Membership Renewal Time Approaches

Booksellers should be on the lookout for their store’s 2013 membership renewal form arriving via mail and e-mail from the American Booksellers Association in January. For those who’d like to get a jump on the process, there’s also an easy-to-use online renewal form [1], available now. All ABA memberships run from February 1 through January 31.

To help with cash flow, member stores can opt to pay dues on an automatic monthly basis. The monthly charges can be paid via either credit card or ACH transfer. A $1/month processing fee will apply. Payments will be taken on the fourth Wednesday of every month. Dues are based on total company book sales. Stores that wish to update sales information may do so at the start of each renewal year in February. To enroll, booksellers simply need to select the monthly payment option on their renewal form and complete the Authorization Form for Direct Payments. [2]

Stores that currently pay their dues on the monthly plan will continue to be charged at the current rate for the 2013 dues year unless they notify ABA to the contrary by February 1, 2013. Stores that wish to update their store sales information (and dues category [3]) should contact their ABA Member Relationship Manager [4].

The membership renewal form also includes an opt-in for participation in the ABC Children’s Group at ABA [5](ABC Group). ABC Group members receive access to a dedicated listserv; a group newsletter; 250 free copies of the Best Books for Children catalog and the ability to order custom imprinted catalogs in larger quantities; free New Voices marketing materials, including shelf-talkers and bookmarks, that highlight debut middle-grade and YA authors; exclusive rights to purchase tickets to the Tea With Children’s Authors and Illustrators, the Speed Dating Lunch With Children’s Book Authors, and other ABC Group/CBC events at Book ExpoAmerica; education and networking opportunities; and other perks throughout the year. Membership in the ABC Group does not roll over year-to-year. There is a $50 membership fee to join the group.

Members can also choose to support the crucial First Amendment work of the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression [6] (ABFFE) by adding atax-deductible donation when completing the renewal form.

The yearly ABC Children’s Group membership fee and donations to ABFFE are not included in the monthly payment option.

Questions about dues renewal from booksellers in the NAIBA, NCIBA, NEIBA, and SCIBA regions should be addressed to Kaitlin Pitcher at Kaitlin@bookweb.org [7] or by phone before December 18 to (800) 637-0037, ext. 6666; on or after December 18 to (800) 637-0037, ext. 7366.

Questions from booksellers in the GLIBA, MIBA, MPIBA, PNBA, and SIBA regions should be addressed to Nathan Halter at Nathan@bookweb.org [8] or by phone before December 18 to (800) 637-0037, ext. 6614; on or after December 18 to (800) 637-0037, ext. 7314.