ABA's Town Hall and Annual Membership Meetings to Convene at BEA

The American Booksellers Association Town Hall and Annual Membership meetings will be held on Friday, May 30, at the Los Angeles Convention Center in conjunction with BookExpo America.

The Town Hall Meeting, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Room 502A of the convention center's West Building, is where ABA member booksellers can express opinions and share ideas with Board members and staff in a less formal setting than at the ABA Membership Meeting, which immediately follows. Outgoing President Russ Lawrence of Chapter One Book Store in Hamilton, Montana, and incoming President Gayle Shanks of Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe, Arizona, will host the meeting, where members are encouraged to ask questions and voice concerns.

A sign-up sheet for members who would like to speak at the Town Hall meeting will be prominently displayed in the ABA Lounge (Room 515A of the West Building), beginning Friday morning. Members will be called on to speak in the order in which they have signed up; however, the Board will do its best to make sure all members with concerns have the opportunity to speak.

New and outgoing members of ABA's Board of Directors and senior staff will be at the association's Annual Membership Meeting, immediately following the Town Hall, from 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. in Room 502A of the West Building.

Among the items on this year's agenda are reports by ABA President Lawrence on the past year's activities and by CEO Avin Mark Domnitz on the association's major new initiative to be announced the evening before at the Celebration of Bookselling.

Members at the Town Hall will also be provided with a copy of the association's Consolidated Financial Statements, With Independent Auditors' Report, for the years ending September 30, 2007 and 2006. Voting cards will be available immediately outside the meeting room.