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Wednesday, January 11, 2023  
Announcing the Wi2023 Keynotes!
 

The American Booksellers Association’s 18th annual Winter Institute in Seattle will feature five keynote presentations throughout the February 20–23 event.

Keynote events will feature:

  • Cory Doctorow, in conversation with Danny Caine and Stacy Mitchell about the risks posed by capitalist chokepoints and gaining strategies to fight back.
  • Michelle MiJung Kim in conversation with Hannah Oliver Depp about creating a more equitable world and going beyond performative allyship.
  • Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, Chloe Gong, Taj McCoy, and Andrew Joseph White in a panel conversation keynote with Calvin Crosby about subverting different genre tropes to imagine worlds past, present, and future.
  • Maia Kobabe, Kendrick Washington, Heather Hall, and Laura DeLaney in a keynote conversation moderated by Ray Daniels about book bannings, the rights of readers, and the importance of representation in books. 
  • Ani Di Franco in conversation with Robert Sindelar and Carrie Colliton, moderated by Courtney Wallace about the impact of independent artists and industries on culture and community.

Visit BookWeb.org to see the full Winter Institute program. Questions about Winter Institute can be directed to [email protected].
 
Check out the Wi2023 Keynotes

Registration for the Winter Institute is full, but ABA will be hosting a special Virtual Winter Institute on Thursday, March 23, 2023 primarily featuring recorded keynote presentations and education sessions, a virtual Galley Room, and opportunities for networking with booksellers from around the country. Authors will be in attendance in the chat in many of the sessions! Watch Bookselling This Week (BTW) for registration and more details.

Registered booksellers who are no longer planning to attend Winter Institute are asked to notify ABA as soon as possible so waiting booksellers can be offered a chance to attend. Booksellers on the waitlist will be notified on a first-come, first-served basis if cancellations are received. All cancellation requests should be e-mailed to [email protected].
ICYMI: 40 Days Until Winter Institute 2023

On Tuesday, January 10, registered booksellers received an email from [email protected] with the subject line “Rep Picks Accessibility Requests and IndieCommerce/Publisher Appointment Scheduling” with upcoming sign-ups for accommodations and individual appointments at Winter Institute. Refer back to that email for the following actions:

  • Rep Picks Accessibility Room Accommodation Request
  • Indie Commerce 1:1’s sign-ups open Wednesday, January 18
  • Publishers by Appointment sign-ups open Wednesday, January 18

Continue to keep an eye on your inboxes leading up to Winter Institute 2023 from [email protected] for other actions you’ll need to take including completing your HealthShield vaccination verification.
Membership Renewal Reminder

Membership renewals are underway; you should have received an email from ABA CEO Allison Hill on January 5. Read Allison's Full Letter and be sure to renew your store’s membership.
Membership Renewal Letter
Action Items
2022 Sales Survey

There’s still time to let us know how your store did in 2022. Thanks in advance for responding to this brief 4 question sales survey by this Monday, January 16.
One Second Survey: ABA news and communication on social media

To better serve booksellers through communications, let us know if you look to ABA social media channels for important information:
Next Steps for IBD

Although ordering for IBD is closed, stores who wish to participate without exclusives can sign up to be added to the Indie Bound IBD Map, which goes live in March. Sign-ups for general participation run through March 31, 2023.

Additionally, T-shirts and apparel are available for purchase on demand on the IBD Bonfire website.
Partner with AMIBA’s Shop Black Owned Campaign

The American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA) invites booksellers to amplify the “Shop Black-Owned” message in February (and all year long!). AMIBA has compiled articles and resources to leverage the movement including:
Deadline for 2023 Health Coverage is Almost Here

With less than a week left in the 2023 Open Enrollment Period, booksellers should be sure that they have the right coverage for themselves, their family, and/or their employees as the deadline draws near. For booksellers that need a February 1 start date for their health coverage, the deadline for enrollment is January 15, 2023. For more information, see the article on BookWeb. 
Save the Date

Save the date for these upcoming events:

For 2023:

ShopTalk and ShopTalk Subsets will be combined. Sessions will occur every other month. The majority of each session will be set aside for smaller breakout groups, with the last 15 minutes of the hour reserved for a larger group discussion.

Board Office Hours and ABA Open Houses will also be combined to create an opportunity for members to connect and engage in discussion with both Board members and the ABA team. Members of the ABA Board of Directors, the ABA CEO, and other members of the ABA staff will be in attendance.
What to Know
January 16 is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Civil Rights Day

To honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Civil Rights Day on Monday, January 16, members of the ABA team shared books on non-violent protests, peaceful resistance, and empowering us to action:
20% Off Canva Pro Subscription Plan

For teams of all sizes wanting to create premium branded content — from social media graphics to event posters and more — this Canva Pro partnership is for you. Through ABA, new subscribers can enjoy 20% off Canva Pro subscription plans. To sign up, make sure you're logged in to BookWeb.org, then follow the link to our Canva partner page.
Buzz Editors Panel

The Buzz Books Editors Panel, sponsored by Publishers Lunch and ABA, is on Wednesday, January 25, 2023. Join editors as they describe exciting forthcoming titles and interview their six breakout authors. Galleys are available for the first 50 bookseller registrants.
A Q&A with Krystal Marquis, Indies Introduce Author of the January/February Kids’ Indie Next List Top Pick “The Davenports”

Independent booksellers across the country have chosen Winter/Spring 2023 Indies Introduce YA author Krystal Marquis' The Davenports as their top pick for the January/February 2023 Kids Next List. Here, Kaliisha Cole of Whitelam Books talks with Marquis about The Davenports.
Bookstore Romance Day

Mark your calendars! The fifth Bookstore Romance Day, created by Billie Bloebaum, will be on Saturday, August 19, 2023! Bookstores that sell Romance in any form, from Classics to YA to those books we all think of as “Romance” or anything in-between, can participate in Bookstore Romance Day on August 19, 2023. Complete the sign-up form to be included on our website, as well as receive information about swag and merchandise and special offers.
 
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