2016 Children’s Institute Registration Now Open

Registration for the American Booksellers Association’s fourth ABC Children’s Institute (Ci4) is now open to booksellers at all ABA member stores. The event will be held from June 21 to 23 at the Wyndham Orlando Resort International in Orlando, Florida, just prior to the American Library Association’s annual conference.

Ci4 offers six keynote and plenary talks, 10 brand-new education sessions, roundtable discussions, the always-popular Author Reception, Rep Picks Speed Dating, a Backlist Book Swap Party, a Scholastic Meet & Treat Party, and more. The institute is made possible by the support of lead sponsor Baker & Taylor with additional support from publisher sponsors large and small.

The nonrefundable Ci4 conference fee is $89 per bookseller. Space is limited, and there is a maximum of five registrants per ABA member business.

Through March 31, every bookseller registration received from an ABC Children’s Group member store in good standing will be entered into a drawing to win one of three prizes from Ci4’s three keynote speakers:

• A Raymie Nightingale (Candlewick) c-print and a carton of mixed titles, all signed by Kate DiCamillo
• A trip to Coral Gables, Florida, for lunch with Dave Barry (The Worst Night Ever, Disney)
• A trip to Middlebury, Vermont, for lunch with Julia Alvarez and illustrator Sabra Field (Where Do They Go?, Triangle Square), followed by their book launch party and art opening

The winners will be drawn in Orlando with prizes awarded to three lucky stores. Stores with more than one registered bookseller will have that many extra entries in the drawing. (Prize rules are available here.)

Ci4’s roster of featured speakers includes Dr. Dana Suskind, author of Thirty Million Words: Building a Child’s Brain (Dutton); Jeff James, vice president and general manager of Disney Institute, the professional development arm of The Walt Disney Company; and Kristen McLean, director of new business development at Nielsen Book, a part of Nielsen Entertainment. (Learn more about Ci4’s plenary and featured speakers here.)

The Children’s Institute kicks off on Tuesday evening, June 21, with a Meet & Greet for Scholarship Recipients and a Welcome Reception and Backlist Book Swap Party. Wednesday and Thursday, June 22 and 23, are packed with educational programming, including 10 breakout sessions divided into three tracks: Literacy Development; Consumer Initiatives; and Buying, Merchandising & Operations. (The complete Ci4 program is available here.)

The special ABA rate at the Wyndham Orlando Resort International is $129 plus tax (single or double occupancy, inclusive of resort fee) and is available until Thursday, May 26, or until the block is sold out. There is a $20 per night extra person charge. The rate is valid for bookings from June 18 through June 26, 2016, subject to availability. (More on the hotel and a link to reservations is available here.)

Stores that are not current on their ABA and/or ABC memberships can renew their dues here or contact ABA’s Member Relationship Managers.

Booksellers at ABA member stores that did not have a Children’s Institute scholarship winner in 2014 or 2015 can apply for a Ci4 scholarship by the March 31 deadline.

Booksellers who are interested in serving on a Ci4 session panel, as well as anyone with questions about the institute, should contact ABC Group Manager Matthew Zoni.

Register now.