* * * Countdown to BookExpo * * * ABA Specialty Roundtables Offer Booksellers Excellent Educational Opportunities

On Saturday, May 31, at BookExpo America (BEA) in Los Angeles, ABA will be offering a full plate of Specialty Bookseller-to-Bookseller Roundtables, giving specialty booksellers an excellent opportunity to get together with their colleagues and chat about their specific niche market. ABA will conduct 12 different specialty roundtables designed for booksellers who are predominantly engaged in selling books in specialty areas; roundtable sessions are not intended for general stores with specialty sections.

This year, ABA has made a slight adjustment to the format of the roundtables. Rather than ABA appointing a moderator prior to BEA, participants will appoint a moderator at the beginning of the discussion.

As in previous years, ABA will not determine the meeting agenda. Discussion topics will be chosen by the participants. Booksellers are strongly encouraged to use the Booksellers Forum on BookWeb.org as a way to communicate prior to the roundtables. Specific agenda items may be e-mailed to Kristen Gilligan, ABA's manager of communications, industry relations, and trade policy, at kristen@bookweb.org, or attendees may add issues to the agenda at the meeting. It is suggested that a bookseller be appointed at the beginning of the roundtable to take notes that can be e-mailed to participants to follow-up the meeting.

Admission to the roundtables is free, and no RSVP is required.

The roundtables and scheduled room numbers are:

• African-American - Room 515B
  
• Body, Mind, Spirit - Room 515B
  
• Business & Technical - Room 307
  
• Children's - Room 501B
  
• College - Room 515B
  
• Feminist - Room 515B
  
• Gay & Lesbian - Room 515B
  
• Mystery - Room 306B
  
• Rural Small Town - Room 309
  
• Scholarly - Room 515B
  
• Sci-Fi/Fantasy - Room 515B
  
• Travel - Room 306A
  

Room numbers are subject to change. Booksellers should check the ABA Convention programming schedule at BookWeb.org before the show begins to avoid going to the wrong room.

Since the roundtables occur at the same time, booksellers who are interested in more than one roundtable are welcome to send their staff to various roundtables.

For more information, call Kristen Gilligan at (800) 637-0037, ext. 1286, or e-mail, kristen@bookweb.org. --David Grogan