ABA Ends Policies

ABA Ends Policies
With a significant CEO transition coming and after further training in board governance, the ABA board recently revised its Ends Policies.  Under the policy governance model, the board sets the organization's overall goals (or "ends"), creates CEO limitations, then monitors performance. The Ends Policies are the primary direction from the board of the ABA to its CEO.  In this revision, we undertook to preserve the intent and spirit of the policies which were created and amended by previous boards, while simplifying, clarifying, and focusing the document to adhere as strictly to "ends" (as opposed to "means") in the policy governance model. — October 2019

Level #1

The mission of the American Booksellers Association is to ensure that member bookstores operate profitably, and the ABA will do this in a manner that is cost effective.

Level #2

2.1 Member bookstores will have the skills, information, education, and resources to be successful.

• This includes member bookstores having:
  • widely accessible information about sound business practices, new business models, innovative and alternative technologies, vendors, and services;
  • the ability to network with, and learn from, others;
  • the ability to expand the reach of children’s as well as adult books;
  • the ability to incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion in their workforce and in the books they offer.
• This also includes new stores being able to open and existing stores being able to expand or be purchased by others. 

2.2 There will be awareness and understanding of independent bookstores on the part of publishers, wholesalers, authors, agents, vendors, and the general public.

• The public will:
  • prefer independent bookstores;
  • recognize the cultural and economic value of independent bookstores to local, national, and international communities;
  • appreciate the vital role that independent bookstores play in promoting and maintaining the diversity of authors, books, and ideas as well as in developing new readers.
• Publishers, wholesalers, authors, agents, and vendors will see independent bookstores as vital and valued partners and will be aware of matters of concern to independent booksellers.
• Anyone interested in books will have access to relevant and timely information about independent bookstores. 

2.3 There will be public policy favorable to independent bookstores.

• Legal and regulatory policy will reflect the interests of independent bookstores, including free expression and fair-trade practices.
• The larger community of independent businesses will make common cause with ABA member bookstores. 

2.4 Independent bookstores will have significant market share and constitute a vital portion of the U.S. book market.