Post-Winter Institute Coverage Begins…

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Today, Bookselling This Week begins its post-Winter Institute coverage with reports on the Indie Next List Featured Talk, which presented the authors of six number-one picks, and the session “Creating and Managing Your Store Brand,” featuring booksellers John Evans of California’s DIESEL, A Bookstore and Nicole Sullivan of Denver’s BookBar with Kevin Quinn of the consulting firm STYLED RETAIL.

For readers who want to learn more about the discussions and input offered by their fellow booksellers at the ABA Town Meeting, we present the written comments offered by Christin Evans of San Francisco’s The Booksmith and Kepler’s, which call on ABA to help foster conversations about booksellers’ relevancy during this time of political and social divisiveness, as well as the comments about the lack of diversity in bookselling read by Angela Maria Spring, who has worked in bookstores in New Mexico, New York City, and Washington, D.C., and Hannah Oliver Depp of WORD in New York City and Jersey City.

In her bimonthly President’s Letter, Betsy Burton of Salt Lake City’s The King’s English talks about the Town Hall discussions and the actions ABA is already taking to address booksellers’ concerns, including a callout for booksellers of diverse backgrounds who are interested in serving on the association’s new task force on diversity or the Booksellers Advisory Council.

Following up on the popular session on Google Analytics, today’s issue includes sign-up information for a live-webinar reprise of the Wi12 presentation by Max Thomas, the owner of maxthomas.co. (The webinar on Thursday, February 16, is free and open to all ABA members with a website.)

In case you missed any of BTW’s coverage from Minneapolis, here are links to our overview of the event (with photos); the Town Hall report and ABA’s response to booksellers’ comments; reports on the breakfast plenaries featuring Roxane Gay, Kim Scott, and a conversation between Lesley Stahl and Ann Patchett; a look at innovations at Foyles Bookshops in the U.K. that were discussed at a featured talk by the company’s CEO, Paul Currie; and ABA’s goodbye to longtime Development Officer Mark Nichols.

In the coming weeks, BTW will continue its post-institute coverage with in-depth reporting on education sessions as well as follow-ups on issues of diversity raised at Wi12 and what booksellers are doing to stay relevant in turbulent times. Booksellers who are taking action to address these issues and are willing to share what they are doing with fellow booksellers are encouraged to contact us at [email protected].