About ABA

On Thursday, March 27, the American Booksellers Association will be holding a Booksellers Forum, an ABACUS "Sneak Preview," and a "Succession Planning/How to Value Your Business" seminar in Chicago. The events will be held in conjunction with the Great Lakes Booksellers Association (GLBA) Spring Meeting at the Transitions Learning Center in Chicago.

On Thursday, March 13, the American Booksellers Association participated in the Library of Congress Center for the Book's annual Reading Promotion Partners Meeting, held at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. Representing ABA at the meeting was Jill Perlstein, ABA's director of marketing. "It was a productive meeting," Perlstein reported. "It's encouraging to see how many groups are looking to get together to promote literacy."

ABA announced this week two promotions within its Information Department. Rosemary Hawkins, senior editor for print & digital media, will be assuming new responsibilities as the department's executive editor. In addition, David Grogan, currently the department's associate editor, has become the department's senior editor.

On Friday, March 14, booksellers from five states attended an ABA/MPBA Booksellers Forum that was held at the Mountain and Plains Booksellers Association (MPBA) Spring Meeting and Regional Book Awards Celebration. The event took place in Santa Fe, New Mexico, at the Radisson Santa Fe, and was part of a full program for booksellers that ran from Friday to Sunday, March 16.

On Saturday, March 8, approximately 25 people braved a snowstorm and bitter cold temperatures to attend an ABA Booksellers Forum, held in conjunction with the Upper Midwest Booksellers Association (UMBA) Spring Meeting, in Minneapolis. The UMBA Spring Meeting ran from March 8 - March 9 and was held at UMBA's offices.

By ABA President Ann Christophersen The weather outside was lovely (Santa Monica at 70 degrees and sunny trumps Chicago at five degrees and dropping), but what was going on inside was lovelier still. Since what was going on inside was meeting after meeting after meeting, I need you to suspend disbelief just for a moment and give me a chance to explain.

There are still rooms available for BEA at the Hotel California -- the Radisson Wilshire Plaza, where ABA bookstore members can book an exclusive deal of $111 a night from May 25 to June 7. However, the rooms are going fast, and booksellers are encouraged to book quickly (see end of story for details). The Radisson Wilshire Plaza is a comfortable, recently renovated business-style hotel located fewer than 15 minutes from the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Two Booksellers Forums and additional ABA programming will be held on Friday, March 14, in conjunction with the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association (PNBA) Spring Show in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and with the Mountains and Plains Booksellers Association (MBPA) Spring Trade Show in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

ABA member booksellers planning to attend BookExpo America (BEA), May 28 - June 1, in Los Angeles, can still take advantage of an exclusive, money-saving hotel deal put together by ABA and BEA.

ABA President Ann Christophersen this week writes a special open letter of appreciation and gratitude to Carl Lennertz, who is moving to HarperCollins as vice president, marketing for the HarperCollins imprint. Dear Carl,