Changes in Store at PNBA Fall Show

The 2008 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association (PNBA) Fall Trade Show will be held from Monday, September 15, through Wednesday, September 17, in Portland, Oregon, at the Airport Holiday Inn. Among the show's highlights are Monday's many education sessions and the new Nightcapper Party, Tuesday's Feast of Authors, and Wednesday's Celebration of Authors. American Booksellers Association education programming, sponsored by Ingram Book Group/Ingram Publisher Services, includes "Connecting to Your Customers and Community With IndieBound," "ABA's E-Commerce Solution Users' Group," "Creating Killer Events," and "Green Retailing."

A number of changes are in store for participants in this year's show. In addition to the event's kick off on Monday, as opposed to Thursday as in years past, the most significant change is that vendors now have the option of exhibiting for either one or two days, said PNBA Executive Director Thom Chambliss, who added that about one-third have chosen to exhibit for two days.

Wednesday, September 17, the second day of exhibits, will also be an "Author Promotion Day," with remaining exhibitors sharing the trade show floor with an array of author events. The Celebration of Authors, featuring newcomers who have yet to appear on bestseller lists, but whose titles have great handselling possibilities in the coming months, will also be on Wednesday, and the authors will autograph their books immediately following the Celebration.

On Monday evening, at the conclusion of the Education Day, PNBA will host its first annual "Nightcapper," which Chambliss described as being a lot like the author signings at ABA's Winter Institute.

As part of Monday's daylong focus on education, ABA will be offering:

• Creating Killer Events, 9:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.
  Presented by ABA COO Oren Teicher
  With books sold in more and more outlets each year, independent booksellers are finding new and innovative ways to distinguish themselves from the competition. One of the most effective tools to set your store apart is a schedule of compelling events. In this session, you'll review an event prep checklist and hear experienced booksellers describe what makes a killer event. This session focuses on events for small- and medium-sized stores.
  
  
• Green Retailing, 10:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
  Presented by ABA COO Oren Teicher
  Booksellers have known about the importance of being environmentally conscious since at least 1962, when Rachel Carson published Silent Spring. But we also operate in an industry that uses metric ton upon metric ton of paper, and barrel after barrel of gasoline to transport goods from the warehouse to the store -- not to mention air conditioning, lighting, and all of the other modern conveniences we take for granted. This session will look at how we all can be smarter, cleaner, more efficient retailers, and how we can save money by going green!
  
  
• ABA's E-commerce Solution Users Group, 1:15 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.
  Presented by ABA Project Manager Patti Neske
  ABA's E-commerce Solution is undergoing a major overhaul, planned for a fall 2008 release. The site is migrating to the open-source platform Drupal, which will provide users with new and improved administrative tools, better performance and reliability, and a shorter path to new features and functionality. Participants in the users group will have an opportunity to meet with and provide feedback to ABA's e-commerce staff. (Non-participants are also welcome to attend.)
  
  
• Connecting to Your Customers and Community With IndieBound, 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
  Presented by ABA Chief Marketing Officer Meg Smith
  There is a clear sentiment in favor of localism that is revolutionizing consumer behavior. People are renewing their ties to friends, neighbors, and institutions in their cities and towns, choosing Main Street over malls, and embracing localism and sustainability movements of all types. This presents an extraordinary opportunity for independent booksellers and other independent retailers. IndieBound taps into this growing movement, creating new and interesting ways for independent booksellers and other independent businesses to better communicate their core strengths -- independence, passion, community -- to their customers. Share what you have done in your store with IndieBound promotional material, ways that you have connected with other independent businesses in your community, and hear about creative ways your colleagues have used IndieBound.

Among PNBA's offerings on Monday are a First-Timers Orientation, Above the Treeline workshops, and numerous education sessions, as well as a keynote address by Garth Stein, author of The Art of Racing in the Rain (Harper), on the "How Independent Stores Helped Make Me Famous ... and Other Stories."

ABA will also have a booth on the PNBA trade show floor where booksellers can meet with staff and learn about IndieBound and the association's many other services and products. Information will also be available about the Winter Institute 4 (Wi4), to be held in Salt Lake City, Utah, from Thursday, January 29, through Sunday, February 1.

Booksellers can enter a raffle for a free trip to Wi4 (airfare and up to a two-night hotel stay for one person) by dropping a business card off at the ABA booth on the show floor. They can also enter the raffle a second time by updating their store profile via BookWeb.org. One winner will be chosen at random at the end of October from all entries received at the nine regional shows and via profile updates.

With all the show has to offer Chambliss told BTW, "Being there is always the best part ... you just enjoy the connections with reps, booksellers, and authors. We especially are looking forward to that, because this is the first time in 20-something years that we have not met for a spring show."

Registration materials, including ticket information and a full schedule of events, are available on the PNBA website, www.pnba.org/show.htm. Questions about PNBA programming should be addressed to info@pnba.org.

Questions and requests for information about ABA's participation at PNBA's trade show may be directed to ABA's Lisa Winn at lisa@bookweb.org. --David Grogan