Dear booksellers, Well, 2021 is off to a start. We're ending this week focused on the task at hand... Reminders Financial Snapshot Survey (5 minutes; due 1/18)
Please submit your quick answers to ABA’s financial data survey! We’ve heard from fewer than 1% of members and we really want to gain insight into how stores are doing, what you need, and how we can help so we can better support you. You don’t need to have closed your books or have your finalized financials. We just need an idea of how you’re doing. The results will inform our talking points when meeting with publishers and the media. We plan to share the results with the membership. All responses are 100% confidential. The deadline for the survey is January 18.
Winter Institute Registration (5 minutes; due 1/29)
Registration opened for the 2021 Winter Institute this week! This year it’s virtual, there’s no cap on attendance, and you don’t have to travel, so take advantage of this opportunity and join us on February 18–20 for education, rep picks, poetry, and the chance to be together. Registration closes January 29.
DEIC Nominations (2 minutes; due 1/20)
Nominations or self-nominations are due by 11:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday, January 20, for ABA’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee (DEIC), which serves as a sounding board and advisory council on issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, representation, and access facing the bookselling community and ABA. We’re looking for individuals who represent different diverse identities; learn more here and nominate yourself or a colleague now.
PPP Will Reopen Monday, January 11 The Paycheck Protection Program will reopen next week in light of the new COVID-19 relief package, which made a number of changes to the program (watch BTW next week for a full breakdown). In the hopes of promoting access to capital, the Small Business Administration announced that only community financial institutions will be able to make first draw PPP loans on Monday, January 11, and second draw PPP loans on Wednesday, January 13. PPP will open to all participating lenders shortly thereafter. If you have not yet received a PPP loan, you may be eligible for a first draw loan. If you have already received a PPP loan, you may be eligible for a second draw loan if you: Employ 300 or fewer employees; Have exhausted your first PPP loan; and Demonstrate at least a 25 percent reduction in gross receipts in any quarter in 2020 compared to the same quarter in 2019.
Booksellers: If you are interested in and eligible for either a first or second draw PPP loan, contact your lender immediately about the steps you’ll need to take to apply.
Independent Bookstore Day - Starting next week, booksellers can register to participate in Independent Bookstore Day (IBD), taking place this year on Saturday, April 24. The catalog of exclusive IBD-only items and the order form will go live on the IBD website on January 15. Booksellers can register to participate in IBD via the order form, with or without ordering merchandise, through February 5. Stores that register will receive all important Bookstore Day information, marketing materials, and a place on the searchable map.
Next Week’s Events Monday, January 11, at 1:00 p.m. ET: New Member Coffee Break (for new and new-ish members)
In the first part of a series introducing the benefits of ABA, this session will offer a tutorial on navigating Bookweb.org to ensure a better understanding of where to find the information most vital for members. The presentation will look at education resources, networking and community, business affinity partnerships, marketing, advocacy, and much more. The end of the session will offer booksellers an open forum during which they can ask questions and talk with ABA staff. Registration is required. Tuesday, January 12, at 3:00 p.m. ET: Afternoon Coffee Break
Join us for an opportunity to share support, ask questions, and trade best practices. All booksellers are welcome. If you’ve never attended this event before, it’s a great way to hear what’s working well at other stores and crowdsource solutions to any challenges you’re facing at your store. Email [email protected] for Zoom login details (new year, new password!). Wednesday, January 13, at 2:00 p.m. ET: Building School Partnerships: Your Librarian, Your Friend
A strong relationship with a school librarian can amplify events and boost institutional sales for your children’s bookstore or kids’ department. Booksellers from stores with strong ties to their school district’s librarians will discuss how to reach out to librarians, what collaboration looks like, the best way to cultivate the partnership, and how a strong relationship with librarians can benefit a bookstore. Register here. Thursday, January 14, at 1:00 p.m. ET: Technology Meetup: Open Conversation
This Technology Meetup will not have any specific guest speakers. Instead, booksellers are invited to partake in an open conversation about the results of the feedback survey, the technologies that improve their business operations on a daily basis, and what they might look into during 2021. Registration is required. Thursday, January 14, at 6:00 p.m. ET: BIPOC Meetup and ABA Forum
ABA has been scheduling monthly BIPOC Coffee Breaks for Black, Indigenous, or People of Color booksellers and bookstore owners since the summer. ABA also began its first quarterly BIPOC forum in October for BIPOC members to share concerns and ideas with ABA CEO Allison Hill. On January 14, the two come together for a BIPOC gathering that combines the Coffee Break with the forum so that BIPOC booksellers can share ideas for the BIPOC Coffee Breaks going forward; needs for ABA services, programming, and support in general; and questions or thoughts for ABA CEO Allison Hill, ABA COO Joy Dallangera-Sanger, IndieCommerce Senior Manager Geetha Nathan, and ABA Senior Membership Manager Daniel O’Brien. Booksellers interested in attending should email [email protected] for the session information.
Education for Allies A recommendation from the Cultures Connecting Team: Dr. Caprice Hollins’ amazing TEDx Talk on What White People Can Do to Move Race Conversations Forward.
ABA is here for all of you. Please reach out if there is anything we can help with. Members can contact me directly or email the Membership, Advocacy, or IndieCommerce teams. Best,
Allison |
