On Demand Education Sessions

Tom Jardim and Scott Salmon, experts in employment and labor law from the law firm Jardim, Meisner & Susser, P.C., will walk booksellers through the federal government relief and wage requirements recently passed in response to COVID-19. 

Jardim and Salmon will cover the relief for small businesses in the CARES Act such as the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program, the Paycheck Protection Program, increased unemployment benefits, and tax/tax credit information. Additionally, the webinar will cover wage and hour requirements in part implemented by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

This session follows the format of an Open Forum: the opinions expressed are those of the individual participants, not of the ABA. Information discussed is reflective of the time of the recording. Please see the most recent coffee break and/or the daily email update for the most current information.

This session follows the format of an Open Forum: the opinions expressed are those of the individual participants, not of the ABA. Information discussed is reflective of the time of the recording. Please see the most recent coffee break and/or the daily email update for the most current information.

This session follows the format of an Open Forum: the opinions expressed are those of the individual participants, not of the ABA. Information discussed is reflective of the time of the recording. Please see the most recent coffee break and/or the daily email update for the most current information.

This session follows the format of an Open Forum: the opinions expressed are those of the individual participants, not of the ABA. Information discussed is reflective of the time of the recording. Please see the most recent coffee break and/or the daily email update for the most current information.

This session follows the format of an Open Forum: the opinions expressed are those of the individual participants, not of the ABA. Information discussed is reflective of the time of the recording. Please see the most recent coffee break and/or the daily email update for the most current information.

This session follows the format of an Open Forum: the opinions expressed are those of the individual participants, not of the ABA. Information discussed is reflective of the time of the recording. Please see the most recent coffee break and/or the daily email update for the most current information.

• Jamie Anderson, Ducks Cottage, Stephanie Heinz, Print: A Bookstore, Cathy Berner, Blue Willow Bookshop

The session will follow the format of an Open Forum, with attendees welcome to share what they need, ask questions of ABA and fellow booksellers, and just see some friendly faces.

Jorge Portillo and Donna Kumar from Eventbrite provide information on postponing/canceling events through Eventbrite.

Independent Bookstore Day (IBD) has grown from a handful of bookstores in California to a national celebration involving more than 575 stores and, in some cases, citywide celebrations. Participating bookstores see an increase in sales, increased foot traffic, and increased brand awareness. This session will offer attendees an overview of the program and tips from booksellers who have figured out how to make the most of IBD. Panelists will offer information on how to order and make the most of the IBD exclusive merchandise, how to organize and publicize your store’s party to bring people into your store, and how to use social media strategically to increase sales and community participation. Panelists: Samantha Schoech, Program Director of Independent Bookstore Day, Janet Geddis, Avid Bookshop (Athens, GA), Rebecca George, Volumes Bookcafe (Chicago, IL), Tom Nissley, Phinney Books (Seattle, WA), Christie Olson Day, Gallery Bookshop & Bookwinkle's Children's Books (Mendocino, CA)

This informal yet informative talk is designed to provide a relaxed atmosphere for inspiring and educational conversations. Two booksellers with experience with everything from fundraising to campaigning to serving will discuss and offer suggestions and encouragement for those who are curious about what it takes to serve in office. Panelists: Kate Schlademan, The Learned Owl (Hudson, OH), Becky Anderson, Anderson's Bookshops (Naperville, IL)

This forty-five minute long session offers attendees three lightning talks from booksellers who have had game-changing aha! moments in the past year. Presentations will be short — 10 minutes or less — and will focus on concepts that have saved money, improved operations, created a new efficiency, or increased sales. From major shakeups to a better system for ordering store supplies, innovative ideas come in all sizes but can make a big impact. Presentations this hour include: How to Turn Social Media Activism Into Increased Sales (Danny Caine, The Raven Bookstore, Lawrence, KS); Black Books Matter (Ramunda Lark Young, MahoganyBooks, Washington, D.C.); and Ithica is Books (Lisa Swayze, Buffalo Street Books, Ithaca, NY). Panelists: Danny Caine, The Raven Bookstore (Lawrence, KS), Lisa Swayze, Buffalo Street Books (Ithaca, NY), Ramunda Lark Young, MahoganyBooks (Washington, D.C.)

Welcome to ABA’s live Marketing Meetup! Marketing is more than social media, newsletters, or placing ads. While all of these tasks are vital to marketing, it is important not to overlook search engine optimization, or SEO. In this session, you’ll learn what SEO is, why it matters, and some best practices for implementation. Panelists: Ryan Quinn, ABA (White Plains, NY), Eileen McGervey, One More Page Books (Arlington, VA), Cassie Clemans, Roundabout Books (Bend, OR) and  Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialists Jordan Brannon, Coalition Technologies (Culver City, CA), and, Cassandra Cross, Coalition Technologies (Culver City, CA).

Join bestselling and award-winning authors Dr. Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds in conversation on the history of racist ideas in America and how to better navigate these complex realities. Reynolds and Kendi’s Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, March 2020) delivers a timely YA reimagining of Kendi’s National Book Award-winning Stamped From the Beginning. Through his work, Kendi has explored how racist ideas were developed by some of the most brilliant minds in history to justify and rationalize the nation’s deeply entrenched discriminatory policies. But while racist ideas have always been easy to fabricate and distribute, they can also be discredited. Jason Reynolds’s remarkable reimagining of Dr. Ibram X. Kendi’s National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning also offers the tools needed to combat these ideas. With Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You, Kendi and Reynolds have come together to deliver an energizing narrative that speaks to young people and shines a light on the many insidious forms of racism—and on ways readers can identify and stamp out racist thoughts in their daily lives.

In the 1960s and 1970s, scores of Black bookstores opened in the U.S. Founded by activist entrepreneurs, these indie stores served as a refuge and intellectual center for communities in search of books by and about Black people. This Wi15 keynote event will be a wide-open conversation about the history and vital position of Black bookstores in our communities and in our industry with pioneers of Black bookselling and publishing, moderated by Professor Joshua Clark Davis, author of From Head Shops to Whole Foods: The Rise and Fall of Activist Entrepreneurs (Columbia University Press). Speakers include: W. Paul Coates, Black Classic Press (Baltimore, MD); Shirikiana Aina Gerima, Sankofa Video Books and Cafe (Washington, D.C.); Judy Richardson, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (Atlanta, GA); Nati Kamau-Nataki, Everyone's Place (Baltimore, MD).

Board games are a hot trend and a growing business that capitalize on popular TV and streaming shows and pop-culture moments. And they all have something in common: face-to-face social interaction, which is a key component of successful independent bookstores. Come hear from booksellers who have integrated board games and play nights into their sales and events. An independent board game seller joins the panel to discuss the aspects of her business and how booksellers can bring games — and customers — into the bookstore. After the session, come to the Winter Institute Board Game Playroom to sample games with colleagues or game reps, review discounts, and place orders. If you are looking for new non-book inventory, this may be an opportunity for you. Panelists: John Stacy, Executive Director, GAMA (Columbus, OH), Todd Dickinson, Aaron's Books (Lititz, PA), David Prescott, Blackwells (London, UK), Milton Griepp, ICv2 The Business of Geek Culture (Madison, WI)

In our highly charged and increasingly challenging political landscape, author visits and even authorless events can become a flash point. Managing and pre-planning for potential event disruptions by fully understanding your community, your audience, and your guests can go a long way toward creating solutions. This panel will offer suggestions from booksellers who have experienced store boycotts and both peaceful and not-so-peaceful protestors. Panelists: Dave Grogan, ABA (White Plains, NY), Reiko Redmonde, Revolution Books (Berkeley, CA), Elisa Thomas, Cellar Door Books (Riverside, CA), Bradley Graham, Politics and Prose Bookstore (Washington, DC)

One minute of planning can save you 10 minutes in execution. But when you are one of the only booksellers on staff, finding that one minute can be tough. Panelists will provide useful tools for fighting distraction and tracking time so you can create those efficiencies that lead to improved productivity. Panelists: Dan Cullen, ABA (White Plains, NY), Bel McNeil, Bel & Bunna's Books (Lafayette, CA), Angela Maria Spring, Duende District Bookstore (Washington, D.C.), Kathy Burnette, The Brain Lair (South Bend, IN)

The panel brings together respected booksellers, Shirikiana Gerima, Ramunda Lark Young, and Hannah Oliver Depp, to examine the intersections of race, literature, and entrepreneurship. The panelists will explore the importance of their contributions to the bookselling eco-system, activism, and what is required to create diverse, equitable environments. Panelists: Glory Edim, Well-Read Black Girl, Founder (New York, NY), Shirikiana Gerima, Sankofa Video, Books & Cafe (Washington, D.C.), Ramunda Lark Young, MahoganyBooks (Washington, D.C.) , Hannah Oliver Depp, Loyalty Bookstore (Washington, D.C.)

Events draw foot traffic, residual sales, and often media coverage for our stores. What they don't always draw is profit. But even in today's economic climate of rising minimum wages and other costs, we can produce events that serve both our communities and our profitability. In this session, we'll look at how to execute successful events through planning, budget creation, profit-and-loss analyses, and other tools professional event planners use to help manage the workload and the bottom line. We'll also discuss one of the most important aspects of all—valuing your time and expertise and then charging accordingly, even for authorless events. This session will be presented by Cindy Dach, CEO of Changing Hands Bookstore and is part of the store's professional development series. Panelists: Cindy Dach, Changing Hands Bookstore (Tempe, AZ)

Bookshop CEO Andy Hunter will present Bookshop.org, an online bookstore that financially supports independent bookstores and explain how they hope to work with indies. Bookshop targets book buyers that would otherwise go to the major online retailer, and gives socially conscious book buyers an alternative that supports their values. This session will contain a brief demo of the platform and discussion of how indie bookstores can participate in the profit-sharing and use the platform to sell books and earn revenue. Panelists: Andy Hunter, Bookshop

This is an opportunity for booksellers to come together to discuss meaningful and often difficult topics. The goal for this conversation is not to find a solution or to provide active take-away steps, but to practice active listening, contributing, and considering other points of view on complex issues facing our industry and society. This session will focus on the politics of curation. What social or economic factors do you consider when you buy, merchandise, hand-sell, and cultivate specific author and publisher relationships? Do you choose to exclude certain titles or authors from your inventory? This conversation will be facilitated by a professional moderator. Panelists: Lexi Beach, Astoria Bookshop (Astoria, NY), Luis Correa, Avid Bookshop (Athens, GA), Kenny Brechner, Devaney Doak & Garrett Booksellers (Farmington, ME) , Valerie Koehler, Blue Willow Bookshop (Houston, TX), Robert Sindelar, Third Place Books (Lake Forest Park, WA)

Indies Introduce is about what independent booksellers do best: Discovering exciting debut authors and sharing the best with readers across the country. You will hear about the title selection process from the bookseller panelists who curated the Winter/Spring 2020 Indies Introduce list, which, according to Destenie Fafard of Cellar Door Books (Riverside, CA), provides panelists with “the privilege of reading debut authors’ work and giving a spotlight to those who perhaps wouldn’t be seen without our platform.” Many of the Winter/Spring 2020 Indies Introduce debut authors will be present to read a short passage and answer a question posed by one of the panelists. Authors will be available to sign copies of their debut books following the presentation.

If you want to boost your sales numbers, this is the session for you! Genre titles include a broad category of topics, including fantasy, science fiction, western, romance, horror, mystery, dystopia, and more. And readers of these genres are often heavily invested in purchasing these titles and participating in the fandom through events, cosplay, and more. Bookseller panelists will review the financial impact of increased attention on genre titles. Panelists: Jenny Cohen, Waucoma Bookstore (Hood River, OR), Amber Brown, Quail Ridge Books (Raleigh, NC), Danny Caine, The Raven Book Store (Lawrence, KS), Emily Hall Schroen, Main Street Books (St. Charles, MO)

Being an independent bookstore in today’s retail environment means working tirelessly to stay connected and relevant to your customers in the store and online, while simultaneously participating in your greater community by advocating for independent retail as a key to downtown economic stability. It’s a big job! And all independent retailers, not just booksellers, are meeting this challenge in various ways. Come to this session to hear from Baltimore’s diverse and unique independent retailer stars, ask questions, and discover ideas to apply to your bookstore. Panelists: Dan Cullen, ABA (White Plains, NY), Tom Mansfield, Charm City Run (Baltimore, MD), Claudia Towles, aMuse Toys (Baltimore, MD), Mark Wasson, A Few Cool Hardware Stores (Washington, D.C./Baltimore, MD/Alexandria, VA), Dan Cullen, ABA (White Plains, NY)

Podcasting has become an increasingly popular way to supplement your store’s programming, boost sales, and generate interest in your store among the literary community and beyond. In this session, we will discuss how to decide if a podcast makes sense for your store, different philosophies regarding the creation of content, the best recording equipment and editing software, different publishing platforms, and how to work with publishers and authors to promote their work and yours. Jason Jefferies, general manager of Quail Ridge Books, host of the store’s podcast, Bookin', and co-director of the North Carolina Book Festival, will moderate this panel. Panelists: Jason Jefferies, Quail Ridge Books (Raleigh, NC), Annie Jones, The Bookshelf (Thomasville, GA), Alena Jones, Seminary Co-op Bookstore and 57th Street Books (Chicago, IL), Layla Saad, author, Sourcebooks

Join bestselling novelist, memoirist, and short story writer Jennifer Finney Boylan as she explores the radical act of telling stories and the powerful role narrative plays as a catalyst for social change. Professor Jennifer Finney Boylan, author of fifteen books, is the inaugural Anna Quindlen Writer in Residence at Barnard College of Columbia University. Her column appears on the op-ed page of The New York Times on alternate Wednesdays. She serves on the Board of Trustees of PEN America. From 2011 to 2018 she served on the Board of Directors of GLAAD and also provided counsel for the TV series Transparent and I Am Cait. Her 2003 memoir, She’s Not There: A Life in Two Genders was the first bestselling work by a transgender American. A novelist, memoirist, and short story writer, she is also a nationally known advocate for human rights. She lives in New York City, and in Belgrade Lakes, Maine, with her wife, Deedie. They have a son, Sean and a daughter, Zai. Good Boy will be published by Celadon Books in April 2020.

Rebecca Solnit, the author of more than 20 critically acclaimed books, has long been championed by independent booksellers. In this Wi15 keynote event — “A (Feminist) Field Guide to Nonexistence” — she will talk about her formation as a feminist and a writer in the face of a misogynistic American society, how she discovered her voice as a woman and an author, and what it means to speak out in a society that prefers women to be silent. Rebecca Solnit is the author of A Field Guide to Getting Lost, The Faraway Nearby, A Paradise Built in Hell, River of Shadows, and Wanderlust: A History of Walking. She is also the author of Men Explain Things to Me and many essays on feminism, activism and social change, hope, and the climate crisis. 2003 book, River of Shadows, won the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Lannan Literary Award; her 2013 book, The Faraway Nearby, was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, and her most recent collection of essays, Call Them By Their True Names, was longlisted for the National Book Award and the Kirkus Prize. Her forthcoming book, Recollections of My Nonexistence, will be published by Viking in March 2020.

One of the most anticipated and talked about books of the 2020, American Dirt, touches on issues of immigration on the southern US border, the politics of our current world and ultimately a mothers fierce love for her son. Javier Ramirez, co-owner of Madison Street Books (Chicago, IL) and Jeannie Cummings, author, will engage in a conversation about the work and the impact it has already had in the industry and indie bookselling community. Panelists: Jeanine Cummins, author, Flatiron Books, Javier Ramirez, Madison Street Books (Chicago, IL),

ABACUS is the financial benchmarking survey that provides actionable, store-specific financial data as well as overall data on the financial health of independent bookstores for those who submit to the survey. Whether or not you submit, you will find this session full of helpful guidelines and suggestions for increasing store profitability. Not sure what ABACUS is or if it’s applicable to you? This is the perfect place to find your answers. Panelists: Pete Mulvihill, Green Apple Books (San Francisco, CA), Donna Garban, Little City Books (Hoboken, NJ), Suzanna Hermans, Oblong Books and Music (Millerton, NY), Angela Schwesnedl, Moon Palace Books (Minneapolis, MN)

An independent bookstore's backlist exemplifies the independence of the store as an institution, as well as the creators of the book space, and its customers. It is through this curation, experiences and learning opportunities are created that reflect a bookstore's community and propels the business and its community forward. This session will provide insight into how to serve a community by going beyond the classics and the methods and challenges faced in curating a backlist representative of the bookstore's culture. Panelists: Paul Yamazaki, City Lights Booksellers and Publishers (San Francisco, CA) , Derrick Young, MahoganyBooks (Washington, DC) , Rio Cortez, Schomburg Shop (Harlem, NY), Clarissa Hadge, Trident Booksellers (Boston, MA), Alena Jones, Seminary Co-op Bookstore (Chicago, IL)

Batch for Books is a new electronic invoicing system created for booksellers and publishers in the U.S. The software-assisted service, based on the version used in the U.K., helps initiate payments between vendors and bookstore retailers at no cost to bookstores. CEO Fraser Tanner will moderate a panel of UK users and US booksellers who have been part of the US Batch for Books beta test. Panelists include: Nic Bottomley, Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights (Bath, UK); David Prescott, Blackwell’s (Oxford, UK); Antonia Squire, The Bookshop (Bridport, UK); Fraser Tanner, Managing Director, Batch LTD (London, UK); Tegan Tigani, Queen Anne Book Company (Seattle, WA); Ron Tucker, Politics & Prose Bookstore (Washington, DC)

New technologies and shifting consumer buying behaviors have reshaped the business landscape. In this Wi15 keynote event, Ryan Raffaelli (@RyanLRaffaelli), associate professor of business administration at Harvard Business School, will present his groundbreaking research on how longstanding industries can increase their odds of achieving sustained growth in the face of new business threats. Professor Raffaelli will also preview findings from his forthcoming academic paper on the renewed strength of the independent bookstore channel. Drawing on eight years of in-depth field observations of bookstores in 25 states, more than 200 interviews and focus groups, and analysis of extensive archival data, the study examines the decline and subsequent rise of the U.S. independent bookselling sector from 2005 to today. Professor Raffaelli will highlight “3Cs” of reinvention – community, curation, and convening – and offer broader insights for local businesses and communities responding to current significant threats from online and corporate retail competition.

If you lost an important resource when Baker and Taylor left the indie community, this is a session you will not want to miss. The panelists will review the benefits of ordering direct from publishers and tips for organizing your resulting paperwork. Also on the panel will be booksellers who have accounts with wholesalers who can discuss those vendors' services for small stores. Panelists: PK Sindwani, ABA (White Plains, NY), Todd Dickinson, Aaron's Books (Lititz, PA), Lane Jacobson, Paulina Springs Books (Sisters, OR), Stephen Sparks, Point Reyes Books (Point Reyes Station, CA)

Pre-registration required; $59 fee per person; space is limited; attendance at Winter Institute is not required. Registration is closed. The IndieCommerce Institute is an interactive, classroom-style workshop for users of ABA’s e-commerce platforms. IndieCommerce Institute 2020 will feature two seminars: an IndieCommerce seminar for members using our IndieCommerce platform and an IndieLite seminar for members using our IndieLite platform. Each seminar will include step-by-step instructions for the topics covered. Each participant will be assigned their own test site to use and follow along with during the seminars. See the complete IndieCommerce Seminar schedule here. Panelists: Chanthee Keokhaw, ABA (White Plains, NY), Scott Nafz, ABA (White Plains, NY) , Geetha Nathan, ABA (White Plains, NY) , Ryan Quinn, ABA (White Plains, NY) , Matt Supko, Augment Digital (Huntsville, AL)

New Features
Don’t have the time to keep up with all the new features the IndieCommerce team is rolling out? Don’t worry, we got you covered. This session will include a live demonstration of all the recently added features and how your site can benefit from them.

Pre-registration required; $59 fee per person; space is limited; attendance at Winter Institute is not required. Registration is closed. The IndieCommerce Institute is an interactive, classroom-style workshop for users of ABA’s e-commerce platforms. IndieCommerce Institute 2020 will feature two seminars: an IndieCommerce seminar for members using our IndieCommerce platform and an IndieLite seminar for members using our IndieLite platform. Each seminar will include step-by-step instructions for the topics covered. Each participant will be assigned their own test site to use and follow along with during the seminars. See the complete IndieCommerce Seminar schedule here. Panelists: Chanthee Keokhaw, ABA (White Plains, NY), Scott Nafz, ABA (White Plains, NY) , Geetha Nathan, ABA (White Plains, NY) , Ryan Quinn, ABA (White Plains, NY) , Matt Supko, Augment Digital (Huntsville, AL)

Promoting and Selling Pre-Orders
Did you know your IndieCommerce website has great tools for handling pre-orders? In this session, we will cover everything from creating custom products for pre-order titles all the way to processing these pre-orders and generating custom reports. We will share best practices and marketing tips from other IndieCommerce stores.

Pre-registration required; $59 fee per person; space is limited; attendance at Winter Institute is not required. Registration is closed. The IndieCommerce Institute is an interactive, classroom-style workshop for users of ABA’s e-commerce platforms. IndieCommerce Institute 2020 will feature two seminars: an IndieCommerce seminar for members using our IndieCommerce platform and an IndieLite seminar for members using our IndieLite platform. Each seminar will include step-by-step instructions for the topics covered. Each participant will be assigned their own test site to use and follow along with during the seminars. See the complete IndieCommerce Seminar schedule here. Panelists: Chanthee Keokhaw, ABA (White Plains, NY), Scott Nafz, ABA (White Plains, NY) , Geetha Nathan, ABA (White Plains, NY) , Ryan Quinn, ABA (White Plains, NY) , Matt Supko, Augment Digital (Huntsville, AL)

Site Building — Understanding the Basic Building Blocks of an IndieCommerce Site
Do you find terms like “page,” “block,” “menu,” “content,” “views,” etc., confusing and making it hard for you to build your IndieCommerce site to your liking? You are not alone. In this session, we will explore the terms and technology behind your website, what these items are for, how they depend on each other, and how they all fit together to create an amazing and rich website.

Pre-registration required; $59 fee per person; space is limited; attendance at Winter Institute is not required. Registration is closed. The IndieCommerce Institute is an interactive, classroom-style workshop for users of ABA’s e-commerce platforms. IndieCommerce Institute 2020 will feature two seminars: an IndieCommerce seminar for members using our IndieCommerce platform and an IndieLite seminar for members using our IndieLite platform. Each seminar will include step-by-step instructions for the topics covered. Each participant will be assigned their own test site to use and follow along with during the seminars. See the complete IndieCommerce Seminar schedule here. Panelists: Chanthee Keokhaw, ABA (White Plains, NY), Scott Nafz, ABA (White Plains, NY) , Geetha Nathan, ABA (White Plains, NY) , Ryan Quinn, ABA (White Plains, NY) , Matt Supko, Augment Digital (Huntsville, AL)

Store Books, Signed Copies, Pre-Order Titles
Selling books unique to your store

Marketing is an important part of every business, but covering the cost of it can be challenging. In this session, hear from an industry expert and fellow booksellers on their best practices and recommendations for determining your own marketing budget. Guest speakers will be Mark Kaufman of Paz & Associates, Alana Haley of Schuler Books, Ari Gersen of Longfellow Books, and P.K. Sindwani of Towne Book Center.