A Roundup of Resources for ABA Members at BEA

Here's a slew of details about the Hotel ABA Welcome Desk, the Day of Education session materials, and the ABA booksellers-only Lounge and Bag Check Room, both at the Javits Convention Center -- all to help make ABA members' lives easier at BookExpo America.

A special ABA Welcome Desk will be set up on the second-floor lobby level of Hotel ABA, the New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge, from mid-day Wednesday, May 27, through mid-day Friday, May 29. Here, ABA members will be able to pick up their BEA trade show badges, badge holders, a BEA exhibitors guide, the latest details about ABA programming, and information about other convention-related events and about the Brooklyn area.

The Hotel ABA Welcome Desk will be staffed by ABA as follows:

• Wednesday, May 27, from noon - 10:00 p.m.
• Thursday, May 28, from 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
• Friday, May 29, from 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

BEA will be providing live registration at the Welcome Desk on Wednesday and Thursday. Beginning Friday, booksellers can pick up badges in BEA's official registration area at the convention center. (Booksellers checking into the hotel after Thursday afternoon can ask store colleagues who arrive earlier to pick up their badges and leave them at the hotel's front desk for pick-up when they check in.)

At the Hotel ABA Welcome Desk, members will also be able to pick up a New York City MetroCard, compliments of Frommer's Travel Guides, published by Wiley. Each card contains fare for four rides. Because rush-hour traffic in New York can be challenging at best, ABA is encouraging booksellers to take the New York City subway system on Thursday and Friday for a faster trip to and from the convention center than by shuttle bus or taxi. Directions to the convention center will be printed on the MetroCard sleeve. ABA has also created a "photo journey" of the trip to and from the convention center. MetroCards will be given out, one per ABA member bookseller and on a first-come, first-served basis.

In an effort to be more environmentally friendly, rather than printing education handouts, ABA is providing all of its education session materials to every member bookseller in advance of the show via BookWeb.org. Additionally, ABA is encouraging booksellers to bring a bag from home to fill with trade show-related information that will be available for pick up at the Welcome Desk.

Recycle and reuse are the watchwords!

Booksellers can take a break from the hectic trade show floor in ABA's members-only Booksellers Lounge, Room 1E07/08 of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, which will be open:

• Thursday, May 28: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
• Friday, May 29: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
• Saturday, May 30: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
• Sunday, May 31: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Here, booksellers can also learn about ABA products and services, check e-mail (sponsored by James Patterson's ReadKiddoRead.com), have books autographed by some of their favorite authors, recharge their laptops, or relax in a comfy chair.

To provide an opportunity for as many members as possible to speak during Friday's ABA 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.

The Lounge will close on Friday at 3:00 p.m. to allow members and ABA staff to attend the ABA Town Hall and Annual Membership meetings.

Located in Room 1E06 of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, next door to ABA's Bookseller Lounge, the ABA member-only Bag Check Room, sponsored by IndieCommerce, will be open:

• Friday, May 29: 7:45 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
• Saturday, May 30: 7:45 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
• Sunday, May 31: 7:45 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Here, ABA member booksellers can drop their books, belongings, etc. instead of lugging them around the trade show floor. (Booksellers will be asked to show their BEA badges with the information "ABA Member Bookseller" in order to leave items in this room.) Booksellers will be given a claim ticket for items left at the bag check. Although there will be 24-hour security for this room, booksellers agree that, by leaving items in this room, ABA, the Javits Convention Center, and CenterPlate are not responsible for any missing items.

All items must be picked up no later than 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 31. Any items remaining after this time will be donated or otherwise disposed of. BookExpo America will again be offering Attendee Shipping on the trade show floor.