Publishers Find Winter Institute a Win-Win Event

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The second annual ABA Winter Institute concluded its two days of programming on Friday, February 2, in Portland, Oregon, and publishers who attended overwhelmingly praised the event, which combined education sessions and Rep's Picks presentations with a reception at Powell's, author events, and plenty of time for networking.

"It was quite wonderful to see everyone gathered together," said Trish Weyenberg, Penguin director of field sales, paperback. "The enthusiasm was fantastic.... It was an exciting time for publishers as well as booksellers."

Several publishers noted that the attendance cap of 500 helped make the event such a success. Carla Gray, Houghton Mifflin's senior marketing manager, told BTW, "I think the size was so manageable. I even mentioned to Len [Vlahos, ABA's director of education and of BookSense.com] that I hope the Winter Institute doesn't get any bigger. It makes it easy to talk to a huge number of people." Noting that there was a palpable sense of energy and excitement in the Winter Institute's Galley Room, Gray said she came away "completely reinvigorated" about the state of fiction in the book industry. For publishers, another bonus was the chance for booksellers to meet and talk with authors at the successful Authors Reception.

Grove/Atlantic Publisher Morgan Entrekin also appreciated the focus and intimacy generated at the Portland event. "I loved the Winter Institute," he said. "I thought it was fantastic. It was just great to be with 500 wonderful booksellers and not have a lot of other confusion."

Eric Price, Grove/Atlantic's associate publisher, told BTW that all the one-on-one time gave him the chance to hear issues important to booksellers. " It's so important for us to be aware of [bookseller'] issues, problems, and successes."

Weyenberg reported that the Winter Institute's keynote speaker, Daniel Pink, a contributing editor at Wired magazine and the author of A Whole New Mind (Riverhead), was "very pleased with the turnout and the reaction of booksellers." In addition, Weyenberg mentioned that throughout the two-day event, she heard booksellers referring to Pink's presentation, which posited that such skills as empathy, storytelling, and inventiveness are much more valuable for individuals, businesses, and, ultimately, society. "It was very exciting," she said.

Although education sessions were centered on bookstore-specific issues, including creating great special events and increasing sales, publishers also found them helpful. Weyenberg, who attended "Handselling: Customer Service With Results," said, "It's always interesting to hear what booksellers do to train on handselling. That's where independent booksellers have the edge."

Anita Perala, Perseus Books Group marketing director, said she thought the educational panels offered useful insight into bookstores' day-to-day business operations. "I got to hear a buyer's perspective on how Above the Treeline works in practice," she said. "But perhaps the most exciting thing was the opportunity to meet so many booksellers, both owners and buyers, and also the younger guard of managers and frontline booksellers who are the future of this business."

Grove/Atlantic's Price also commented on the "younger guard," noting that many bookstores sent not only management, but floor staff as well. "Not only is this a way for everyone to understand the business better," he said, "but it's also a way for younger staff to get invested in bookselling as an industry and see themselves as part of a larger community."

Overall, like many other attendees, Price offered strong praise for the event. "I thought it was wonderful and exciting last year, and it was even better this year," he said. "Not only was it wonderful to attend some of the programs and learn more about the business, but it was also great to see so many booksellers so dedicated and sharing information. It's essential for the survival of the business." --Karen Schechner