Booksellers Forum Preview: Wichita and Denver

The American Booksellers Association will reach the mid-point on its spring Booksellers Forum tour [1] with events in Wichita, Kansas, and Denver, Colorado, on March 22 and 23, respectively. ABA member and non-member booksellers are invited to attend.

Each program will feature an open forum during which attendees are encouraged to share ideas, discuss industry issues, and receive updates on various ABA projects. Booksellers are invited to come with questions and comments.

Both programs will also include an ABA education component. “The Best of Winter Institute 7’s Best Practices Sessions” will present a roundup of booksellers’ tips on finances, relationship building, children’s bookselling, technology, and more from last month’s event in New Orleans.

Thursday, March 22: Wichita, Kansas

Join ABA Board member Sarah Bagby of Watermark Books, CEO Oren Teicher, and Senior Program Officer Joy Dallanegra-Sanger for a Booksellers Forum program in conjunction with the Midwest Independent Booksellers Association [2] (MIBA) at Watermark Books [3] (4701 E. Douglas Avenue).

The day’s schedule includes programming from both ABA and MIBA:

• 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. – ABA’s “The Best of Winter Institute 7’s Best Practices Sessions”
• 12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.  – ABA Booksellers Forum over lunch
• 2:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.  – MIBA Update on the Heartland Fall Forum
• 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.    –   MIBA Author reception

To provide ABA with a headcount for the forum lunch, booksellers who are planning to attend are asked to RSVP by March 19 to Nathan Halter [4], ABA’s member relationship manager for the MIBA region.

Friday, March 23: Denver, Colorado

Join ABA CEO Oren Teicher and Senior Program Officer Joy Dallanegra-Sanger for a Booksellers Forum program in conjunction with the Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association [5] (MPIBA) at the Tattered Cover Book Store [6] in LoDo (1628 16th Street at Wynkoop). 

The day’s schedule includes programming from both ABA and MPIBA:

• 11:00 a.m. -12:30 p.m. – ABA’s “The Best of Winter Institute 7’s Best Practices Sessions”
• 12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. – ABA Booksellers Forum over lunch
• 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. – MPIBA Board President Andrea Avantaggio, of Maria’s Bookshop in Durango, Colorado, will lead an open discussion regarding the regional’s current  and upcoming programs. Booksellers are encouraged to bring their comments and questions.
• 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.  – MPIBA Author Mixer
   Booksellers will have the opportunity to mingle with a number of local authors at this wrap-up to MPIBA’s Spring Meeting.

To provide ABA with a headcount for the forum lunch, booksellers who are planning to attend are asked to RSVP by March 20 to Nathan Halter [4], ABA’s member relationship manager for the MPIBA region.

The complete list of ABA’s spring Booksellers Forums is available here [7]. ABA education is sponsored by the Ingram Content Group.