ABA will be offering an Events Specialty Institute for member bookstores on Wednesday, October 3, in Minneapolis, prior to the start of the MIBA and GLIBA Heartland Fall Forum.

A panel of booksellers and literacy group leaders at ABA’s Children’s Institute examined how booksellers can begin assessing the literacy needs of children in their communities, as well as efforts already underway to meet those needs, to arrive at a plan that helps ensure books and reading programs reach the children who need them most.

This week, the American Booksellers Association announced that it will again be offering an IndieCommerce Specialty Institute for member bookstores.

American booksellers learned about the challenges and opportunities facing bricks-and-mortar bookstores in other countries at the Monday afternoon Day of Education session “Indies International: Bookselling in Other Countries.”

On Monday, ABA kicked off is 10th annual Day of Education with an interview-style event featuring award-winning author Richard Russo and journalist and author Lynn Sherr. The focus of the discussion was “Why Indies Matter.”

Here’s a roundup of the American Booksellers Association’s programming highlights, BEA breakfast and lunch events, and resources for booksellers at BookExpo America.

U.S. indie booksellers at ABA’ s Day of Education at BEA will have the opportunity to hear how colleagues in other countries are working to successfully innovate and fashion profitable solutions to the challenges facing bricks-and-mortar booksellers both here and abroad.

Registration for the ABC Children’s Institute at BEA is booked to capacity. ABA member booksellers can add their names to a waiting list via the Institute website.

In celebration of Small Business Week, from May 20 - 22 the Small Business Administration will be offering educational programming on social media, federal contracting, selling to large companies, and business matchmaking with major corporations and government agencies.

In conjunction with recent Booksellers Forums in Illinois and Massachusetts, ABA convened task forces to gather member input on its digital initiatives and educational programming, respectively.