Winter Institute Registration to Open September 18

The American Booksellers Association’s 15th annual Winter Institute will take place at the Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland, from January 21 to 24, 2020. This event will bring hundreds of independent booksellers from stores across the country together with publishers and authors for four days of education, networking, and special events.

Booksellers and publishers should mark their calendars for the following dates:

• September 11: Winter Institute program announced on BookWeb.org
• September 18: Winter Institute registration opens for all attendees (including a new day pass option for Friday, January 24, which also grants access to the Thursday evening Author Reception)
• October 1: The ABA hotel room block opens for accommodation at the Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor
• October 29: Registration opens for special programming at Winter Institute (see below)

In addition to three packed days of education, from January 22 to 24, attendees should plan for a full day of special programming on January 21, and consider arriving on Monday, January 20, for an early start the next day. Registration for these events will open on October 29:

• ABA’s Antitrust Symposium in Washington, D.C. 
• Morning and afternoon tours of Penguin Random House’s Westminster Warehouse
• A full-day bookstore tour for international guests (bookstore tours for booksellers will take place on the final day of Winter Institute, January 24)
• Ingram by the Ballpark, where booksellers will meet and talk in-depth with participating publishers and presses
• Publishers by Appointment, a new programming initiative that will allow booksellers to sign up for 15-minute slots to meet with participating publishers of their choice
• The full-day IndieCommerce Institute plus IndieCommerce one-on-ones
• Paz & Associates’ workshop on “Introduction to Retail Bookselling”
• Education on “Buying for Small Stores and Tips for Better Buying,” “The Lifecycle of the Book,” and a Used Books Seminar

Winter Institute will officially kick off on Tuesday evening, January 21, with an opening reception featuring a special acknowledgment of ABA’s 120th anniversary in operation and 15th anniversary of hosting the Winter Institute.

Booksellers who are attending the fall regional trade shows can drop a business card at the ABA booth for a chance to win a scholarship to Wi15. In addition, any attendee (booksellers, publishers, authors, or guests) interested in having childcare during Winter Institute can fill out a survey here to indicate their needs.

Watch Bookselling This Week for more details about Winter Institute, and be ready to register on September 18.