The ABA Winter Institute is an annual opportunity for ABA bookstore members to learn, network, and just have fun. The Winter Institute is free to bookstore and provisional members, and the extensive education program is chock-full of in-depth sessions, special events, provocative speakers, festive receptions, and much more.
"I want everyone at ABA to understand what an amazing, exciting, inspirational weekend the Winter Institute was for us, as booksellers and business people. How extraordinary to bring in that many speakers and have every single one of them be an inspiration!" -- Jeanne Regentin, Between the Covers, Harbor Springs, Michigan
ABA's Sixth Annual Winter Institute will take place from January 19 - 21, 2011. Wi6 will be located just outside of Washington, DC. Hotel and registration information to come.
ABA's Fifth Annual Winter Institute, sponsored by Ingram, took place from Wednesday, February 3, through Friday, February 5, 2010, at the Doubletree San Jose in San Jose, California. The Wi5 schedule offered an array of 28 education sessions and a special Technology Day, with tracks for booksellers new to the digital phenomenon as well as for those more experienced.
- Highlights as reported in Bookselling This Week
- Detailed program information and the schedule of events.
- Publisher Partners & Friends
The 2009 Winter Institute was held in Salt Lake City, Utah, Jan. 29th through Feb 1st. Despite a bruised national economy, snow-covered runways and canceled flights, even a virulent flu, hundreds of indie booksellers made their way to ABA's Fourth Annual Winter Institute in Salt Lake City for two and a half days of education, peer interaction, and professional rejuvenation. Here's a recap, and here are links to session materials from Wi4.
Stacy Mitchell of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance speaks about IBAs and the emergence of the Shop Local movement as a national retail phenomenon.
The third annual Winter Institute was a rousing success, according to booksellers and publishers at the event, which offered educational sessions, keynote speakers, many networking opportunities, and a host of special events.
Here's a recap, and an overview in pictures.
2008 Winter Institute Videos
If you couldn't attend the 2008 Winter Institute, or missed any of the great speakers, here's a chance to see them online. We've posted four videos--click on the links below to change the video.
Local First Roundtable Discussion | Gary Hirschberg | Danny Meyer | Authors Night
The roundtable discussion featured authors Bill McKibben, Stacy Mitchell, and Michael Shuman, who talked about the unique role booksellers play in their communities, the Shop Local movement, and the growing consumer awareness of the importance of locally owned independent businesses.
Many thanks to all the Winter Institute Event, Publisher, and Supporting Partners!
The 2007 Winter Institute was held in Portland, Oregon, on February 1 and 2. It featured a festive opening night reception at Powell’s Bookstore, a plenary session with author Daniel Pink, and sessions about everything from handselling to publishing, all providing plenty of inspiration, plus profitable ideas to use in your bookstore. Here's a recap and what one bookseller had to say about her time at the 2007 Winter Institute.