ABA & NACS Announce Joint Membership Offer

The American Booksellers Association and the National Association of College Stores (NACS) have announced a new joint promotion that will offer increased benefits and services to members of both associations. Members of ABA can buy a membership in NACS, and NACS members can buy membership in ABA, for the special rate of $100. The ABA offer is open to NACS members that have not been ABA members at anytime in the two years prior to their application.

"We are pleased to offer members of ABA and NACS the exceptional resources and benefits of membership in both organizations," said ABA Chief Marketing Officer Meg Smith. "The fee of $100 is an outstanding value for all that members of our respective organizations will be entitled to receive."

"We are excited at the opportunity to provide additional value to both ABA members and NACS members through this unique partnership and sharing of resources," said Wendy Holliday, NACS vice president for marketing and member services. "For example, NACS is looking forward to welcoming ABA members with specials and discounts to Campus Market Expo (CAMEX), our annual buying show, in Orlando, in March 2010."

The special $100 joint member offer entitles ABA members to a full subscriber level membership in NACS, which includes:

• ABA members that join NACS before March 12, 2010 will receive free access to the CAmpus Market EXpo (CAMEX) trade show, the NACS annual buying show;
• Exclusive NACS member pricing on products for store operations, including signage, merchandising aids, human resources and customer service guides, and other retail reference materials;
• One-stop shopping with NACSCORP, an aggregator distributor that provides selections of products such as gifts, bargain books, and DVDs, available in small minimum orders;
• Exclusive NACS member pricing for online education;
• Access to discussion lists with real time peer-to-peer discussions;
• Two weekly e-newsletters with the latest in industry information and trends;
• Bi-monthly College Store magazine -- both print and electronic;
• Custom customer research with NACS member pricing.

NACS members who take advantage of the joint membership with ABA are entitled to receive all regular member benefits, including:

• Access to IndieBound's full array of marketing materials;
• Member access to ABA educational programming, including the Winter Institute and BookExpo America, as well as online resources;
• Bookselling This Week, ABA's weekly e-newsletter;
• Opportunities to place promotions/ads on the ABA website and in Bookselling This Week at special ABA member rates;
• Opportunities to promote specials in the monthly Red Box mailing to ABA members.

NACS members who are interested in joining ABA can download a Joint Membership Program application from BookWeb.org. Questions can be addressed to Smith via e-mail or at (800) 637-0037, ext. 6641.

 ABA members interested in joining NACS should send an e-mail inquiry to membership@nacs.org or call (800) 622-7498 and ask for membership or Lynn Kovach. --Karen Schechner