About ABA

This week, ABA CEO Oren Teicher shares his regular update on association activities, and he focuses on ABA’s efforts to work with publishers to encourage the formulation of creative new industry business models that will help all industry stakeholders, a critical initiative that has ABA’s firmest commitment.

The American Booksellers Association’s Nominating Committee is seeking qualified candidates to serve on the ABA Board of Directors. Any ABA member may submit the names of candidates to serve on the Board.

Nathan Halter, a former bookseller at The Doylestown Bookshop, joins ABA as a Member Relationship Manager for bookstores in the GLIBA, MIBA, MPIBA, PNBA, and SIBA regions.

This year’s regional trade show season will conclude in California, with the SCIBA Authors Feast and Trade Show on October 22 in Long Beach, and the NCIBA Trade Show from October 27 - 29 in Oakland.

Beginning February 1, 2012, ABA regular bookstore members will be able to pay their membership dues on a monthly basis. The automatic monthly charge can be paid via either credit card or ACH transfer.

This week, Shannon O’Connor, a former teacher and children’s book buyer at Doylestown Bookshop, joined the ABA staff in the newly created position of ABC Children’s Group Manager.

Registration is now open for ABA’s Seventh Annual Winter Institute. Wi7, sponsored by the Ingram Content Group, will be held from Wednesday, January 18, through Friday, January 20, 2012, at the Astor Crowne Plaza in New Orleans’ French Quarter.

The price that ABA member stores pay each month for their IndieCommerce websites is going down.  This week, ABA announced that the monthly fee for IndieCommerce subscribers would be reduced from $225 per month to $175 per month, beginning October 1.

ABA President Becky Anderson shares her experiences as a guest at this summer’s Booksellers New Zealand and Australian Booksellers Association annual conferences, as well as a look at some of the things ABA is currently working on.

ABA will open registration for the Seventh Annual Winter Institute, sponsored by the Ingram Content Group, on Thursday afternoon, September 15. Wi7 will be held from Wednesday, January 18, through Friday, January 20, 2012, in New Orleans.

ABA’s Nominating Committee is seeking qualified candidates to serve on the ABA Board of Directors. Any ABA member may submit the names of prospective candidates.

The American Booksellers Association’s Nominating Committee, chaired by Sarah Bagby of Watermark Books in Wichita, Kansas, is searching for qualified candidates to serve on the ABA Board of Directors.

The MBA and MPIBA regional trade shows, which take place from September 22 - 23 and September 30 - October 2, respectively, will offer members a full range of educational programming, author events, and networking opportunities, as well as several new features.

Len Vlahos, ABA’s chief operating officer and a longtime staff member, has been selected as the executive director of the Book Industry Study Group, Inc., effective September 12, 2011. Vlahos’  last day at ABA will be September 2.

Booksellers who attended ABA’s inaugural IndieCommerce Institute have provided feedback that is instrumental in gauging the event’s success, as well as in shaping future plans.