News - Regional

The Great Lakes Booksellers Association (GLBA) held its Spring Meeting on March 27 at the Transitions Learning Center in Chicago. The program included an ABA Booksellers Forum, an ABACUS "Sneak Preview," and a seminar on Succession Planning/Bookstore Valuation sponsored by ABA. Representing ABA at the meeting were President Ann Christophersen of Women & Children First in Chicago; Board member Karl Pohrt of Shaman Drum Bookshop in Ann Arbor, Michigan; CEO Avin Mark Domnitz; COO Oren Teicher; and Ivan Barkhorn, a consultant to ABA on strategic matters.

In the coming weeks, ABA Booksellers Forums will be held in the Southeast, New Atlantic, and Mid-South regions.

The Southeast Booksellers Association's (SEBA) Spring Seminar and Book Awards Celebration, April 4 - 5, at the Park Road Hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina, will include a Booksellers Forum and an ABACUS "Sneak Preview."

On Friday, March 14, booksellers from five states attended an ABA/MPBA Booksellers Forum that was held at the Mountain and Plains Booksellers Association (MPBA) Spring Meeting and Regional Book Awards Celebration. The event took place in Santa Fe, New Mexico, at the Radisson Santa Fe, and was part of a full program for booksellers that ran from Friday to Sunday, March 16.

On Thursday, March 27, the American Booksellers Association will be holding a Booksellers Forum, an ABACUS "Sneak Preview," and a "Succession Planning/How to Value Your Business" seminar in Chicago. The events will be held in conjunction with the Great Lakes Booksellers Association (GLBA) Spring Meeting at the Transitions Learning Center in Chicago.

On Friday, March 14, over 35 people attended an ABA Booksellers Forum, held in conjunction with the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association (PNBA) Spring Show, in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. The PNBA Spring Show ran from March 14 - 16 and was held at the Coeur d'Alene Resort.

Two Booksellers Forums and additional ABA programming will be held on Friday, March 14, in conjunction with the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association (PNBA) Spring Show in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and with the Mountains and Plains Booksellers Association (MBPA) Spring Trade Show in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

On Saturday, March 8, approximately 25 people braved a snowstorm and bitter cold temperatures to attend an ABA Booksellers Forum, held in conjunction with the Upper Midwest Booksellers Association (UMBA) Spring Meeting, in Minneapolis. The UMBA Spring Meeting ran from March 8 - March 9 and was held at UMBA's offices.

The Southeast Booksellers Association has announced the winners of the association's 2003 Book Awards, which "seek to recognize the year's best books out of the South."

The winners are:

By Linda Ramsdell

New England Booksellers Association President Linda Ramsdell recently wrote NEBA members about her concerns over the USA Patriot Act, the importance of the First Amendment, and her beliefs about the full definition of the word "patriot." BTW is grateful to Ramsdell and to NEBA for permission to reprint her letter from the February issue of NEBA News.

On Thursday, March 27, the American Booksellers Association will hold its second Booksellers Forum in the Great Lakes Region this spring. The forum and other ABA programming will be held in conjunction with the Great Lakes Booksellers Association (GLBA) Spring Meeting at the Transitions Learning Center in Chicago. In early February, approximately 30 booksellers attended an ABA Booksellers Forum at Weber's Inn in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association (PNBA) has announced the winners of its 2003 book awards. Independent booksellers from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska chose six titles by Northwest authors to receive special recognition.

The awards will be presented at the 37th PNBA Awards Banquet, which will be on March 15 at the PNBA's spring trade show in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

The winners are:

Three More Forums Scheduled for March

The American Booksellers Association will be holding a Booksellers Forum in conjunction with the Upper Midwest Booksellers Association (UMBA) Spring Meeting, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Saturday, March 8. The UMBA Spring Meeting runs from March 8 - 9.

On Thursday, February 20, approximately 25 booksellers attended an ABA Booksellers Forum, held in conjunction with the New England Booksellers Association (NEBA), at the Westford Regency Inn & Conference Center in Westford, Massachusetts. According to a number of attendees, the ABACUS sneak preview and ABA's investigation into developing an electronic gift card program were the hot topics of the day's numerous discussions.

The Southeast Booksellers Association has released the names of the nominees for its 2003 Book Awards. The winners will be announced on March 4, and the awards will be presented at a dinner ceremony on April 4 at the Park Hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The nominees are:

Fiction

In an effort to provide members with updates on association business, as well as to answer questions and gather bookseller input to shape future programs and initiatives, the American Booksellers Association has been holding a series of Booksellers Forums this spring in conjunction with regional booksellers association meetings throughout the country.