About ABA

ABA's 2005 Booksellers Forum Tour and Education Program, which launched earlier this month, will be coming to a location near you. During the next four months, ABA senior staff and representatives of the ABA Board and Booksellers Advisory Council will meet with booksellers in every region of the country to provide an update on various ABA programs and initiatives and to gather input that will be used to shape future association efforts.

On Wednesday, February 2, the American Booksellers Association will hold a Booksellers Forum and Education Program, in conjunction with the Mid-South Independent Booksellers Association (MSIBA), at BookPeople in Austin, Texas. All MSIBA and ABA member booksellers are invited to attend the events, which run from 10:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

ABA's Booksellers Advisory Council (BAC), which offers the association's Board of Directors guidance on issues important to independent booksellers, met with representatives of the ABA Board and senior staff on January 9 - 10 in Salt Lake City.

'Tis the season to stash the wrapping paper, tally the sales figures, and begin planning for the future.

The American Booksellers Association has launched a new, streamlined balloting process for the 2005 Book Sense Book of the Year Awards. In a break from the past, the initial round of voting to choose five finalists in each category has been eliminated, and voting is now open to all booksellers from every regular member bookstore.

The American Booksellers Association kicks off its 2005 Winter/Spring Booksellers Forum season and 2005 Education Program on Saturday, January 8, in Salt Lake City. The program, held in conjunction with the Mountains & Plains Booksellers Association (MPBA), will take place from 9:00 a.m. - 3:15 p.m. at The King's English Bookstore's Fresco Restaurant. All MPBA and ABA member booksellers are invited, and ABA hopes as many area booksellers as possible will attend.

ABA member booksellers who have pre-registered for the Hotel ABA - NYC at BookExpo America (BEA) 2005 must send arrival and departure dates and credit card information to Travel Tech (BEA's travel company) by January 31 to ensure their reservations. Otherwise, pre-reservations will be canceled on February 1.

The American Booksellers Association will kick off its 2005 Winter/Spring Booksellers Forum season and 2005 Education Program on Saturday, January 8, in Salt Lake City. The program, held in conjunction with the Mountains & Plains Booksellers Association (MPBA), will take place from 9:00 a.m. - 3:15 p.m. at The King's English Bookstore's Fresco Restaurant. All MPBA and ABA member booksellers are invited to attend.

Friday, December 17, is the deadline to nominate candidates for the American Booksellers Association's Board of Directors. Any ABA member may submit nominations to the Nominating Committee, chaired by Suzanne Staubach of UConn Co-op in Storrs, Connecticut. All nominations will be held in the strictest confidence.

Over the last few months, the American Booksellers Association has reorganized the responsibilities of some of its key staff to better meet the needs of its members. Among the changes, ABA has designated BookSense.com Director Len Vlahos to spearhead an effort to evaluate and reinvigorate the association's educational offerings, in addition to his other responsibilities. Working with Vlahos on the project is Kristen Gilligan, who was recently named associate director of programming and constituent groups liaison.

Friday, December 17, is the deadline for receipt of nominations of candidates to serve on the American Booksellers Association's Board of Directors. Any ABA member may submit nominations to the Nominating Committee, chaired by Suzanne Staubach of UConn Co-op in Storrs, Connecticut.

In early November, ABA launched new and improved forum software on the BookWeb.org Idea Exchange, providing all ABA bookstore members a unique opportunity to exchange ideas and share thoughts with fellow booksellers or with the ABA Board and staff.

The American Booksellers Association's Nominating Committee, chaired by Suzanne Staubach of UConn Co-op in Storrs, Connecticut, is seeking qualified candidates to serve on the ABA Board of Directors. Any ABA member may submit nominations, which must be received no later than Friday, December 17.

Both FedEx and UPS have recently announced an increase in their rates on ground and air shipments, effective January 3, 2005. According to PartnerShip, which offers a money-saving small-package shipping program exclusively for members of the American Booksellers Association, rates for FedEx Ground and UPS Ground shipments will increase an average of 2.9 percent, and a fuel surcharge, based on a fuel index that will vary from week to week, will be implemented.

The American Booksellers Association's Nominating Committee, chaired by Suzanne Staubach of UConn Co-op in Storrs, Connecticut, is searching for qualified candidates to serve on the ABA Board of Directors. Under ABA's bylaws, the terms of three members of the nine-member board expire each year, and at least one of the three candidates cannot have served on the current board. Board members are eligible to be elected for two three-year terms.