Industry Voices

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

Karl Pohrt of Shaman Drum Bookstore in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is currently visiting China as part of a group of U.S. booksellers and librarians attending the Beijing Book Fair, and he's been sharing his adventure with booksellers via Omnibus, the bookselling blog on BookWeb.org.

By Oren J. Teicher, ABA Chief Operating Officer

Stacy Mitchell

By Stacy Mitchell, Author of Big-Box Swindle: The True Cost of Mega-Retailers and the Fight for America's Independent Businesses

This weekend, the National Public Radio program On the Media will feature a discussion about the state, and evolution, of bookselling with ABA CEO Avin Mark Domnitz.

ABA Strategic Plan ... Er, Ends Statements Report

Russ Lawrence

Hey! What happened to our new American Booksellers Association Five-Year Strategic Plan?

Betsy Burton

Bookseller, author, and Local First Utah organizer Betsy Burton shares her experiences at the American Independent Business Alliance's (AMIBA) First Annual Leadership Gathering, which was held in Austin, Texas, on November 9 - 11.

Rule 1) Be clear about your vision and your goals as well as your fit within your community before making any organizational decisions: Decide whether you wish to be an alliance with advocacy powers or an educational organization dedicated to getting the Local First message out to the public.

To help bookstore owners and staff gird themselves for a hectic holiday season, here is an uplifting look at some of the unexpected things 15 of their fellow independent booksellers love about bookselling.

By Kelley Drahushuk, Co-owner of Spotty Dog Books & Ale in Hudson, New York

Fall means several things. For many it means sports -- baseball playoffs, the start of football season. For booksellers and publishers, it means regional trade shows. And to Chester County Book Company's Joe Drabyak, president of the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association, it means both.

Attendance at this year's Northern California Independent Booksellers Association (NCIBA) Trade Show was up, and booksellers who spoke to BTW dubbed it a terrific success. The show was held from Friday, October 5, through Sunday, October 7, at the Oakland Convention Center and Oakland City Center Marriott.

By Daniel Goldin, General Manager, Harry W. Schwartz Bookshops in Milwaukee

By Joe Foster, Ordering Manager, Maria's Bookshop in Durango, Colorado

By Megan Sullivan, Head Buyer, Harvard Bookstore in Cambridge, Massachusetts

By Rona Brinlee, Owner, The Bookmark in Atlantic Beach, Florida