72+ Hours in Denver: A Winter Institute Itinerary

 

By ABA Membership and Marketing Officer Meg Smith

Winter Institute isn’t just any professional conference — it is a family reunion, the first day of camp, an escape from the day-to-day, and an immersive experience, all in one. It is those few days of the year when each of us can savor being part of the extraordinary independent bookselling community.

The notion of community has been amplified for Winter Institute 2016, which has been expanded this year with programming and networking designed to suit whatever your group: experienced bookseller, brand-new bookseller, Institute first-timer, international guest, author, industry vendor, or publisher. Wi11 will be the coming together of many constellations, and one great multiverse.*

And come together we all will in Denver, the Mile High City. “Mile High” as in one mile, or 5,280 feet, or 1.60934 km, or 1,609.34 m above sea level, where the air is thin and dry. Drink water, eat bananas, and moderate the alcohol, and you should adjust nicely.

A suggested itinerary follows for how to spend your time in Denver, however many hours that is. And this year you can keep your itinerary — and the Wi11 schedule, attendee list, speaker profiles, and more — in your pocket with the new mobile app! Go to your iPhone, iPad, or Android and click here to download the app for free. (That’s https://crowd.cc/s/c52s.) ABA staff are also on the attendee list; my profile picture is of me with my dachshund Dexter, who, unfortunately, will not be coming to Denver.

Look for this icon on your phone to open the app.

*Winter Institute, of course, would not be possible without lead sponsor Ingram, and our many large and small publisher sponsors. Thanks, everyone, for your ongoing support of independent booksellers.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 23

8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The Registration/Ask ABA Desk is open in the Plaza Building Foyer, on the concourse level, at the Sheraton Downtown Denver. The hotel is wonderfully located on the 16th Street pedestrian mall, perfect for early-morning brisk walks and window-shopping.

For those of you new to Winter Institute and looking for other first-timers — and there are a lot of you! — grab a #firstWi pin at Ask ABA and use that hashtag to identify yourselves.

Checking-in this year means more than the usual badge and welcome bag pick up. Near the Ask ABA Desk will be the first-ever Winter Institute Photo Stand, where guests can commemorate the first-ever Backlist Book Swap Party with souvenir pictures taken with the backlist book they will be swapping! (Everyone is welcome to have their pictures taken, with or without a book, but books do make the perfect prop. The photos are shareable on social media, too. Use the hashtag #Wi11 for all your social postings.)

​The Backlist Book Swap Party commences Saturday night at 9 p.m., also in the Plaza Foyer. Tell us which book you are bringing to swap by completing this form. And please drop off your book at the Ask ABA Desk and fill out a “Recommended By” bookmark no later than 5 p.m. on Saturday, so that we can set up the party in time. Simon & Schuster is videotaping the party and will be doing “bookseller-on-the-street” quick bits, so prepare to handsell to the camera!

“Ask me what I’m Swapping” pins available at the Ask ABA desk.

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The learning begins for a full roster of prospective and new storeowners who have registered for The Paz Workshop, Introduction to Retail Bookselling.

9 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. Denver and its environs are home to many independent retailers — including Twist and Shout Records and Breadworks, participants in Sunday’s session “Building Resilient Communities” — but nothing excites a bookseller like another bookstore. If you are registered for the full-day bookstore tour, please meet the bus by 8:45 a.m. at the Court Street doors on the lobby level for a 9 a.m. departure. The half-day bookstore tour departs at 11:45 a.m. from the same location; please plan to meet at 11:30 a.m. for an on-time departure. (I learned that phrase from the airlines. We really mean it, however.)

5:30 p.m. Calling all scholarship winners! Meet and Greet your sponsor at the Tattered Cover Colfax location, before the Welcome Reception goes into high gear. Shuttles will leave the Sheraton every 15 to 20 minutes between 5:15 p.m. and 8:15 pm. Look for your publisher sponsor in the Children’s section, on the lower level of the store. They will be holding up paddles with their company name. Going once, going twice…

6 p.m. to 8 p.m. If Winter Institute is like a family reunion, then the Welcome Reception is that first excited sighting of the far-flung clan. The reception is again sponsored by our friends at Shelf Awareness, who also supplied the Wi11 badge holders. (The badge holders, by the way, are becoming quite the collectible. At least in the ABA office. See photo at left.)

Eat, drink, and be merry, for the shuttle will carry you home (that is, back to the Sheraton Downtown) for the Backlist Book Swap Party, where you can meet Revisit & Rediscover authors Luis Alberto Urrea and Katherine Hannigan.

9 p.m. to 11 p.m. If you haven’t had time earlier to visit the Backlist Book Swap Photo Stand, it’s not too late. Surprise photo props will be on hand, or bring your own, but not something that you will regret seeing splashed all over Instagram in the morning! (We know you booksellers. if you do post, please use #Wi11 in addition to any other tags, so we can all share in the fun.)

If you’re taking that early morning walk, plan to make it a really early walk. The doors to breakfast and the opening plenary open at 7:30 a.m.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 24

7:30 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. Mentors meet their mentees (yes, that is a word, I think) for breakfast; if that’s you, come up front to the reserved tables and enjoy the bonus of a front row seat at the keynote breakfast.

7:45 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. Opening keynote speaker Martin Lindstrom is doing something totally new and unique for this presentation: He is showing, telling, AND doing! Martin designed a Bookstore Challenge exclusively for Winter Institute, and two lucky bookstores will receive an in-store visit and review from one of the world’s leading retail experts!

9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Lindstrom’s keynote — including live social media — will get you thinking about the small things that can make a big difference, and Bookseller-to-Bookseller Discussion Groups (check your badge for your room assignment) will allow all to brainstorm concrete takeaways inspired by the talk. ABA Board members will facilitate the groups.

Also at 9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. ABA education branches out to present Education for Publishers this year. Based on the successful Publisher P&L sessions offered at the regionals this fall — and on tap for Sunday at 4:30 p.m. in Denver — we turn the tables so that our publisher sponsors can walk a mile of stacks in a bookseller’s shoes.

11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Did I mention that there are about 40 education sessions at Wi11 for booksellers? The Wi11 mobile app and the onsite program are the sources for times, places, presenters, and descriptions. In fact, the app will let you plan your schedule, so that stores can divide staff now and conquer the sessions later.

Certain sessions are marked in the program and app as “Advanced Learning Education,” and required pre-registration. These sessions are filled and assignments have been e-mailed. Print the confirmation e-mail; it is your ticket for entry. If you have any questions about whether you are in or out, e-mail Lisa Winn.

12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wi11 publisher reps (from full, half, and shared level sponsors) have been perfecting their pitches and gargling like opera singers, readying for the two Rep Picks lunches. (The second lunch is on Monday, starting at 11:45 a.m.)   

At the same time, our International Guests will gather for a dedicated session about Trends in U.S. Bookselling.

2:30 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. The IndieCommerce team brings their popular training webinars to Denver with face-to-face IndieCommerce Users One on One appointments. Walk-ins are also welcomed. Check the schedule for additional times on Monday and Tuesday.

3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. Everyone is encouraged to attend the featured talk Authors, Agents and Booksellers­ — United for a Fair Marketplace. An all-star lineup of authors and agents will update attendees about the results of the multi-party book industry request sent to the DOJ to investigate the business practices of Amazon.com.

4:30 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. There are six options for education in this time block. You are sure to have a first, second, and even third choice, so in the event that rooms are crowded you won’t be left out in the hallway.

6 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. Who doesn’t love rock ‘n’ roll? Who doesn’t love a book launch? Who doesn’t love…well, you see where I’m going with this. Len Vlahos — ABA alum, Tattered Cover Book Store future co-owner, and YA author — shows off yet another of his skills in a celebration for the launch of his new book, Scar Girl (Carolrhoda Labs, March 2016).

9 p.m. to 11 p.m. Enjoy dinner, but save room for dessert at the Scholastic Meet & Treat After Party! The party is at Kevin Taylor’s in the Opera House. Always a yummy good time, with a sundae bar and author signings. Scholastic is providing shuttle service every 15 minutes between 9 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. from the Sheraton Court Street entrance.

Some thoughts about unscheduled time:

The Plaza Court 8 room is the MPIBA Hospitality Suite from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. Everyone is welcome, not just members of MPIBA. In fact, drop in and inquire about the Mile High City and its fascinating history.

If you’re wondering what they mean by “edibles” in Colorado, you’ll want to read how NYT columnist Maureen Dowd found out the hard way.

MONDAY, JANUARY 25

7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Ask ABA Desk is fully staffed for the day. Nathan and Catherine, ABA Member Relationship Managers, will explain the Wi11 app, help with the schedule, point you to the restrooms, and sell you an awesome one-of-kind 2016 Winter Institute T-shirt!

7:45 a.m. to 9 a.m. You’re going to want to sit up straight during the breakfast keynote with Amy Cuddy. Cuddy is the Harvard Business School researcher and social scientist renowned for her work on power positions and body language, and she gave one of the most watched TED Talks of all time. Her new book is Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges (Little, Brown).

9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., Monday and Tuesday Representatives from Consultation Station vendors — ABA affinity partners, POS vendors, and other important industry groups — are ready to meet with you, with or without an appointment. Owners and managers especially should check the Consultation Station roster in the welcome bag or program.

9:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. The first education block of the day includes the first look at a brand-new report called “Amazon & Empty Storefronts,” another enticing slice of the local first economics studies pie, from the experts Dan Houston and Matt Cunningham of Civic Economics, who will be assisted in this presentation by one of the heroes of the local first movement, Stacy Mitchell, co-director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The ABA Town Hall is reprised at Winter Institute. Booksellers in Asheville engaged in thoughtful exchanges about minimum wage and diversity in bookselling, among other industry and association issues. If you don’t like speaking in front of a crowd but want your opinion heard — whether or not you are attending Wi11 — send an e-mail to [email protected], subject: Town Hall comment. If time allows, e-mailed comments will be shared with everyone.

11:45 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. While booksellers and publishers enjoy Rep Picks Lunch, Day 2, specialty education for authors (“How to Work With Independent Bookstores”) and international guests (“The State of the U.S. Book Industry”) is presented at the Sheraton. A clone would be useful about now, wouldn’t it?

1:45 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. In order to accommodate the 74 publisher sponsors, everyone’s favorite, the Winter Institute Galley Room, has expanded, and we now need four rooms to showcase all the ARCs, galleys, and goodies! Dubbed the Galley Alley, additional hours will be posted onsite. The PartnerShip Shipping Desk has its own room as well, and is open Monday, noon to 6 pm, and Tuesday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Ah, I can hear it already, the sweet sound of tape securing boxes and boxes of books to send home…

2:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. Despite digital, social, Skype, and everything else, there is nothing quite like face-to-face conversation, which is why we all love gathering at Winter Institute. The Bookseller and Publisher Focus Groups afford an opportunity for everyone to make connections and further mutual understanding.

4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. ABA Education is still going strong. Grab a cup of coffee or tea and choose from among one of the six educational options in this time block.

5:45 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. The Author Reception. Need I say more?

Many booksellers and publishers head out to dinner after the Author Reception. Denver has lots of local neighborhoods and flavors, so be your boldest self and venture out!

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26

7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Ask ABA Desk becomes the de facto lost-and-found during Winter Institute. If something goes missing, Catherine and Nathan will help you track it down.

​7:45 a.m. to 9 a.m. The final Wi11 keynote is the inspiring Kwame Alexander, who, between writing, producing, teaching, and playing basketball, travels the world conducting writing/publishing workshops at schools and conferences. We are very glad his travels have brought him to Denver.

9:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Six offerings make up this education block, including the Joe Minicozzi presentation based on new research in Durango, Colorado, about how city economics improve with the inclusion of downtown independent retail. Community advocates, and anyone looking to make a difference locally, should be sure to attend and learn about the kind of data city planners can’t ignore.

10:45 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Those devoted to public policy work know that you can’t take your eye off the prize, ever, even when small victories occur. Which is why ABA is excited to present The New Localism, a conversation among local economic studies pioneers Dan Houston (Civic Economics) and Matt Cunningham (Civic Economics), Stacy Mitchell (The Institute for Local Self-Reliance), and city planning expert Joe Minicozzi (Urban3). Yes, more and more people are shopping local, but challenges remain.

11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Time to eat! Lunch with colleagues while listening to the dulcet tones of small and university press reps.

1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. What makes an indie bookseller unique? Passion, knowledge, and a discerning eye for new talent, and that eye is on display with Indies Introduce picks. In the more than two years since the program began, Indies Introduce bookseller readers have chosen an impressive list of breakout books. This hour is a live anthology: a collection of readings, critical praise, and intros of 11 of the debut authors.

3 p.m. to 4 p.m. As Winter Institute starts to wind down we offer booksellers a selection of roundtables on topics suggested by ABA’s education task force: ABACUS, Selling Diverse Books, Best Thing My Store Did Last Year, and Successful Events. Two other sessions — Free Speech Training from the Tattered Cover, and Working With Self-Published Authors — round out the day.

4:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. Hey, what just happened in these fast three days of learning, networking, dinners, exchanging best practices, meeting new friends, and reveling in your independence?? Process, de-brief and plan for next steps with the help of professional facilitators from the Kansas Leadership Center. And then proceed directly to….

5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. The Small & University Presses Closing Reception is more author signings, more animated conversations, more sharing of e-mail addresses and Instagram accounts, and finally, the conclusion of Winter Institute!

(If you are staying for the Apres Institute Ski Trip on Wednesday, January 27, please come to the bus loading area on Court Street, the lobby level, between 6:45 a.m. and 7 a.m. for check-in and lift tickets, and a 7:15 a.m. departure for Copper Mountain.)

Safe travels to you all. And if you have questions about anything, e-mail me at [email protected], or the team at [email protected]. Better yet, download the app and find everything you need all in one place!