Winter Institute

Representatives from six of the American Booksellers Association's Third Annual Winter Institute Publisher Partners recently offered their thoughts on the two-and-a-half day education symposium, held in Louisville, Kentucky, last month.

The host city of the 2002 Winter Olympics will now be the location for ABA's 2009 Annual Winter Institute. Wi4 will be held in Salt Lake City, Utah, from Thursday, January 29, through Sunday, February 1, at the Salt Lake City Marriott Downtown. The Winter Institute is a two-and-a-half day education symposium, with classes on a wide range of topics crucial to the ever-changing business of bookselling. The event also includes plenty of face time with great authors.

Robyn Kamimura By Robyn Kamimura, Assistant Promotional Director, Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena, California

Beginning with optimism and ending with a standing ovation from the approximately 500 attendees, the Winter Institute keynote discussion on Shop Local and related movements was a fascinating overview about the importance of building alliances among locally owned independent businesses and changing consumers' mindsets regarding the importance of a healthy local economy.

By Tova Beiser, Trade Book & Promotions Manager, Brown University Bookstore

The American Booksellers Association extends sincere thanks to all of its Winter Institute Partners whose support made last weekend's event such a success.

By the time Saturday's closing reception at the American Booksellers Association's Third Annual Winter Institute (Wi3) was winding down, it was clear that booksellers and publishers attending the two-day educational event in Louisville, Kentucky, were very pleased.

The 500 independent booksellers who gathered at last weekend's Winter Institute participated in 24 education sessions; three keynote addresses; four Rep Picks sessions, which were repeated several times; three evening receptions, including one featuring 38 authors; and innumerable opportunities to socialize and network with colleagues.

Last week's Winter Institute included four Rep Picks sessions, which were repeated three times over the course of the two days. At each, representatives from six of Wi3's 24 Publisher Partners presented titles that independent booksellers can look forward to selling this spring. Here's a look at the lists of titles as provided by the publishers prior to the event. (The list is also available as a downloadable PDF.)

As Bookselling This Week reaches your Inbox this Thursday, close to 500 ABA member booksellers are converging in Louisville, Kentucky, for the opening of the American Booksellers Association's Third Annual Winter Institute (Wi3).