About ABA

In mid-November, the American Booksellers Association began an extensive outreach program to member bookstores via e-mails and phone calls both to learn more about business conditions and to provide information and support during this challenging economic downturn.

Participating in the American Booksellers Association's Fourth Annual Winter Institute, and aspiring to be an indie filmmaker, too? Well, ABA has a contest for you ... something in the vein of Sundance, the ultimate indie film festival ... maybe.

To help booksellers meet the challenges of the current economic downturn, the American Booksellers Association is offering members a number of free resources, including a one-on-one financial consultation; an online seminar focusing on cash reserves, controlling expenses, managing inventory, managing staff, and providing leadership skills; access to past articles in Bookselling This Week's Tough Times series and education program materials; and more.

The American Booksellers Association has undertaken an aggressive outreach program to provide members with information and support to help them cope with the current economic downturn and its effect on retail sales this holiday season. To spread the word about this education effort, ABA has sent an e-mail communication to every member bookstore with the offer of a follow-up call from an association staff member who can provide details about a variety of Tough Times resources that are available free from ABA.

Eleven independent trade groups joined this week to urge the governors in 44 states that collect sales tax to equitably enforce existing tax laws. The groups stressed that, given the budget shortfalls that most states are facing, now more than ever, it's a state's obligation to ensure sales tax equity by requiring out-of-state retailers with nexus in the state to collect and remit sales tax.

Above the Treeline announced today that on November 1 it would begin field-testing Edelweiss, a new online, interactive catalog product. The test will include publishers and booksellers and will last for six months, at which time the company plans to release the next version of the application for wider rollout.

In a holiday season marked by decided economic uncertainty, booksellers are focused more than ever on meeting their business goals with a proactive strategy. And the key to that is education. On Monday, November 3, ABA is launching a test of a new webinar (an online seminar) focusing on surviving tough times, and it needs a maximum of 15 booksellers who are willing to participate and provide feedback on the experience.

Fourteen American Booksellers Association member stores opened for business in August and September, including one branch store (DIESEL - Brentwood), a non-storefront location (Reading Chair Books), and a store in Panama (Safari Bookshop).