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The American Booksellers Association's Board of Directors is formulating a new Strategic Plan that will guide the programs and activities of the organization for five years, beginning October 2007. To ensure that the plan meets the needs and wishes of the association's members, the board is seeking input from as many members as possible.

The American Booksellers Association has signed an agreement with Ingram Digital Ventures that will enable bookstores participating in the BookSense.com program to sell ebooks in three formats -- Palm, Adobe, and Microsoft -- beginning sometime in 2007.

This week, the American Booksellers Association sent a letter and checklist regarding the January 1, 2007, change to a 13-digit ISBN to all of its main store members. The mailing was sent via FedEx for next day delivery.

The American Booksellers Association Board of Directors is working on a new Strategic Plan that will guide the programs and activities of the association for five years, beginning October 2007. To ensure that the plan reflects the interests and wishes of the association's members, the ABA board is seeking to collect input from as many members as possible.

The American Booksellers Association has announced the winners of its 2007 Winter Institute scholarships: Lisa Sharp of Nightbird Books in Fayetteville, Arkansas; Miah Olmsted of Back to Books in Hudson, Wisconsin; and Jessica Stockton of McNally Robinson in New York City.

The American Booksellers Association is guided by a long-term strategic plan that reflects the expressed interests and wishes of the association's members. The ABA Board -- which is working on a new plan that will go into effect in October 2007 -- very much wants to hear from all ABA members.

Over the past two months, American Booksellers Association senior staff has crisscrossed the country to provide educational programming and to meet with booksellers at the nine regional association trade shows. ABA Board members were also in attendance at most of the shows to gather input from members.

Beginning in 2007, Book Sense will augment its current monthly Red and White Box programs with a series of quarterly mailings of materials specifically geared toward children's booksellers. In addition, the Book Sense Children's Picks will expand from three to four lists annually, with the creation of a new spring list.

Friday, October 27, is the deadline for American Booksellers Association members to nominate candidates to serve on the ABA Board of Directors. Any ABA member may submit the names of qualified candidates to the association's Nominating Committee, chaired by Collette Morgan of Wild Rumpus in Minneapolis.

The Northern California Independent Booksellers Association (NCIBA) 2006 Fall Trade Show was held on Friday, October 6, through Sunday, October 8, at the Oakland Convention Center and Oakland City Center Marriott in Oakland. This year's events included ABA and NCIBA educational programming, a keynote address by Michael Shuman, co-founder of the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE), author breakfasts, the Fifth Annual Moveable Feast, and more.

Friday, October 27, is the deadline for American Booksellers Association members to nominate candidates to serve on the ABA Board of Directors. Any ABA member may submit the names of qualified candidates to the association's Nominating Committee, chaired by Collette Morgan of Wild Rumpus in Minneapolis.

McAdam-Cage has become the newest Publisher Sponsor of the American Booksellers Association's Second Annual Winter Institute, which will be held in Portland, Oregon, on Thursday and Friday, February 1 and 2, 2007.

The Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association (PNBA) Fall Trade Show will be held from Thursday, October 12, through Saturday, October 14, in Portland, Oregon, at the Oregon Convention Center. ABA COO Oren Teicher and Len Vlahos, director of ABA's education program and of BookSense.com, will be attending to present educational programming, to gather member input regarding the association's next Strategic Plan, and more.

American Booksellers Association affinity partner Bank of America Merchant Services has announced a special fall promotion for ABA member booksellers who sign up for its credit card processing program now through the end of the year. Bank of America will waive the $75 set-up fee for stores submitting new applications and f

The American Booksellers Association's Board of Directors and senior staff met from Monday, September 18, through Wednesday, September 20, in Denver.

During the meeting, among other business, the ABA Board: