fe, moderates a session with New Mexico authors William de Buys, Denise Chavez, Anne Hillerman, Layli Long-Soldier, Mary Oishi, and Doug Preston, focusing on New Mexico as the inspiration for the work. The authors will discuss the land, the people, the energy, and the culture of the state.

4:15 pm to 4:45 pm

Wi14 Debrief with Bookseller Discussion Groups Ballroom C, Upper West ACC

You met some great booksellers in your Bookseller Discussion Groups. Join them again for a self-guided exploration of your Wi14 educational experience. This capstone session will help you set achievable goals and create actionable steps for improving your business.

5:00 pm to 6:00 pm

The Mariachi & Murder Wi14 Grand Finale Kiva Auditorium, Upper West ACC

Booksellers will be entertained by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, the hosts of the hit true crime/comedy podcast My Favorite Murder, and enjoy some lively tunes from a local mariachi ensemble. In addition to hosting My Favorite Murder, Karen and Georgia are the authors of Stay Sexy & Don't Get Murdered: The Definitive How To Guide, a Winter/Spring 2019 Indies Introduce debut selection to be published by Forge Books in May 2019.

6:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Wi14 Closing Reception and Author Signing Kiva Foyer, Upper West ACC

Close out Wi14 to the sounds of mariachi music, signings with the Salute to New Mexico authors plus Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark (Stay Sexy & Don't Get Murdered: The Definitive How To Guide), and a fun, fast round of the Binc Heads or Tails Fundraiser.

Schedule subject to change. Panelists will be added as they are confirmed. Print-friendly version

About ABA

American Booksellers Association is a national trade association that supports and advocates for the success of independent bookstores. We provide members with education, networking opportunities, advocacy, resources, and technology. In turn our members support local schools through book fairs, donations and author visits; promote literacy; provide inclusive community centers; connect readers and books; add character to neighborhoods; champion and center diverse and new voices; and contribute to the local economy. We feel honored to support them in their work.

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