On April 1, the American Booksellers Association transferred co-op management for booksellers participating in the ABA E-Commerce Solution to Paz & Associates. Mark Kaufman, who currently serves as co-op administrator for 30 independent booksellers using Paz's newsletter marketing services, is now working with E-commerce stores to claim publishers' co-op monies to help offset the cost of maintaining their websites.
When John Updike died at the end of January, the book industry lost not only one of its greatest writers, but also a true devotee of independent bookstores. In 2006, at a BookExpo America Book & Author Breakfast filled with more than a thousand industry professionals, Updike paid homage to the most important influences on his development as a writer and reader.
A highlight of ABA's January 29 pre-Winter Institute Conference on Local First/Shop Local Initiatives was the stirring lunchtime speech of author Terry Tempest Williams, who moved booksellers to tears and elicited rousing ovations. With Williams' permission, BTW is happy to present the full text of her address here.
By Susan Richmond of Inklings Bookshop in Yakima, Washington
Salt Lake City is beautiful. The snow-covered mountains just seem to hold the city like protective hands. Everything downtown points to the LDS Temple and their grounds are impressive. We did a little walking around, but didn't get a tour. Some in our group were able to sit-in on the Thursday night rehearsal of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and they said it was very impressive.
By Carla Cohen of Politics and Prose Bookstore and Coffeehouse
Politics and Prose is very lucky. We are located in an affluent section of an affluent metropolitan area, a place where most people have graduate degrees. That doesn't mean we are immune from economic downturns or unaffected by the changing technology, which competes for attention. Of course, we are.
Registered for the 2009 Winter Institute in Salt Lake City yet? The free event, capped at 500 attendees, is packed with tough-times education, networking, author events, and store tours.
As Oscar Wilde once said, experience is the name everyone gives to his mistakes. And let's face it, you won't find a business owner who doesn't have a lot of ... experience. Whether it's underestimating start-up costs, partnering with your (former) best friend without a legal contract, or overstocking the shelves, rookie errors come in all shapes and sizes.
The Literary Liberation Box provided a huge amount of material to help booksellers use IndieBound to promote their stores ... and that may have left some wondering exactly where to start. Stephanie Anderson of Moravian Book Shop in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, has helped ABA create an easy, 10-step guide, based on her experience introducing IndieBound to her bookstore and to the surrounding community.
Find Independent Bookstores by Name, State, or ZIP
A highlight of ABA's January 29 
Registered for the