MPIBA, NAIBA & NEBA Shows Next Weekend

At each of the regional trade shows scheduled for next weekend -- Mountains & Plains, New Atlantic, and New England -- the American Booksellers Association will be presenting educational programming, as well as demonstrations of Above The Treeline and Constant Contact. In addition, at the ABA booth at each show, booksellers will find information about the association's products and services, the 2007 Winter Institute, the Book Sense marketing program, and more. ABA staff will also be gathering member input to help formulate the association's next Five-Year Strategic Plan.

ABA member booksellers who stop by the booth and drop off a business card at any of the shows will be eligible to win prizes. In a random drawing at each, ABA will award a color inkjet printer. The printer winner will then be entered into a grand prize drawing with the eight printer winners from the other fall trade shows. The grand prize winner will be awarded airfare to, and a two-night hotel stay at, the Winter Institute.

ABA members will also have a chance to win up to a four-night stay at Hotel ABA in Brooklyn for BookExpo America 2007, compliments of BEA. Booksellers can enter the drawing for the BEA prize at the ABA booth at each show and at BEA's booth at the NAIBA and NEBA shows.

The MPIBA trade show will be held from Thursday, September 14, through Sunday, September 17, at the Marriott Denver Tech Center in Denver. The show will feature expanded programming for children's booksellers, demonstrations of technology critically important to successful bookselling, author events, and panels on everything from public relations to corporate and school sales.

ABA will be presenting three education sessions:

• Above The Treeline: An Introduction -- Thursday, September 14, 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
  Presented by John Rubin, creator of Above The Treeline

• Constant Contact Demonstration -- Thursday, September 14, 11:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
  Presented by Kristen Gilligan, ABA's associate director of programming

• Know Your Customer: Increase Sales, Friday, September 15, 9:15 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
  Presented by Len Vlahos, director of ABA's education program and of BookSense.com

In addition to ABA staff, Board member Cathy Langer of Denver's Tattered Cover will be available to discuss any issues of concern to members.

To learn more, read a previous BTW article about the show or visit the MPIBA website, www.mountainsplains.org.

The 2006 NAIBA show will be held from Saturday, September 16, through Sunday, September 17, in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, at the Valley Forge Convention Center. In addition to NAIBA's educational seminars and author events, including the popular Saturday night Moveable Feast, the show will feature three ABA education sessions:

• Shop Local: Forming Business Alliances in Your Community, Saturday, September 16, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
  Moderated by ABA COO Oren Teicher and featuring Jeff Milchen, co-founder of the American Independent Business Alliance

• Constant Contact Demonstration, Saturday, September 16, 3:15 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.
  Presented by Oren Teicher and Meg Smith, ABA's director of membership marketing.

• Know Your Customer: Increase Sales, Saturday, September 16, 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
  Presented by Meg Smith

In addition to ABA staff, Board member Beth Puffer of New York City's Bank Street Bookstore will be available to discuss any issues of concern to members.

To learn more, read a previous BTW article about the show or visit the NAIBA website, www.newatlanticbooks.com.

The New England Booksellers Association's 33rd Annual Trade Show will be held on Friday, September 15, through Sunday, September 17, at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence. This year's special events include the NEBA Awards Luncheon, a Children's Books Author/Illustrator Dinner, and NEBA's Dinner With Authors.

ABA education sessions at the NEBA trade show are:

• Shop Local: Forming Business Alliances in Your Community, on Friday, September 15, from 2:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
  Moderated by ABA COO Oren Teicher and featuring panelists Betsy Burton of The King's English, Salt Lake City, Utah; Stacy Mitchell, senior researcher for the Institute for Local Self-Reliance; Laury Hammel, board co-chair of the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies; Frank Kramer of Harvard Book Store in Cambridge, Massachusetts; Chris Morrow of Northshire Bookstore in Manchester Center, Vermont; Susan Porter of Maine Coast Book Shop & Cafe in Damariscotta, Maine; and Allan Schmid of Books Etc. in Falmouth and Portland, Maine
  
  
• Know Your Customer: Increase Sales, on Saturday, September 16, from 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
  Presented by ABA CEO Avin Mark Domnitz
  
  
• Above the Treeline: An Introduction, on Saturday, September 16, from 11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m., and on Sunday, September 17, from 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
  Presented by John Rubin, creator of Above the Treeline
  
  
• Constant Contact Demonstration, on Saturday, September 16, from 11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
  Presented by Jill Perlstein, ABA's director of marketing
  
  
• Above the Treeline 201, on Sunday, September 17, from 10:45 a.m. - Noon
  Moderated by John Rubin and featuring panelists Chris Morrow of Northshire Bookstore, Manchester Center, Vermont, and John Hugo of Andover Bookstore, Andover, Massachusetts

In addition to the ABA staff presenting panels at the NEBA show, Book Sense Marketing Director Mark Nichols and ABA Board member Linda Ramsdell of Galaxy Bookshop in Hardwick, Vermont, will also be available to discuss any issues of concern to members.

To learn more, read a previous BTW article about the show or visit the NEBA website, www.newenglandbooks.org.