Education

ABA will be offering education sessions in conjunction with the nine fall regional shows. Here's a look at what's planned for the first three:  NAIBA, MPIBA, and SIBA.

Scott Meyer of Merritt Books in Millbrook, New York, has won a scholarship to the National Association of College Stores (NACS) Xtreme! 2010 retail education program.

Bookstore owners shared their experiences with consignment programs, a green delivery service, and a newsletter-turned-magazine at a panel on alternative business models at ABA's Day of Education at BookExpo America.

ABA has made session materials for next Tuesday's Day of Education accessible to all member booksellers via download from BookWeb.org.

The National Association of College Stores (NACS) will be holding its Xtreme! 2010 retail education program in Boston from July 23 to 27. All ABA members are invited to attend at the NACS member rate. Booksellers at ABA member stores can also enter a drawing for a scholarship covering the registration fee.

Cross-promotions are great vehicles for reaching new customers and spreading the Buy Local message and goodwill, both with fellow merchants and customers. And costs are usually shared, if not minimal or nonexistent. BTW spoke with Susan Weis of breathe books; Cindy Dach of Changing Hands Bookstore; Heather Duncan of Tattered Cover Book Store; and Kerry Slattery of Skylight Books about one of the most cost-effective ways to promote their indie businesses. Why and how

"Word-for-word a well-crafted shelf talker can be the most effective means of recommending a book to an avid reader," said Joe Drabyak of Chester County Book & Music Company in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

ABA's Curriculum Guide on BookWeb.org offers member booksellers more than 100 free educational resources, covering everything from formulating a business plan and conducting a store survey to creating killer events and stocking a graphic novels section.

Three savvy indie booksellers shared their ideas for using online tools to promote book sales with a packed house at the Fifth Annual Winter Institute education session "Handselling 201: Using the Digital Age to Your Advantage." Panelists Andrew Getman of Politics & Prose, Kelly Justice of Fountain Bookstore, and Pete Mulvihill of Green Apple Books presented real-life examples of how they have boosted sales via their store websites, in-house videos, Twitter campaigns, e-newsletters, and more.

The American Booksellers Association's Fifth Winter Institute (Wi5), to be held from Wednesday through Friday, February 3 - 5, 2010, in San Jose, California, will offer many benefits for attending bookstore and provisional members. Those who have not registered yet are urged to do so.