Member Lounge Offers Free WiFi, Autographing, Ask ABA Bar

The ABA Members-Only Lounge at BookExpo America [1] — Room 1E07/08 of the Javits Convention Center — will be the place for booksellers to learn about ABA products and services, check e-mail, have books autographed by some of their favorite authors [2], grab a snack and coffee (thanks to support from BookScan), or relax in a comfy chair. This year’s lounge offers free WiFi and more seating. ABA members can also pick up a free Day of Education journal, courtesy of On Demand Books [3], maker of the Espresso Book Machine, while supplies last. (The journal was printed on the Espresso Book Machine at McNally Jackson in NYC [4].)

Lounge hours are:

• Monday, May 23: 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, May 24: 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. (Lounge closes at 3:00 p.m. for the ABA Town Hall and Annual Meeting)
• Wednesday, May 25: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
• Thursday, May 26: 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

To provide an opportunity for as many members as possible to speak during Wednesday’s ABA Town Hall Meeting, a sign-up sheet will be prominently displayed in the ABA lounge starting Monday morning, May 23. Booksellers will be called upon in the order in which they sign up.

Members are encouraged to bring their laptops to access the free WiFi in the lounge. Day of Education handouts are available for download from BookWeb.org [5]. The computer café, sponsored by IndieCommerce, will have two computer stations this year.

Autographing Schedules

Authors will be autographing [2] in the lounge on Tuesday, May 24, and Wednesday, May 25. Notables include Karl Marlantes (Matterhorn), Peter Brown (Children Make Terrible Pets), Mitali Perkins (Bamboo People), Tom Angleberger (The Strange Case of Origami Yoda), and Keith Graves (Chicken Big). Review the schedule here [2].

Ask ABA Bar!

New this year: The Ask ABA Bar! (ABA’s version of the you-know-what bar.) No sign-up necessary, just walk-up and meet your Member Relationship Manager [6] (Kaitlin Pitcher or Elizabeth Nichols) and a rotating cast of ABA staffers, including ABA Senior Public Policy Analyst Dave Grogan, who will be there to talk about sales tax fairness. Folks from LIBRIS [7] and Asset MarketPlace [8] will also be at the ABA Bar to talk insurance.

Jack Ellerkamp of W.G. Ellerkamp [9], ABA’s affinity partner for IndieBound paper and biodegradable plastic bags [10], will also be in the lounge.

ABFFE on Show Floor

The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression will be in Booth 3589 on the show floor this year. ABFFE will host its affiliates — Carolyn Forsman Conversation Piece Jewelry [11], 2020 Vision USA [12], EmotionGallery [13], and Maroma USA [14] — at the booth.