About ABA

ABA member booksellers who haven't taken a recent look at BookWeb.org's new Idea Exchange are missing out on the camaraderie of a vibrant, insightful bookseller virtual community. Every week booksellers are posting comments about the industry, seeking advice, and offering great ideas.

ABA will be holding a Booksellers Forum and Education Program in both northern and southern California during the week of February 13. The first forum will be on Tuesday, February 15, in conjunction with the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association (NCIBA) at its offices in the Presidio in San Francisco. The following day the program will be held in conjunction with the Southern California Booksellers Association (SCBA) at the Long Beach Hilton in Long Beach. The programs will run from 10:15 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., and lunch is included.

Now that ABA has announced its BookExpo America Education Program Schedule, ABA member booksellers who have pre-registered for Hotel ABA - NYC should be sure to send arrival and departure dates and credit card information to Travel Tech (BEA's travel company) by January 31 to ensure their reservations. On February 1, pre-reservations that have not been confirmed will be cancelled.

BookExpo America (BEA) will be held from Thursday, June 2 - Sunday, June 5, at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City, and ABA has once again planned a Thursday full of free educational programming open to all owners and employees of ABA member bookstores who have registered for BEA.

ABA's 2005 Booksellers Forum Tour and Education Program, which launched earlier this month, will be coming to a location near you. During the next four months, ABA senior staff and representatives of the ABA Board and Booksellers Advisory Council will meet with booksellers in every region of the country to provide an update on various ABA programs and initiatives and to gather input that will be used to shape future association efforts.

On Wednesday, February 2, the American Booksellers Association will hold a Booksellers Forum and Education Program, in conjunction with the Mid-South Independent Booksellers Association (MSIBA), at BookPeople in Austin, Texas. All MSIBA and ABA member booksellers are invited to attend the events, which run from 10:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

ABA's Booksellers Advisory Council (BAC), which offers the association's Board of Directors guidance on issues important to independent booksellers, met with representatives of the ABA Board and senior staff on January 9 - 10 in Salt Lake City.

'Tis the season to stash the wrapping paper, tally the sales figures, and begin planning for the future.

The American Booksellers Association has launched a new, streamlined balloting process for the 2005 Book Sense Book of the Year Awards. In a break from the past, the initial round of voting to choose five finalists in each category has been eliminated, and voting is now open to all booksellers from every regular member bookstore.

The American Booksellers Association kicks off its 2005 Winter/Spring Booksellers Forum season and 2005 Education Program on Saturday, January 8, in Salt Lake City. The program, held in conjunction with the Mountains & Plains Booksellers Association (MPBA), will take place from 9:00 a.m. - 3:15 p.m. at The King's English Bookstore's Fresco Restaurant. All MPBA and ABA member booksellers are invited, and ABA hopes as many area booksellers as possible will attend.

ABA member booksellers who have pre-registered for the Hotel ABA - NYC at BookExpo America (BEA) 2005 must send arrival and departure dates and credit card information to Travel Tech (BEA's travel company) by January 31 to ensure their reservations. Otherwise, pre-reservations will be canceled on February 1.

The American Booksellers Association will kick off its 2005 Winter/Spring Booksellers Forum season and 2005 Education Program on Saturday, January 8, in Salt Lake City. The program, held in conjunction with the Mountains & Plains Booksellers Association (MPBA), will take place from 9:00 a.m. - 3:15 p.m. at The King's English Bookstore's Fresco Restaurant. All MPBA and ABA member booksellers are invited to attend.

Friday, December 17, is the deadline to nominate candidates for the American Booksellers Association's Board of Directors. Any ABA member may submit nominations to the Nominating Committee, chaired by Suzanne Staubach of UConn Co-op in Storrs, Connecticut. All nominations will be held in the strictest confidence.

Over the last few months, the American Booksellers Association has reorganized the responsibilities of some of its key staff to better meet the needs of its members. Among the changes, ABA has designated BookSense.com Director Len Vlahos to spearhead an effort to evaluate and reinvigorate the association's educational offerings, in addition to his other responsibilities. Working with Vlahos on the project is Kristen Gilligan, who was recently named associate director of programming and constituent groups liaison.

Friday, December 17, is the deadline for receipt of nominations of candidates to serve on the American Booksellers Association's Board of Directors. Any ABA member may submit nominations to the Nominating Committee, chaired by Suzanne Staubach of UConn Co-op in Storrs, Connecticut.