Lightning Talks

• Guide
• Slide Deck
• Spreadsheet Template

• Slide Deck

ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On October 10, 2024, Leah Johnson of Loudmouth Books (Indianapolis, IN) discussed Boozy Book Fairs.

Links & Files

• Slide Deck

ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On October 10, 2024, Ally Kirkpatrick of Old Town Books (Alexandria, VA) discussed Crafting Non-bookstore Partnerships.

• Slide Deck

ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On October 10, 2024, Lily Rugo of Harvard Book Store (Cambridge, MA) discussed Book Clubs and Bookstores.

Links & Files

• Slide Deck

ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On September 12, 2024, Erin Matthews of The Last Word (Mt. Airy, MD) discussed the Dos and Don'ts of Small Business Loans.

ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On September 12, 2024, Philomena Polefrone of ABFE discussed Observing Banned Books Week in Your Store.

ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On September 12, 2024, Cathy Berner of Blue Willow Bookshop (Houston, TX) discussed how to run an author event signing line in your store.

ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On August 8, 2024 Courtney Ulrich Smith of Underbrush Books (Rogers, AR) discussed Subscription Programs.

ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On August 8, 2024 Lyn Ciurro of Bound to Happen Books (Stevens Point, WI) discussed being a Blue Dot in a Red State.

Links & Files

• Slide Deck

ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On August 8, 2024 Danielle King of Left Bank Books (St. Louis, MO) discussed Writing Compelling Shelf Talkers.

ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On July 11, 2024, Aysia Brown of Protagonist Black (Pomona, CA) discussed supporting indie authors through their Friends of the Shop local author program.

Files & Links

• Slide Deck
• Protagonist Black's Friends of the Shop Email Template

ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On July 11, 2024, Morgan Haywood-Joy of Greenlight Bookstore (Brooklyn, NY) discussed Community Outreach.

Files & Links
Slide Deck

ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On May 9, 2024, Lily Taliaferro of Eagle Harbor Book Company (Bainbridge Island, WA) discussed building awareness & visibility for the children's section in your bookstore. 

Files & Links

• Slide Deck
• Eagle Harbor's Bookseller Scavenger Hunt

ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting short talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On May 9, 2024, Preet Singh (Eagle Eye Book Shop) discussed book fest planning and logistics.

Files & Links

• Slide Deck
• Love Y'all Romance Book Fest

ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On May 9, 2024, Sophie Nogar of Second Star to the Right Books (Denver, CO) discussed book donation campaigns to increase access to LGBTQIA2S+ books. 

Files & Links

• Carabiner Collections Donation Registry

ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On March 14, 2024, Bregette Poore (Child's Play Toys & Books) discussed Buying/Sourcing Toys.

ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On March 14, 2024, Emily Autenrieth (A Seat at the Table Books) discussed Calculating Sales for Store Sustainability.

ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On February 22, 2024, Erin Ball of Third Place Books (Lake Forest Park, WA) discussed Bookstore Crawls.

ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On January 11, 2024, Laura DeLaney of Rediscovered Books (Boise, ID) on Testifying In Committee.

ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On January 11, 2024, Kelsy April of Bank Square Books (Mystic, CT) on Bringing Winter Institute Back to Your Staff.

ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On January 11, 2024, Emma Kaas (Norwich Bookstore) discussed Taking Annual Inventory.

ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On October 12, 2023, Lane Jacobson (Paulina Springs Books) discussed Employee Retention.

ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On August 10, 2023, Zsamé Morgan (Babycake's Book Stack) discussed Weekly Events Inventory Curation in Niche Model Bookstores.

ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On August 10, 2023, Dick Hermans of Oblong Books (Millerton & Rhinebeck, NY) discussed Music Retailing.

ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On August 10, 2023, Cynthia Compton of 4 Kids Books & Toys (Zionsville, IN) discussed Podium.

ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On June 15, 2023, Angela Trigg of The Haunted Book Shop (Mobile, Alabama) discussed harnessing the power of Airtable.

ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On June 15, 2023, Isis Asare of Sistah SciFi (Oakland, CA) discussed Book Vending Machines.