Education

The focus of the ABA Winter Institute is education -- sometimes gained in a panel or a seminar, but, also, through the compelling insights of thoughtful authors and experts. This year's institute featured two memorable keynote speakers and a thought-provoking roundtable discussion on localism that ended in a standing ovation. If you couldn't attend the Winter Institute, or missed any of these insightful speakers, four videos have been posted on BookWeb.org.

If any bookseller participating in ABA's Day of Education at BookExpo America had doubts about the market for graphic novels, they were put to rest at the panel "Buying, Merchandising, and Selling Graphic Novels, 101," featuring Jessica Stockton Bagnulo, graphic novels buyer and author events coordinator at McNally Robinson Booksellers in New York City; comic artist Scott McCloud; and John Shableski of Diamond Book Distributors.

"Managing Blockbuster Events: The Logistics of Events of 500 or More" proved to be a blockbuster event in its own right at the American Booksellers Association's Thursday, May 29, Day of Education at BookExpo America.

The American Booksellers Association would like to hear from its bookstore members that are having success buying, merchandising, and selling graphic novels, as well as those that are developing and implementing green initiatives. Bookseller success stories will help the association develop education programs and materials to benefit all ABA member stores. Any bookseller who would like to share their stories is asked to contact ABA Education Coordinator Lisa Winn at lisa@bookweb.org or (800) 637-0037, ext. 6657.

It was standing room only at ABA's Day of Education "Green Retailing" session on Thursday, May 29 at BookExpo America. Booksellers packed the room to hear panelists Suzy Staubach of University of Connecticut Co-op in Storrs, Connecticut, Natalie Freidberg of All Shades of Green in Los Angeles, and Ferris Kawar, vice president of sustainability at Greenopia, discuss strategies for lowering a retailer's impact on the environment using methods from the simple to the sublime.

ABA Board members and local business alliance activists Steve Bercu of BookPeople in Austin, Texas, and Becky Anderson of Anderson's Bookshops in Naperville, Illinois, were the featured speakers at the American Booksellers Association's panel "Independent Retailing in 2008: A Report on the Shop Local Movement," moderated by ABA COO Oren Teicher, at BookExpo America.

The American Booksellers Association is asking every bookseller who participated in its programming last week at BookExpo America for feedback on the Day of Education sessions, special events, and bookseller lounge.

Materials binder replaced by downloadable handouts

Prospective booksellers who are interested in participating in "Opening a Bookstore: Creating Foundations for Success," a school sponsored by the American Booksellers Association and facilitated by Paz & Associates at BookExpo America, must register by Wednesday, May 7. The school program will run from Tuesday afternoon, May 27, through Thursday, May 29, at Hotel ABA, the Renaissance Hollywood, in Los Angeles.

Ingram Book Group and Ingram Publisher Services to Underwrite Bookseller Education The American Booksellers Association announced today the formation of a new strategic partnership with Ingram Book Company and Ingram Publisher Services to underwrite bookseller education for the next three years. The new partnership will begin with ABA's Day of Education being held in Hollywood, California, on Thursday, May 29, in conjunction with BookExpo America.