Winter Institute

The second annual ABA Winter Institute concluded its two days of programming on Friday, February 2, in Portland, Oregon, and publishers who attended overwhelmingly praised the event, which combined education sessions and Rep's Picks presentations with a reception at Powell's, author events, and plenty of time for networking.

By ABA President Russ Lawrence of Chapter One Book Store in Hamilton, Montana

Jessica Stockton, events coordinator at New York City's McNally Robinson Booksellers (and bookseller blogger extraordinaire), files a full account of the second annual Winter Institute, in Portland, Oregon, from the opening reception to the plane flight home. By Jessica Stockton

For the hundreds of booksellers at the American Booksellers Association's Second Annual Winter Institute, which ran from February 1 - 2 in Portland, Oregon, the days were jam-packed with education, networking, and socializing. A daily overview tells one story (here and here, and a bookseller's firsthand account tells another.

The second day of the 2007 ABA Winter Institute featured lots more education, peer networking, and even some breaking news about the importance of independent retailing to Main Street America.The eight-hour-plus schedule included nine educational panels, a breakfast session where booksellers joined in the planning process for the next ABA strategic plan, more rep picks of upcoming adult and children's trade titles, and a "New Media Lunch," which looked at the pervasive effects of digitalization on the book world.

Portland, Oregon, no stranger to great bookstores, this morning became center stage for independent bookselling when the second annual ABA Winter Institute began a two-day run at the Portland Doubletree at Lloyd's Center. Five hundred ABA member booksellers from approximately 200 stores were registered for this year's event.The Winter Institute features 16 educational sessions, as well as six publishers' reps' picks sessions, a plenary session with author Daniel Pink, a lunch panel featuring new media experts, and many other opportunities for bookseller interaction.

Over the last few weeks, American Booksellers Association staff has been busy putting together the final details for next week's Winter Institute in Portland, Oregon. Here's a final look at the two days of educational programming, with featured speakers, panelists, and moderators, as well as a preview of the array of special events.

Booksellers looking to create or bolster consumer awareness of the importance of shopping locally will find much to help their cause at the panel "How to Create an Independent Business Alliance in Your Community" at this year's Winter Institute.

In less than two weeks, booksellers from around the country will be gathering in Portland, Oregon, for ABA's Second Annual Winter Institute, to learn, to network, and to just have fun. This year, the two-day education program is chock full of special events, including festive receptions, a provocative plenary session, a New Media Lunch, and much, much more.

For the approximately 500 booksellers attending the American Booksellers Association's Second Annual Winter Institute, business will mix with pleasure at an Author Reception on Thursday, February 1.