Still Time to Win a BEA Travel Stipend or Free Lunch

The deadline for ABA member booksellers to send entries to BookExpo America for a chance to win either a $500 travel stipend or a free lunch at this year’s show is March 31. BEA has created the two special offers exclusively for ABA members planning to attend BEA 2011 [1], which will be held at NYC’s Javits Convention Center from May 23 - 26.

• Three $500 Travel Stipends for BEA 2011
  If you’re a bookseller who has not been to the trade show in the past two years, BEA wants to welcome you back in 2011 with the opportunity to win one of three $500 travel stipends to help defray the cost of your trip.
  
  Interested booksellers should send an e-mail to Colleen Griffin [2] describing in two sentences what they want to get out of BEA and why they think it’s critical for them to attend this year. E-mails must use the subject line: I Want to Attend BEA 2011 and be received by March 25. All entries will be reviewed by the BEA team, and two winners will be chosen and be notified by e-mail by March 31.

• 50 Complimentary Lunches at BEA 2011
  If you’ve been a loyal attendee of the show for the past two years, BEA wants to thank you and treat you to lunch at BEA 2011 with a $20 lunch voucher. Booksellers should send an e-mail to Colleen Griffin [2] confirming that they have attended BEA in 2009 and 2010 and that they have registered for BEA 2011 (a registration badge number must be provided as proof). E-mails must use the subject line: Complimentary Lunch at BEA 2011 and be received by March 25. Attendance will be verified by the BEA team. The first 50 entries will be chosen and be notified via e-mail by March 31.

All ABA Regular Bookstore and Provisional members that register for BEA 2011 [3] are eligible for a number of free badges. (Details of the free badge offer are available to members here [4].)

This year’s schedule starts on Monday, May 23, at the convention center with ABA’s Day of Education, BEA conferences, and special events. The trade show floor will be open from Tuesday, May 24, through Thursday, May 26.

ABA’s Celebration of Bookselling Author Awards Luncheon will be held on Tuesday, May 24. Reservations [5] for this very popular, free event are open exclusively to booksellers at ABA member stores. Since space is limited, reservations will be accepted from two booksellers at each member store on a first-come, first-served basis.

Each bookseller who would like to attend the Celebration Luncheon should complete the electronic reservation form on Bookweb.org [5] as soon as possible. Questions regarding the luncheon should be sent via e-mail to Mark Nichols, ABA industry relations officer [6].

The Celebration Luncheon will honor the winners and finalists for the 2011 Indies Choice Book Awards and E.B. White Read-Aloud Awards. The owners and staff at all ABA member stores have just two weeks left to cast their ballots to choose the winners. Vote now. [7]

The Holiday Inn on 57th Street in Midtown Manhattan has been secured by BEA exclusively for ABA bookseller members attending this year’s show. The special low rate for ABA bookseller members ($175 for one or two beds, single or double occupancy; $190 for triple occupancy; and $205 for a quad) is good until May 3. (Learn more about the hotel and obtain the ABA member booking code [8]; other hotel options are available via the BEA website [9].)