On Demand Education Sessions

This session follows the format of an Open Forum: the opinions expressed are those of the individual participants, not of the ABA. Information discussed is reflective of the time of the recording. Please see the most recent coffee break and/or the daily email update for the most current information.

This session follows the format of an Open Forum: the opinions expressed are those of the individual participants, not of the ABA. Information discussed is reflective of the time of the recording. Please see the most recent coffee break and/or the daily email update for the most current information.

This forty-five minute long session offers attendees three lightning talks from booksellers who have had game-changing aha! moments in the past year. Presentations will be short — 10 minutes or less — and will focus on concepts that have saved money, improved operations, created a new efficiency, or increased sales. From major shakeups to a better system for ordering store supplies, innovative ideas come in all sizes but can make a big impact. Presentations this hour include: How to Turn Social Media Activism Into Increased Sales (Danny Caine, The Raven Bookstore, Lawrence, KS); Black Books Matter (Ramunda Lark Young, MahoganyBooks, Washington, D.C.); and Ithica is Books (Lisa Swayze, Buffalo Street Books, Ithaca, NY). Panelists: Danny Caine, The Raven Bookstore (Lawrence, KS), Lisa Swayze, Buffalo Street Books (Ithaca, NY), Ramunda Lark Young, MahoganyBooks (Washington, D.C.)

Bookshop CEO Andy Hunter will present Bookshop.org, an online bookstore that financially supports independent bookstores and explain how they hope to work with indies. Bookshop targets book buyers that would otherwise go to the major online retailer, and gives socially conscious book buyers an alternative that supports their values. This session will contain a brief demo of the platform and discussion of how indie bookstores can participate in the profit-sharing and use the platform to sell books and earn revenue. Panelists: Andy Hunter, Bookshop

Indies Introduce is about what independent booksellers do best: Discovering exciting debut authors and sharing the best with readers across the country. You will hear about the title selection process from the bookseller panelists who curated the Winter/Spring 2020 Indies Introduce list, which, according to Destenie Fafard of Cellar Door Books (Riverside, CA), provides panelists with “the privilege of reading debut authors’ work and giving a spotlight to those who perhaps wouldn’t be seen without our platform.” Many of the Winter/Spring 2020 Indies Introduce debut authors will be present to read a short passage and answer a question posed by one of the panelists. Authors will be available to sign copies of their debut books following the presentation.

If you want to boost your sales numbers, this is the session for you! Genre titles include a broad category of topics, including fantasy, science fiction, western, romance, horror, mystery, dystopia, and more. And readers of these genres are often heavily invested in purchasing these titles and participating in the fandom through events, cosplay, and more. Bookseller panelists will review the financial impact of increased attention on genre titles. Panelists: Jenny Cohen, Waucoma Bookstore (Hood River, OR), Amber Brown, Quail Ridge Books (Raleigh, NC), Danny Caine, The Raven Book Store (Lawrence, KS), Emily Hall Schroen, Main Street Books (St. Charles, MO)

Join bestselling novelist, memoirist, and short story writer Jennifer Finney Boylan as she explores the radical act of telling stories and the powerful role narrative plays as a catalyst for social change. Professor Jennifer Finney Boylan, author of fifteen books, is the inaugural Anna Quindlen Writer in Residence at Barnard College of Columbia University. Her column appears on the op-ed page of The New York Times on alternate Wednesdays. She serves on the Board of Trustees of PEN America. From 2011 to 2018 she served on the Board of Directors of GLAAD and also provided counsel for the TV series Transparent and I Am Cait. Her 2003 memoir, She’s Not There: A Life in Two Genders was the first bestselling work by a transgender American. A novelist, memoirist, and short story writer, she is also a nationally known advocate for human rights. She lives in New York City, and in Belgrade Lakes, Maine, with her wife, Deedie. They have a son, Sean and a daughter, Zai. Good Boy will be published by Celadon Books in April 2020.

Rebecca Solnit, the author of more than 20 critically acclaimed books, has long been championed by independent booksellers. In this Wi15 keynote event — “A (Feminist) Field Guide to Nonexistence” — she will talk about her formation as a feminist and a writer in the face of a misogynistic American society, how she discovered her voice as a woman and an author, and what it means to speak out in a society that prefers women to be silent. Rebecca Solnit is the author of A Field Guide to Getting Lost, The Faraway Nearby, A Paradise Built in Hell, River of Shadows, and Wanderlust: A History of Walking. She is also the author of Men Explain Things to Me and many essays on feminism, activism and social change, hope, and the climate crisis. 2003 book, River of Shadows, won the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Lannan Literary Award; her 2013 book, The Faraway Nearby, was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, and her most recent collection of essays, Call Them By Their True Names, was longlisted for the National Book Award and the Kirkus Prize. Her forthcoming book, Recollections of My Nonexistence, will be published by Viking in March 2020.

New technologies and shifting consumer buying behaviors have reshaped the business landscape. In this Wi15 keynote event, Ryan Raffaelli (@RyanLRaffaelli), associate professor of business administration at Harvard Business School, will present his groundbreaking research on how longstanding industries can increase their odds of achieving sustained growth in the face of new business threats. Professor Raffaelli will also preview findings from his forthcoming academic paper on the renewed strength of the independent bookstore channel. Drawing on eight years of in-depth field observations of bookstores in 25 states, more than 200 interviews and focus groups, and analysis of extensive archival data, the study examines the decline and subsequent rise of the U.S. independent bookselling sector from 2005 to today. Professor Raffaelli will highlight “3Cs” of reinvention – community, curation, and convening – and offer broader insights for local businesses and communities responding to current significant threats from online and corporate retail competition.

Pre-registration required; $59 fee per person; space is limited; attendance at Winter Institute is not required. Registration is closed. The IndieCommerce Institute is an interactive, classroom-style workshop for users of ABA’s e-commerce platforms. IndieCommerce Institute 2020 will feature two seminars: an IndieCommerce seminar for members using our IndieCommerce platform and an IndieLite seminar for members using our IndieLite platform. Each seminar will include step-by-step instructions for the topics covered. Each participant will be assigned their own test site to use and follow along with during the seminars. See the complete IndieCommerce Seminar schedule here. Panelists: Chanthee Keokhaw, ABA (White Plains, NY), Scott Nafz, ABA (White Plains, NY) , Geetha Nathan, ABA (White Plains, NY) , Ryan Quinn, ABA (White Plains, NY) , Matt Supko, Augment Digital (Huntsville, AL)

New Features
Don’t have the time to keep up with all the new features the IndieCommerce team is rolling out? Don’t worry, we got you covered. This session will include a live demonstration of all the recently added features and how your site can benefit from them.

Pre-registration required; $59 fee per person; space is limited; attendance at Winter Institute is not required. Registration is closed. The IndieCommerce Institute is an interactive, classroom-style workshop for users of ABA’s e-commerce platforms. IndieCommerce Institute 2020 will feature two seminars: an IndieCommerce seminar for members using our IndieCommerce platform and an IndieLite seminar for members using our IndieLite platform. Each seminar will include step-by-step instructions for the topics covered. Each participant will be assigned their own test site to use and follow along with during the seminars. See the complete IndieCommerce Seminar schedule here. Panelists: Chanthee Keokhaw, ABA (White Plains, NY), Scott Nafz, ABA (White Plains, NY) , Geetha Nathan, ABA (White Plains, NY) , Ryan Quinn, ABA (White Plains, NY) , Matt Supko, Augment Digital (Huntsville, AL)

Promoting and Selling Pre-Orders
Did you know your IndieCommerce website has great tools for handling pre-orders? In this session, we will cover everything from creating custom products for pre-order titles all the way to processing these pre-orders and generating custom reports. We will share best practices and marketing tips from other IndieCommerce stores.

Pre-registration required; $59 fee per person; space is limited; attendance at Winter Institute is not required. Registration is closed. The IndieCommerce Institute is an interactive, classroom-style workshop for users of ABA’s e-commerce platforms. IndieCommerce Institute 2020 will feature two seminars: an IndieCommerce seminar for members using our IndieCommerce platform and an IndieLite seminar for members using our IndieLite platform. Each seminar will include step-by-step instructions for the topics covered. Each participant will be assigned their own test site to use and follow along with during the seminars. See the complete IndieCommerce Seminar schedule here. Panelists: Chanthee Keokhaw, ABA (White Plains, NY), Scott Nafz, ABA (White Plains, NY) , Geetha Nathan, ABA (White Plains, NY) , Ryan Quinn, ABA (White Plains, NY) , Matt Supko, Augment Digital (Huntsville, AL)

Store Books, Signed Copies, Pre-Order Titles
Selling books unique to your store

Actress Alyssa Milano is a lifelong activist who is passionate about fighting for human rights. In addition to being named a National Ambassador by UNICEF and a 2017 Person of the Year by Time, Milano speaks to kids around the country about the importance of voting and teaches them how to fill out a ballot. Most recently, Milano popularized the #MeToo hashtag. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two kids.

Elizabeth Acevedo is the author of The Poet X, which won the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, the Michael L. Printz Award, the Pura Belpré Award, and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. She is a National Poetry Slam champion and holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of Maryland. She lives with her partner in Washington, D.C.

You know you want to bring authors to your store and into area schools, but how do you begin to ask publishers? Two words: “Author Grids.” In this session, panelists who have mastered the author grid will share with attendees:

• Tips for a perfect pitch
• The power of your sales rep
• How to create a stellar general event profile
• How to anticipate attendance
• How to request access to grids

This year, the American Booksellers Association is partnering with Well-Read Black Girl founder Glory Edim to bring book club meetings to independent bookstores nationwide with the goal of amplifying diverse voices and supporting emerging writers of color. Booksellers are invited to sign on to serve as ambassadors and host Well-Read Black Girl book clubs in their stores throughout the year. Learn more about the partnership.

Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales, The Little Prince, Pippi Longstocking, Asterix — what do they all have in common? They are all beloved classics that have been translated from the authors’ original languages and have enriched the U.S. children’s book landscape as well as readers of all ages. In this informational session, publishing personnel will share with attendees:

• An overview of the translation and rights process
• Why translated books are important
• How to promote and sell these books to U.S. audiences
• How books can be used in outreach to schools and community groups
• How translated books can foster diversity, cultural awareness, and cross-cultural understanding

Indies Introduce is about what independent booksellers do best: Discovering exciting debut authors and sharing the best with readers across the country. You will hear about the title selection process from the bookseller panelists who curated the list and many of this season’s debut authors will be present to read a short passage and answer a question posed by one of the panelists.

Almost every bookstore has a story time, but not every bookstore has a story time that keeps customers coming back again and again. This session is designed to teach attendees:

• The performance aspect of story time and how to turn up the energy
• Tips and tricks to be the best reader in the world
• How to keep little ones engaged
• Ways to adjust your approach when the crowd gets restless
• How to read to kids of all ages

You don’t need an infinite amount of space to remain competitive in independent bookselling. Bookstores under 1,000 square feet share what they do to maximize their selling space and host events without having to knock down walls. Attendees will learn from panelists who call a small store home:

• The logistics of hosting an in-store event
• Crowd management in a small space
• Inventory management in a small stockroom
• Keeping it fresh with inventive displays

Title 1 schools work with a small number of resources and even smaller budgets to bring authors to student audiences, host book fairs, and keep accounts with independent bookstores. Luckily, many bookstores do manage successful and profitable partnerships with Title 1 schools. Panelists with ongoing success in partnering with Title 1 schools will share with attendees:

• How to approach Title 1 schools
• How these partnerships are effective and profitable
• How to assist a school in maximizing monies received from a granting organization
• How to build community goodwill through partnership with a Title 1 school

Ann Patchett, the author of eight novels and three works of nonfiction, is the winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award, England’s Orange Prize, and the Book Sense Book of the Year, and was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. Her work has been translated into more than 30 languages. She is the co-owner of Parnassus Books in Nashville, where she lives with her husband, Karl, and their dog, Sparky.

The goal of this session is to help bookstore owners and employees learn how to empower themselves to end uncomfortable situations, including harassment, with professionalism and respect. Among other things, the panel will discuss tips for identifying and navigating out of these distressing situations and suggestions for talking points booksellers can rely on while under duress. Booksellers will hear discussions on:

• Prioritizing personal safety
• Tips for changing the power dynamic
• Tips for extricating yourself from a situation in a professional way
• Learning how to ask for help when needed

Creating and nurturing relationships with publishers is key to building a thriving business. Panelists in this session will provide an overview of how publishers work with independent bookstores and discuss steps booksellers can take to capitalize on and grow these relationships. Booksellers will learn:

• Best practices for networking with publishers at industry events
• What publishers look for in event proposal and how to land the A-List author
• Best practices for pitching events in person
• How to keep your relationships moving forward

Gain a better understanding of the valuable role Instagram can play in your bookstore’s marketing program with Two Cats Communication as they share a holistic overview of best business practices utilizing the social media platform. This session will set bookstores up for Instagram success by teaching attendees:

• Optimization tips
• The benefits of an Instagram Business Account
• How to develop a consistent brand
• Platform features that can increase your reach and bring value to your bookstore

There are many factors that go into publisher decisions for author visits and tours, and bookseller event grids help them make those choices. In this session, booksellers will see sample event grids from publisher panelists and learn more about how publishers approach author tours and what they are looking for from bookstores. Booksellers will learn:

• The number-one thing publishers are looking for in potential events
• How to make your event proposal stand out
• How to use Edelweiss to make your grids more specific
• Important ways to follow up after you submit the grid

Industry experts present a review of the most recent data on the U.S. book market with a deep-dive into the latest trends. There will be plenty of new insights to help attendees improve their business in the coming year.