ABA Education & More at MBA, MPIBA & SIBA Shows

The American Booksellers Association is looking forward to seeing booksellers at next week's trade shows hosted by the Midwest, Mountains & Plains, and Southern booksellers associations. ABA staff will be at each to celebrate independent bookselling, visit with booksellers, and share some updated and innovative education sessions. Booksellers are also invited to stop by ABA's tables at the shows to learn how the association's programs and services can help their businesses. In addition, at all three shows there will be Edelweiss demonstration and education sessions presented by Above the Treeline. Edelweiss is the new free interactive catalogs system for stores and their publisher reps.

Booksellers who do stop by the ABA tables will have an extra chance at winning one of more than two-dozen publisher-sponsored scholarships to the Fifth Annual Winter Institute, to be held at the Doubletree San Jose in San Jose, California, from February 3 - 5, 2010. Scholarship winners will be selected from among all ABA bookseller members, with booksellers dropping off a business card at the regional shows earning an extra entry in the scholarship drawings. Scholarships cover the cost of reasonable airfare, up to a four-night hotel stay at the Doubletree San Jose, and Wi5 meal fees.

Here's a look the latest on ABA programming at each of the shows (check on-site for times and room numbers).

Midwest Booksellers Association (MBA)

The MBA trade show will be held from Friday, September 25, through Saturday, September 26, at the RiverCentre and nearby venues in St. Paul, Minnesota.

ABA education sessions on Friday, open to all MBA attendees, are:

• Going Digital: The Case for E-Books
  Aimed at all booksellers interested in this topic
  The industry has been hyping e-books since the late 1990s. But the reality might finally be outpacing the hype. E-book sales are growing at 150 percent or more each month, and consumer interest has been piqued by the iPhone, Kindle, and Sony eReader. Come to a presentation on how and why the e-book phenomenon is real and happening now. Moderated by Paige Poe, IndieBound outreach liaison.

• Social Media & the Independent Bookseller
  Aimed at booksellers of all levels who are interested in social media
  Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blogs, and other social networking sites have fundamentally changed the way people approach not only their private lives, but also their business transactions. Social media networks are not the wave of the future -- they are the wave of now; in today's connected world you are no longer building relationships with "customers" but with "friends." Booksellers will leave the session with a greater understanding of where this paradigm shift is taking small businesses. Moderated by Paige Poe, IndieBound outreach liaison.

• Conversation on Local First Campaigns in the Midwest
  Aimed at all booksellers interested in this topic
  Not only do locally owned businesses have a far greater economic impact on their communities than do national chains, there is growing evidence that by working with other independently owned businesses in your town or city, your store can become more profitable. Hear success stories from the Midwest, and learn about the important role that bookstores can play in the creation of independent business alliances and in convincing more and more consumers to shop locally. Moderated by Oren Teicher, ABA CEO.

In addition, on Friday booksellers are encouraged to attend an Edelweiss demonstration and education session, where they can get the most current information on this new, free interactive catalog system. Presented by Ruth Bradstreet, director of customer service, Above the Treeline.

To learn more about the show, visit midwestbooksellers.org.

Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association (MPIBA)

The MPIBA trade show is scheduled for Wednesday, September 23, through Saturday, September 26, at the Crowne Plaza Denver International Airport in Colorado.

ABA is offering two education sessions, open to all MPIBA attendees:

• Surviving Tough Times
  Friday at 9:15 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. in the Vail Room
  Aimed at owners and managers
  Financial markets are strained, energy prices are soaring, and your customers are scared. This isn't the first time, and it won't be the last, that your business has to navigate tough times, and while the road may be bumpy, there are proven strategies to help you emerge stronger. Come hear bookseller experts discuss the value of cash reserves, controlling expenses, managing inventory, managing staff, and providing leadership skills. Moderated by Len Vlahos, ABA COO.

• ABA IndieCommerce: The New System
  Friday at 11:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. in the Vail Room
  Aimed at booksellers currently using the product
  ABA IndieCommerce (the program formerly known as BookSense.com) has been transformed. Specifically, the product has migrated to an open-source content management system called Drupal. This new and improved program provides booksellers with more intuitive and robust administrative tools, allows for much greater control over the look and feel of their websites, and allows ABA staff to roll out new features more quickly. Come see a demo of this new product and have questions answered by ABA staff. Presented by Len Vlahos, ABA COO.

In addition, on Saturday booksellers are encouraged to attend an Edelweiss demonstration and education session to begin immediately after the show floor closes. Participants will get the most current information on this new, free interactive catalog system. Presented by Nicole Magistro of the Bookworm of Edwards in Edwards, Colorado, and Eric Boss from Penguin.

To learn more about the show, visit mountainsplains.org.

Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA) Trade Show

The SIBA trade show will be held from Friday, September 25, through Sunday, September 27, at the Carolina First Center in Greenville, South Carolina.

ABA education sessions, open to all SIBA attendees, are:

• Social Media & The Independent Bookseller
  Friday at 9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. in Room 101B
  Aimed at booksellers of all levels who are interested in social media.
  Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blogs and other social networking sites have fundamentally changed the way people approach not only their private lives, but also their business transactions. Social media networks are not the wave of the future -- they are the wave of now; in today's connected world booksellers are no longer building relationships with "customers" but with "friends." Booksellers will leave the session with a greater understanding of where this paradigm shift is taking small businesses. Moderated by Meg Smith, ABA chief marketing officer.

• Independents Week: Creating a Community-Wide Local First Celebration
  Friday at 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. in Room 101B
  Aimed at owners, marketing staff, and events coordinators.
  Booksellers will hear examples of existing Independents Week activities, get practical tips on creating an event that fits different communities, and brainstorm with colleagues about how to host the best Indie Week -- whether it's in July, December, or somewhere in between. Moderated by Meg Smith, ABA chief marketing officer.

In addition, on Thursday booksellers are encouraged to attend an Edelweiss demonstration and education session, where they can get the most current information on this new, free interactive catalogs system.

To learn more about the show, visit sibaweb.com.