Winter Institute 2021 Program

This is a one-day seminar for anyone interested in owning a bookstore. Students will receive a crash course on the essentials of owning a new bookstore or buying an existing one. The workshop is open to ABA Provisional members and owners or employees of Regular member stores, and is limited to three booksellers per ABA member company. Registrants receive free admission to Winter Institute. ($35 value) Registrants interested in purchasing a copy of Owning a Bookstore: The Essential Planning Guide may do so at the discounted rate of $149 (reg. $189). All too often, stores are being opened whose owners have little idea of just how much is involved in running a successful and sustainable business. The Guide poses some critical questions to help define goals, it speaks to the number of different hats an owner has to wear, and provides the tools and resources an owner needs to make informed decisions. The content expands on topics covered in the workshop to help minimize false starts while maximizing success in launching a sustainable bookstore business. Register for the workshop here.

IndieCommerce and IndieLite are ABA’s online platforms for marketing events and author appearances as well as selling books and other merchandise. Both users and non-users of IndieCommerce and IndieLite are invited to schedule one-on-one time with a program specialist from the IndieCommerce team. Attendees may schedule an appointment by filling the form here.

Kick off Winter Institute with a special video reflecting on the amazing resilience and motivation of booksellers in 2020, followed by a personal video message to independent booksellers from President Barack Obama, as well as some words from ABA CEO Allison K Hill.

Join futurist Brian David Johnson (The Future You: Break Through the Fear and Build the Life You Want) in conversation with ABA CEO Allison Hill as they discuss the future of bookselling and how booksellers can shape what happens next.

Enjoy a brief poetry reading in the break between sessions.

Switching to a remote customer experience — curbside pickup, FaceTime hand-selling, online orders, etc. — can create a challenge to providing a successful and cohesive customer experience. This session will showcase creative ways that booksellers have succeeded and even improved the customer experience in this new hybrid retail world.
Panelists: Sara Richmond, Director of Communication & Client Experience, Edelweiss; Phil Davies, ABA (White Plains, NY); Rosa Hernandez, Third Place Books (Lake Forest Park, WA); Michael Barnard, Rakestraw Books (Danville, CA); Cristina Rodriguez, Deep Vellum Books (Dallas, TX); Sarah Bagby, Watermark Books & Cafe (Wichita, KS); Lane Jacobson, Paulina Springs Books (Sisters, OR)

Enjoy a brief poetry reading in the break between sessions.

Led by Amber Cabral, author of Allies and Advocates: Creating an Inclusive and Equitable Culture (Wiley Press), in conversation with Dr. Stephanie Pinder-Amaker and Dr. Lauren Wadsworth, authors of Did That Just Happen?!: Beyond “Diversity” ― Creating Sustainable and Inclusive Organizations (Beacon Press), this session will guide booksellers in recognizing harmful practices and creating necessary steps around dismantling a culture of white supremacy in the workplace.

Enjoy a brief poetry reading in the break between sessions.

Discussion Topics:

• What are your greatest fears for the future of your store? Be as specific as possible.
• What is the most recent prediction you’ve heard about the future? For the economy? For retail? For indie bookstores? How did those predictions make you feel? What did they make you think about?
• What is your greatest hope for your store? Be as specific as possible.

If you missed today’s live keynote session (or if you want to enjoy it again), then join us for the evening broadcast of the morning conversation. Although this is not a live event, the chat will be open so you can connect with colleagues and attendees.

Wi16 registration is not required to attend. This is a meetup for BIPOC — Black, Indigenous, or People of Color — bookseller and bookstore owners to gather for connection, support, community, resources, and networking. This meetup will be hosted by a member of the ABA Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee, and ABA staff will not be in attendance. Booksellers interested in participating should email [email protected] for the Zoom information. Please note: This meetup has a session-specific password, so please email for details.

IndieCommerce and IndieLite are ABA’s online platforms for marketing events and author appearances as well as selling books and other merchandise. Both users and non-users of IndieCommerce and IndieLite are invited to schedule one-on-one time with a program specialist from the IndieCommerce team. Attendees may schedule an appointment by filling the form here.

Join bestselling authors Lauren Groff, Viet Thanh Nguyen, and Colson Whitehead for a discussion on the state of literature and what the future holds for the novelist in the aftermath of political upheaval. Moderated by Michelle Malonzo, buyer at Changing Hands Bookstore.

IndieCommerce and IndieLite are ABA’s online platforms for marketing events and author appearances as well as selling books and other merchandise. Both users and non-users of IndieCommerce and IndieLite are invited to schedule one-on-one time with a program specialist from the IndieCommerce team. Attendees may schedule an appointment by filling the form here.

Enjoy a brief poetry reading in the break between sessions.

Independent bookstores have seen massive online sales growth since March 2020. How are stores managing order fulfillment, customer support, shipping, returns, and all the other complexities of running a busy ecommerce website — while running a bookstore?

This session will explore how bookstores are successfully fulfilling their online sales. The panel will consist of booksellers from small and large stores who are managing high-volume online sales on a variety of ecommerce-enabled platforms. Topics will include what they learned over the past year as well as shortcuts and tips that are making their lives easier. The panel will be moderated by Senior Manager of IndieCommerce Geetha Nathan. There will also be time allotted for Q&A. If you are struggling with managing your store's online orders or looking for tips to make things easier, this session is definitely for you.
Panelists: Geetha Nathan, ABA (White Plains, NY); Jamie Thomas, Women & Children First (Chicago, IL); Luis Correa, Avid Bookshop (Athens, GA); Lexi Beach, Astoria Bookshop (Astoria, NY); Warren Lee, 44th and 3rd Bookseller (Norcross, GA); Cheryl Lee, 44th and 3rd Bookseller (Norcross, GA)

Enjoy a brief poetry reading in the break between sessions.

The romance genre has been a longtime reader favorite and can often turn a romance reader into a repeat customer for bookstores that invest in curating a romance selection for their stores. This session will celebrate LGBTQ+ romance with some of today’s essential young adult and adult LGBTQ+ authors, who will discuss the importance and value of creating stories about love, talk about the importance of representation, and look at how everyone can work to expand readership of these titles outside of the LGBTQ+ community to drive sales.
Panelists: Mariana Calderon, Second Star to the Right Children’s Books (Denver, CO); Jenny Cohen, Waucoma Bookstore (Hood River, OR); Rebecca Speas, One More Page Books (Arlington, VA); Amanda Toronto, WORD Bookstores (Brooklyn, NY); Dahlia Adler, author of Cool for the Summer (Wednesday Books); Alyssa Cole, award-winning and bestselling author of How to Find a Princess (Avon); David Levithan, VP, Editorial Director, Scholastic Press and author of bestselling queer YA novels; Casey McQuiston, author of the bestseller Red, White, & Royal Blue and the upcoming One Last Stop (St. Martin’s Griffin); Paul Rudnick, award-winning play and screenwriter and author of Playing the Palace (Berkley); Phil Stamper, author of The Gravity of Us and As Far as You’ll Take Me (Bloomsbury); Aiden Thomas, Indies Introduce and bestselling author of Cemetery Boys (Swoon Reads);

If you missed the live keynote session today (or if you want to enjoy it again), then join us for the evening broadcast of the morning conversation. Although this is not a live event, the chat will be open so you can connect with colleagues and attendees.

IndieCommerce and IndieLite are ABA’s online platforms for marketing events and author appearances as well as selling books and other merchandise. Both users and non-users of IndieCommerce and IndieLite are invited to schedule one-on-one time with a program specialist from the IndieCommerce team. Attendees may schedule an appointment by filling the form here.

Join bestselling author, podcaster, and research professor Dr. Brené Brown for a conversation with one of our own — Janet Geddis, owner of Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia — as they discuss what’s next for booksellers. While 2020 is behind us, we’re burnt out, vulnerable, and we have (in Dr. Brown’s words) maxed out our surge capacity. How do we move forward from a place of vulnerability, resilience, and courage? Along the way, how do we stay true to our heart songs, the things that we value and that drive us — our communities, our colleagues, antiracism, social responsibility, and, always, our love for books? This conversation will include a Q&A. Dr. Brené Brown, a research professor at the University of Houston and visiting professor at The University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business, has spent the past two decades studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy. She is the author of five #1 New York Times bestsellers, most recently Dare to Lead, and the host of the Unlocking Us and Dare to Lead podcasts. Janet Geddis is a business owner at Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia, as well as a patient advocate/content creator under the moniker “The Migraine Girl.” Janet is a public speaker, writer, and frequent podcast/radio show contributor for numerous outlets, including iHeartMedia & NPR.

Enjoy a brief poetry reading in the break between sessions.

Neurodiversity is a broad concept and one that covers a multitude of neurological variations. This conversation with neurodiverse individuals and advocates will provide context for Wi16 attendees who are not aware of neurodiversity and the challenges and concerns neurodiverse employees experience in the workplace and customers experience in the store. If you identify as neurodiverse, need direction around communicating with neurodiverse staff or customers, or are simply interested in learning more about neurodiversity, this session is for you.
Panelists: Emily Autenrieth, A Seat at The Table Books (Elk Grove, CA); Ed Thompson, CEO, Uptimize; Katy Alexander, Global Director of Marketing & Communications, Digital Science; Jory Fleming, author of How to Be Human: An Autistic Man's Guide to Life (Simon & Schuster)

This video features the Rep picks presentations from W.W. Norton & Company, University of Toronto Press, Europa Editions, Two Lines Press, House of Anansi, as seen at Wi16 on February 20, 2021. Rep picks packets are available here: https://www.bookweb.org/wi16-rep-picks-packets

Join Pinnacle Human Resources President Rose Miller and Senior HR Consultant John Kelly as they highlight best practices for managing staff in the age of COVID. Miller and Kelly will offer a practical approach and best practices for administering federal and state leave-of-absence laws (with or without the presence of COVID); insight around vaccine hesitancy and availability; and an overview of the importance of updating your policies and procedures.
Panelists: Rose Miller, President of Pinnacle Human Resources; John Kelly, Senior HR Consultant, Pinnacle Human Resources

Visit various rooms to mingle with authors and ask questions about their new books. Sample room categories may include: Literary Fiction, Narrative Nonfiction, Romance, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Young Adult, Debut Authors, and more!

IndieCommerce and IndieLite are ABA’s online platforms for marketing events and author appearances as well as selling books and other merchandise. Both users and non-users of IndieCommerce and IndieLite are invited to schedule one-on-one time with a program specialist from the IndieCommerce team. Attendees may schedule an appointment by filling the form here.

ABA is hosting Virtual Trivia Night in support of Binc! Tickets are $5 per participant. Test your knowledge of all things literary and more, and bring your game face! Not attending Winter Institute this year? No problem! This event is open to all! Get your Trivia Night tickets here.

If you missed the live keynote session today (or if you want to enjoy it again), then join us for the evening broadcast of the morning conversation. Although this is not a live event, the chat will be open so you can connect with colleagues and attendees.