ABA Town Hall & Annual Membership Meetings on May 29

This year's American Booksellers Association Town Hall and Annual Membership meetings will be held on Friday, May 29, at the Javits Convention Center in New York City in conjunction with BookExpo America.

The Town Hall Meeting, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Room 1E11, offers ABA member booksellers the opportunity to express opinions and share ideas with ABA Board members and staff in a less formal setting than the ABA Membership Meeting, which follows. Booksellers are encouraged to ask questions and make suggestions on any topic of concern.

In order to provide the opportunity for as many members as possible to speak during the Town Hall meeting, a sign-up sheet will be prominently displayed in the ABA Lounge at the convention center beginning Thursday morning, May 28. Sign up is on a first-come, first-served basis, though the Board will do its best to make sure all members with questions or issues have the opportunity to speak. Booksellers will be called upon in the order in which they sign up.

Current and new members of ABA's Board of Directors will be at the association's Annual Membership Meeting, to be held from 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. in Room 1E09 of the convention center. The agenda includes the formal announcement of this year's election results for new officers and Board members; reports from the president and the CEO on the past year's activities; a membership and financial update; and the opportunity for members to bring old and/or new business to the Board's attention.

This year, membership will also be asked to vote on proposed changes to Articles IV and VIII of the ABA Bylaws to allow the association to use electronic means to notify members about governance issues and for ballot distribution and voting. Currently, bookstore members must opt in to receive electronic notifications. The Bylaws were written almost 10 years ago, before the massive growth in electronic communications, and they require that notification about governance issues and elections be conducted through the "mail." If the amendment is passed this year, it will allow next year's process to go forward electronically -- without the need for members to opt in. (Learn more.)

Voting cards will be available outside the meeting room two hours prior to the Annual Membership Meeting.