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• Winter Institute Education Program Schedule.
• Session Descriptions.
• Publisher Partners & Friends

Updated 12/17/2009

Plenary: The Ingram Digital Report
Ingram has long been an innovator in the digital arena.  Andrew Weinstein will describe how Ingram sees the world of digital content evolving over the next few years. Andrew Weinstein, Vice President and General Manager, Retail Development, and Vice President, Business Development, for Ingram Content Group.

Going Mobile: How Books Are Sold, Bought & Consumed With Mobile Technology
Mobile technology allows your customers to be connected to everything all the time.  How does mobile technology change your approach to sales, marketing, and, even, events? How are your customers using smarthphones to access book content? Learn how the mobile revolution is affecting your store. Panelists are Kat Meyer, Chief Content Wrangler of Next Chapter Communications, and Bob LiVolsi, CEO and President of BooksOnBoard. Moderated by ABA's Paige Poe.

The Language of Technology: Learning the Concepts
What is HTML / XML / CSS / JavaScript? Do you know the difference between server-side technology and client-side technology? What does open source really mean? What the heck is a "Drupal" anyway? Are your eyes glazing over yet? Learn to talk tech with the best of them. Presented by ABA's Matt Supko.

The State of General Trade Publishing: Three Noted Publishers Discuss How Digitization is Impacting Their Business & the Industry
All attendees welcome. How are publishers reacting to the format and device wars? Do publishers plan to sell digital content directly? Do they see digital content as a complementary or competitive product to printed books? How are they grappling with price? A panel of three noted publishers will debate the challenges and opportunities presented by digitization: Barry Lynn, author of Cornered: The New Monopoly Capitalism and the Economics of Destruction (Wiley), will moderate the panel featuring Drake McFeeley, President of W.W. Norton & Company; David Young, Chairman & CEO of Hachette; and Madeline McIntosh, President, Sales, Operations, and Digital, for Random House.

Techniques and Tactics for Online Website Promotion
Want better placement in search results? Make the most of your website, and increase your audience and your sales. From hyperlocal searches and affiliate marketing to advanced analytics and beyond, learn how to build a meaningful relationship between your website and search engines and your community. Presented by ABA COO Len Vlahos.

ABA's Gift Card Users Group: Preparing for the Transition
All attendees welcome. The ABA Gift Card Program Users Group, led by ABA's Jill Perlstein, will review the process for winding down the national program to a more cost-effective in-store program. Learn about the importance of reconciling and other procedures for a smooth transition. Questions? Contact Perlstein at jill@bookweb.org. ABA's Givex Consultant, Maurizio Divito, will also participate.

ABA's IndieCommerce: Tips & Tools for Advanced Open Source Website Design
A panel of ABA staffers will discuss content creation; creating, moving, and managing blocks; custom themes; accessing reports; and more. Bring your own tips and tricks for a room-wide discussion as well. Bring your laptop, too! Presented by ABA's Len Vlahos, Matt Supko, and Scott Nafz.

Buyers Roundtable
If you are a buyer, this is your chance to spend some uninterrupted time in conversation with other buyers. Come discover new tactics, share some of your own, and enjoy a conversation with your colleagues. Moderated by ABA's Dan Cullen.

Buying & Selling Non-Book & Gift Items With NACSCORP
An executive from NACSCORP, the wholesale arm of the National Association of College Stores, will moderate a panel composed of experts from the college store industry.  You will hear tips on how to choose non-book and gift items for your store. If you have limited experience buying or managing non-book items, this session will make clear why it's important to your store. Panelists are Amber Wilson of SFSU Bookstore; Kathy Grace of Swarthmore College Bookstore; and David Smith of BYU Bookstore. Moderated by Joan Keehan, Director of Marketing and Merchandising for NACSCORP.

Consultation Station
Come consult with various vendors and learn more about ABA programs. For the list of participating vendors and contact information to schedule an appointment, click here.

Customer Surveys: Why & How
Have you ever wondered what your customers think about your store or how they view you compared to your competition? Find out how to create and execute customer surveys that will help you learn more about your customers and develop more effective strategies to meet their needs. This session will outline the "nuts-and-bolts" of how to do customer surveys -- including how to frame questions, administer the survey in your store and online, and analyze the results.

E-Books 101: A Discussion
Come join a discussion on trends in digital content, including whether or not e-books compete with or complement p-books; choosing the right reading device; the future of DRM; the future of e-book pricing; and the role of independent booksellers in the sale of e-books. Presented by ABA COO Len Vlahos.

Edelweiss for Fun & Profit
If you have registered for Edelweiss and/or are a current user of the product, this session is for you. This is not a demo, but is a session on Edelweiss best practices so you can get the most out of the product. Panelists include Suzanna Hermans of Oblong Books; Dandy Conway of Random House; and Sarah Hutton of Village Books. Moderated by Above the Treeline Founder John Rubin.

Getting the Most Out of Your Children's Section: A Deeper Look at Staffing & Selection
This session will look at two of the most challenging issues in the kids' section: staffing and selection. Topics include how to how to hire with the kids section in mind; techniques for getting all staff familiar with recommendations; the basics for good communication with your youngest customers; creating a blanced inventory;  selling YA titles; stocking frontlist vs. backlist; and more. Panelists are Meghan Dietsche Goel of BookPeople and Ellen Scott of Bookworm of Edwards. Moderated by Kristen McLean, Executive Director of the Association of Booksellers for Children.

Graphic Novels: An Amazing Marketing Event & Opportunity for Independent Retail
From the public library to the classroom and the Internet, sales of graphic novels continue to see dramatic increases. Why is this happening and how can you benefit? In this session, John Shableski, Sales Manager for Diamond Book Distributors, will discuss the market and, how to select, buy, shelve, and promote graphic novels. Panelists are Eva Nottage of the Watsonville Public Library; Dan Kusunoki of Skylight Books; and Gina Moon of Malaprop's.

Handselling 201: Using the Digital Age to Your Advantage
Discover how to take handselling to the next level through new and inventive digital means. Hear how booksellers are using video and social media to recommend books to customers and how those efforts can result in sales. If you have attended ABA's popular handselling session in the past, you will want to update your expertise with this course. Panelists are Andrew Getman of Politics & Prose and Kelly Justice of Fountain Bookstore. Moderated by Pete Mulvihill of Green Apple Books.

Large-Store Roundtable
All attendees welcome. This roundtable discussion for owners and managers of large stores will be moderated by Cathy Langer of Tattered Cover Book Store. Space is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. Those interested in attending should e-mail ABA's Sarah Rettger (sarah@bookweb.org), with "Large-Store Roundtable" in the subject line.

Power to the Booksellers: An Update On Key Advocacy Issues & How Booksellers Can Work Together For Important Political Victories
Health Care Reform and sales tax equity are two of the most important political issues facing booksellers today. In this session, booksellers will hear from two experienced and knowledgeable experts, Lenny Goldberg (Executive Director, California Tax Reform Association) and John Arensmeyer (Founder & CEO, Small Business Majority), with up-to-the-minute reports on these two advocacy fights.  They will also offer strategic assistance on grassroots steps booksellers can take to win important political victories. The session will include smaller, regional breakout meetings for networking and planning. Moderated by ABA CEO Oren Teicher.

Print-on-Demand in Your Store
On-demand printing, from Lightning Source and other providers, has revolutionized book distribution. Now, print-to-order technology has moved downstream, to the bookstore.  Hear booksellers from two indie stores discuss how the Espresso Book Machine is helping to create a new business model and serve customers in new ways.  Panelists are Lindsey McGuirk of Village Bookstore and Chris Morrow of Northshire Bookstore. Moderated by ABA COO Len Vlahos.

Small & Mid-Size Store Roundtable
All attendees welcome. This roundtable discussion for owners and managers of small to mid-size stores will be moderated by Sylla McClellan of Third Street Books. Questions?  E-mail ABA's Sarah Rettger (sarah@bookweb.org).

Social Media & The Independent Bookseller: An Introduction
Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blogs, and other social networking sites have fundamentally changed the way people approach both their private lives and their business transactions.  In today's connected world you are no longer building relationships with "customers" but with "friends." You will leave this session with a greater understanding of where this paradigm shift is taking small business. Panelists are Suzanne Droppert of Liberty Bay Books and Jenn Northington of breathe books. Moderated by Stephanie Anderson of WORD.

The New Reality: Alternative Business Models for Independent Bookstores
A business model that sells books alone is growing more challenging each year, but there are viable alternatives. Hear from a panel of innovative booksellers who are growing their businesses in directions beyond the book. From print-on-demand to literary summer camps, indie booksellers are using their ingenuity and their roots in the community to find new and interesting ways to sustain their book sales. Panelists are Steve Bercu of BookPeople; Roxanne Coady of R.J. Julia; and Mitchell Kaplan of Books & Books. Moderated by ABA COO Len Vlahos.

ABA's New IndieCommerce: A Demo
IndieCommerce (formerly BookSense.com) has been transformed by its migration to the open-source content management system Drupal. This new and improved e-commerce product provides booksellers with more intuitive and robust administrative tools and greater creative control, and it allows ABA staff to roll out new features more quickly. Come see a demo and ask questions of ABA's IndieCommerce staff. Presented by ABA's Len Vlahos, Matt Supko, and Scott Nafz.

ABC Presents The Gen Z Reader: Understanding the New Reader of the Post-Electronic Age
Reading is in decline--or is it? From cell-phone novels to e-book readers, it may be only a matter of redefining what reading means to a new generation of consumers. This panel will take a look at the "new reader" of the post-electronic age, and will focus on trends in 21st-century literacies. Panelists are Roz Hilden of Scholastic and Carol Fitzgerald of the Book Report Network. Moderated by Kristen McLean, Executive Director of the Association of Booksellers for Children.

Beating Up on Your Landlord (or, Renegotiating Your Lease)
Real-world examples will show how savvy owners and managers can strategize to approach their landlord about an existing lease. ABACUS benchmarks can be the starting point for these potentially fraught negotiations. Issues covered will include paying per square foot vs. paying a percentage of sales, the necessity of beginning a lease renegotiation well in advance of its expiration, and more. Presented by ABA COO Len Vlahos.

Bookseller / Publisher Café
An unstructured time when staff from each Wi5 sponsoring publisher will be seated at tables throughout the hotel ballroom.  Booksellers will be able to move from table to table to continue discussions from the Rep Picks sessions; present information about their stores; express thoughts about publisher-produced materials; and other topics of interest. Not a time to discuss specific operational or financial issues or problems, but an opportunity for both booksellers and publishers to share information and ideas.

Consolidated, Concentrated & Cornered: Fighting the Powers of Consolidation
ABA Chief Executive Oren Teicher will interview Barry Lynn (Cornered, Wiley), a senior fellow at the New America Foundation, about how concentration of economic power is squelching innovation, destabilizing our most vital industrial and financial systems, and wreaking havoc in the book industry. This informational session will leave you wanting to learn about how to fight the powers of consolidation.

Creating and Maintaining a Profitable Magazine Section
With the plethora of titles and types, magazines can be a unique attraction in the store. Dan Sheehan, Vice President and General Manager, Ingram Periodicals, will lead a discussion of the benefits of selling magazines in independent bookstores. Topics covered will include choosing titles, marketing and merchandising a section, rack display allowances, and more. Panelists are Tom Montan of Copperfield's; Kelly Estep of Carmichael's; and Patrick O'Connell of Bookshop Santa Cruz.

IndieBound Design Workshop
All attendees welcome. How do you tell your customers why shopping at locally owned, independent businesses is different? IndieBound is tailor-made to communicate that message. Bring your questions, your problems -- and your laptop. We'll brainstorm projects and events designed to promote your independence and work with hands-on graphic design programs and finished examples. Moderated by ABA's Meg Smith and Paige Poe.

"It's a Wrap" Video Lab
Small businesses are increasingly relying on video to communicate with their customers. In this hands-on lab, you'll learn how to shoot a short video, get that video from the camera to your computer, and get the clip from your computer to your blog, website, or Facebook page. (This session is filled, but bring your own digital camera and/or laptop if you'd like to observe.)  Presented by ABA's Paige Poe.

Hicklebee's Store Tour
Reprising his role as last year's merchandising tour guide extrordinaire, Book Inc.'s Calvin Crosby will lead a group of booksellers to the world famous Hicklebee's children's bookstore in San Jose. The tour bus will leaved the hotel at 3:30 p.m. and return by approximately 5 p.m. The tour is filled.  Questions?  Please contact ABA's Lisa Winn at lisa@bookweb.org.

The Business of Accepting Credit and Debit Cards
Come learn how to navigate the myriad rules associated with accepting credit and debit cards. From managing procedures to ensure you are getting the best rate to understanding PCI compliance, learning more about this topic can save you money. Moderated by Michael Barnard of Rakestraw Books.

The Fundamentals of Security & Loss Control
Linda James, President of Loss Prevention Resources, Inc., has over 38 years of law enforcement and loss prevention experience. Her career includes positions as deputy sheriff and as director of loss prevention and risk management for major corporations, including Nordstrom. James teaches loss prevention classes at seminars for Washington State Crime Prevention. Her professional experience will help you to identify and control loss in order to keep your store profitable.

The Romance Reader:  The Best Customer You Don't Have.
Romance books make up the largest segment of trade publishing, with more than $1 billion in annula sales, but only a small fractionof those sales come from independent bookstores.  This session includes an overview of the romance market, marketing strategies to reach romance fans, and bookseller experiences with the genre.  Moderated by Stephanie Fry of the Romance Writers of America.  Karla Hodde of Katy Budget Books will sit on the panel.