New Education Sessions Added to Children’s Institute Lineup

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The sixth annual ABC Children’s Institute (June 19–21 in New Orleans) will feature more than a dozen education sessions, including five new sessions that have been added to the program:

Ask Edelweiss (*pre-registration is required): Just like Dear Abby, Edelweiss is here to answer all of your difficult and pressing questions on best practices for its platform. Complete the pre-registration form and be sure to include your preferred day (Wednesday, June 20, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., or Thursday, June 21, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.) along with a question you would like addressed during the session. Space in each session is limited to 20 booksellers.

Creating and Implementing Successful LGBTQ Youth ProgramsBookstores are not only where to go to purchase a new book, they also serve as centers for communities and places of refuge. Booksellers go to great lengths to foster feelings of inclusion so that everyone, including today’s LGBTQ youth, feels that their local independent bookstore is a place where they can express their voices and be themselves freely. In this session, panelists who have implemented LGBTQ youth programming and nurtured a space of inclusion in their stores will share the details of their efforts, the impact the programs have had on their community, and how you can get involved at your own bookstore.

Hindsight is 20/20: Advice From Experienced Owners: Are you a brand-new bookstore, a provisional member, or thinking about taking the leap into bookstore ownership? If so, this session is for you! Veteran bookstore owners who have wisdom and insight into what goes into bookstore longevity will give new owners and owners-to-be the inside scoop on what they need to know, plus share what they wish they had known before taking the plunge. 

How to Market and Sell STEM and STEAM Books: STEM and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) books are becoming increasingly more creative as the emphasis from schools and parents on the core curriculum holds steady. In response to the demand, a panel of authors, publishers, and booksellers will share their inventive and thoughtful ways of marketing and presenting STEM and STEAM books to children, parents, and educators. 

In addition, booksellers will be treated to a session on brand-building and social media with Eva Chen. Chen — known to her 800,000+ Instagram followers as @evachen212 — is a self-described fashion nerd who has worked for Harper’s BazaarElleTeen Vogue, and Vogue, and was the youngest ever editor-in-chief of Lucky magazine (appointed by Anna Wintour). Eva is currently the head of brand partnerships at Instagram and the author of the forthcoming Juno Valentine and the Magical Shoes (Feiwel & Friends). In this session, Eva will provide insider knowledge and resources to help booksellers build distinct brands and increase their presence on Instagram and other social platforms while retaining the authenticity and individuality that makes independent bookstores special.

Booksellers who would like to attend the sixth ABC Children’s Institute should register now. The conference fee is $119 per bookseller, with a maximum of five registrants per ABA member business. The Ci6 hotel room block at the Sheraton New Orleans is filled. Registrants in need of a hotel room should complete the waitlist form. Those on the waitlist will be notified on a first-come, first-served basis if rooms become available. Hotel questions can be directed to ABA’s Jill Perlstein.

Questions about the institute should be directed to ABC Group Manager Gen de Botton. Booksellers are encouraged to review the agenda for the institute and contact de Botton if they have expertise on any of the topics offered.

Booksellers may cancel their Children’s Institute registration at any time by e-mailing [email protected]. Cancellations received prior to April 30 are eligible for a full refund of registration fees; cancellations received on or after April 30 are not eligible for refund.