The American Booksellers Association’s Board of Directors, which met this week in Kansas City just prior to the Winter Institute, has named three director candidates to stand for election to the Board.

ABA bookstore members should expect to receive a settlement notice soon as part of the proposed class-action settlement of a federal antitrust lawsuit over rapidly rising Visa and MasterCard credit card swipe fees. ABA is currently working with a coalition of trade associations and companies to gather information as to the best course of action for members.

ABA President Becky Anderson’s bimonthly letter to members looks at some of the highlights of this weekend’s Winter Institute and notes that some of booksellers’ best ideas will also be featured in an education session at the association’s upcoming Spring Forums.

Starting on Thursday, February 21, independent booksellers across the country can pre-register to participate in Find Waldo Local 2013, a month-long community-wide scavenger hunt in July 2013 that celebrates the uniqueness, fun, and strength of local businesses.

The national landscape regarding equitable sales tax collection has shifted dramatically, according to figures tabulated by ABA.

Following publication of last week’s list of 2012 ABA member store openings, three more stores were added, bringing the total to 43.  Also added to ABA’s membership over the past year were 11 bookstores opening for business in 2011 that joined the association in 2012.

ABA welcomed 43 indie bookstores that opened in 2012 in 25 states. Among them were six branches of existing businesses and seven selling primarily used books. California is home to seven new stores; New York, five; Florida and Texas, three; and Kansas, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina, two.

ABA is asking booksellers to share some of the creative things they have done to make their stores more successful and profitable. Booksellers’ input, via a short, online survey, will help ABA formulate the Spring Forum season’s educational component, “The Top 10 Things You Must Do Now!”

ABA is asking member stores to direct all Kobo-related e-mails to a new address.

Hotel ABA 2013 — the Grand Hyatt New York, located at 42^nd Street and Grand Central Terminal — offers a special rate exclusively for ABA member booksellers who are registered for BEA. In addition, booksellers who make their reservations before April 1, will be automatically entered into a drawing for free hotel nights, courtesy of BEA.