Education

Registration Now Open

The owners and staff of all American Bookseller Association member stores can help formulate the association's 2007 education program through participation in the 2006 ABA Education Survey. Member survey responses are being compiled to provide guidance to the bookseller volunteers on ABA's Education Task Force who will convene this fall to plan the association's 2007 education offerings.

"Opening a Bookstore: The Business Essentials," a weeklong workshop for those interested in opening, buying, or investing in a bookstore, will be held from October 3 - 9 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The American Booksellers Association is asking the owners and staff of all member stores to participate in its 2006 Education Survey. The results of the survey will provide guidance to the bookseller volunteers on ABA's Education Task Force as they begin formulating plans for the association's 2007 education offerings.

In May, the American Booksellers Association launched "ABA Education Programs Online," a new benefit that provides member booksellers with access to streaming video of select ABA education programming through the association's trade website, BookWeb.org. Booksellers who have used the videos describe them as a highly effective and affordable way to bring educational programming to all staff members.

Booksellers attending the panel on "Creating Killer Events" on Thursday, May 18, at BookExpo America heard from experienced booksellers about the importance of making an independent bookstore the community center for great author (and "authorless") events, to sell books, to garner free publicity, and to strengthen ties with customers and other key community institutions.

"Creating Effective E-Newsletters," part of the American Booksellers Association's Thursday Day of Education at BookExpo America, covered everything from creating a template for a store's first e-newsletter to advertising author events and livening up stale newsletters with promises of "free monkeys." More than 50 booksellers attended the late-afternoon session featuring panelists Kelly Justice of Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia, and Margie Scott Tucker of Books

This week, ABA announced the launch of "ABA Education Programs Online," a new benefit that provides ABA members with access to streaming video of ABA educational programming. By simply clicking on the "Professional Development" link on the BookWeb homepage, members can access ABA education programs, including "The 2% Solution," complete with videotaped presenters and PowerPoint slides.

On January 1, 2007, the length of the ISBN (International Standard Book Number) will officially change from 10 to 13 digits; however, preparations for the switch, which affects the entire book industry, are underway.

ABA member booksellers can now take advantage of an upload (and download) function in two of BookWeb's Idea Exchange forums. The enhancement is enabled in the Education Forum to allow booksellers to share ideas, best business practices, forms, lists, and other resource materials that may exist in different formats.