Mark Your Calendars: ABA Announces Winter/Spring 2004 Booksellers Forum Schedule

On Friday, January 9, ABA will hold the first of 16 Booksellers Forums scheduled for various locations across the country over the next four months. The forums provide booksellers in every region an opportunity to meet with senior ABA staff and Board members to share ideas, to discuss industry issues, and to receive updates on various association projects. Data gathered at the forums is invaluable to the association as it shapes future programs and initiatives to the benefit of all ABA bookstore members.

Most of the forums in 2004 will include opportunities for booksellers to learn more about the new Book Sense Gift card program and to schedule private one-on-one tutorials on submitting ABACUS data.

The full schedule, provided below, will be updated with exact times and locations over the coming weeks. Watch for news in upcoming editions of Bookselling This Week. Booksellers will also receive e-mail announcements from ABA with up-to-date information regarding the forums in their area.

Questions about the Booksellers Forum Schedule should be addressed to ABA's Kristen Gilligan at (800) 637-0037, ext. 1286 or kristen@bookweb.org.

JANUARY

• Friday, January 9 - Hillsborough County Public Library, Tampa, FL (11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.; co-hosted by SEBA)
• Thursday, January 15 - Allerton Hotel (future Hotel ABA), Chicago, IL (11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.; co-hosted by GLBA)
• Wednesday, January 28 - McIntyre's Fine Books, Fearrington Village, Pittsboro, NC (near Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.; co-hosted by SEBA) POSTPONED!!

FEBRUARY

• Wednesday, February 18 - NCIBA Office, San Francisco, CA (10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.)
• Friday, February 20 - Pasadena, CA (Vroman's Bookstore, 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.; co-hosted by SCBA)
• Saturday, February 21 - San Diego, CA (Sheraton Four Points Hotel, 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.; co-hosted by SCBA)
• Wednesday, February 25 - Washington, DC Area (Olsson's Books & Records, 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.; co-hosted by NAIBA)

MARCH

• Saturday, March 6 - Minneapolis, MN (Comfort Inn Airport; 1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.; in conjunction with UMBA meetings coinciding with Twin Cities Gift Mart Show)
• Wednesday, March 10 - Brookline Booksmith, Brookline, MA (11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.; co-hosted by NEBA)
• Tuesday, March 16 - Brystone Books, Watauga, TX (between Fort Worth and Dallas; 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.; in conjunction with MSIBA)
• Thursday, March 18 - Seattle Airport Hilton, Seattle, WA (1:15 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.; in conjunction with PNBA Spring Show)
• Saturday, March 20 - Denver, CO (Denver Tech Center Marriott; in conjunction with MPBA Spring Meeting)
• Tuesday, March 30 - Cincinnati, OH (Emmis Books; 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.; co-hosted by GLBA)

APRIL

• Wednesday, April 14 - Tarrytown, NY (ABA Offices; 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.; co-hosted by NAIBA)
• Thursday, April 22 - Northampton, MA (Hampshire College Bookstore 3:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m.; following NEBA meetings)
• Sunday, April 25 - Philadelphia, PA (Sheraton Society Hill; 10:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m.; in conjunction with NAIBA Spring Meeting)