Children’s Institute Breakout Session Topics Announced
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Adding to the list of outstanding keynote and featured speakers announced last week, the American Booksellers Association today revealed the topics for nine breakout sessions to be offered at the 2016 ABC Children’s Institute. The breakout sessions will be presented in three tracks over the course of ABA’s fourth Children’s Institute (Ci4), which will be held from June 21 to 23 at the Wyndham Orlando Resort International in Orlando, Florida.
The three tracks and breakout session topics are:
Literacy Development
- Literacy development for babies and toddlers
- Reaching reluctant readers
- Understanding and selling early readers and leveled books
The previously announced featured talk by Dr. Dana Suskind, author of Thirty Million Words: Building a Child’s Brain (Dutton), will also be part of the Literacy Development track.
Consumer Initiatives
- Creating a welcome environment for readers with special needs
- Hosting board game and other non-author events
- Stemming the Summer Slide with summer reading and book camps
The featured talk on customer service by Jeff James, vice president and general manager of Disney Institute, the professional development arm of The Walt Disney Company, will be part of the Consumer Initiatives track.
Buying, Merchandising & Operations
- Buying and merchandising book and non-book for the holidays
- Innovative approaches to organizing middle grade and YA
- Rethinking and rearranging children’s nonfiction
ABA is also working with the American Library Association to present the featured talk “Partnering With Your Local Library for Events and Other Initiatives” as part of both the Children’s Institute’s Buying, Merchandising & Operations track and the ALA Annual Conference, immediately following Ci4.
Registration for the Children’s Institute is set to open next Wednesday, February 24, and is open to booksellers at all ABA member stores.
Booksellers who are interested in being part of a breakout session panel are encouraged to contact ABC Group Manager Matthew Zoni. In addition, ABA is working with local educators, librarians, and professional organizations, as well as ALA to identify other expert presenters.
The application process for a Children’s Institute Scholarship is open until March 31, 2016. The scholarships, which cover the Ci4 conference fee, the cost of airfare or ground transportation up to $400, and two hotel nights plus tax, are open to booksellers from ABA member stores that did not have a Children’s Institute scholarship winner in 2014 or 2015.