California Here We Come -- Site of Two ABA Booksellers Forums in January

The 2003 American Booksellers Association Booksellers Forum schedule kicks off with two forums and ABACUS Sneak Preview sessions to be held in California prior to ABA's January Board meeting. The first forum and ABACUS session will be held in cooperation with the Southern California Booksellers Association on Tuesday, January 14, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the DoubleTree Guest Suites -- Santa Monica, 1707 Fourth Street, Santa Monica. The schedule includes the ABACUS Sneak Preview from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and the Booksellers Forum from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (refreshments will be provided). ABA President Ann Christophersen of Women and Children First in Chicago and other ABA Board members will be in attendance, as well as ABA's CEO Avin Mark Domnitz and COO Oren Teicher.

On January 15, the second forum and ABACUS session will be held at the offices of the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association at The Presidio, 37 Graham Street, Suite 210, San Francisco, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The schedule includes the ABACUS Sneak Preview from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., a Boxed Lunch (courtesy of NCIBA and ABA) from 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m., and the Booksellers Forum from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Representing ABA will be President Christophersen and other ABA Board members, as well as Domnitz and Teicher.

The ABACUS Sneak Preview will provide insights into those factors that drive profitability in independent bookstores. Participants will have the ability to view their store's performance compared to various segments of the independent sector. All stores that submit their data prior to January 7 will receive, at the meeting, an individualized comparative analysis of their store's performance. This session is open to those booksellers who have submitted their numbers to the ABACUS survey (for these two forums, prior to January 7), or those who bring their information with them as a ticket of admission. The link to the ABACUS Survey form is located on BookWeb at http://www.bookweb.org/read/5786. For answers to ABACUS-related questions, contact Domnitz at (800) 637-0037, ext. 1205 or by e-mail at avin@bookweb.org.

The Booksellers Forums provide ABA members an opportunity to meet ABA Board members and staff to discuss issues relating to ABA and bookselling in general. Attendees will have a chance to ask questions, express opinions, and hear from bookseller-colleagues.

To RSVP or for more information about the ABA Booksellers Forums, contact Kristen Gilligan at (800) 637-0037, ext. 1286 or by e-mail at kristen@bookweb.org.