Ci10 Program

The Quiet Room is intended to provide a quiet, calm space where attendees can spend time away from noise, light, and other stimuli of conference spaces. The quiet room is not available for conversations or meetings.

Pick up your badge, the official Ci10 welcome bag, and a full schedule of Institute events. Mentor/Mentee and Rep Picks table assignments are printed on bookseller badges.

Join in on our fun bookstore tour in the sun! The Phoenix-area Bookstore Tour departs from the Arizona Biltmore promptly at 10:30 am on Monday, June 20, and will stop at Grassrootz Bookstore, Palabras Bilingual Bookstore, and Changing Hands Bookstore. Boarding begins 30 minutes prior to departure; the tour will return to the hotel by 3:00 pm. The cost of the tour is $37.50 and registered booksellers will receive first priority.

While pre-registration is closed, tour bus spots will be available day-of and payment can be made on-site via credit card.

Grassrootz Bookstore: Welcome to Arizona’s only Black-Owned Bookstore! Each purchase from Grassrootz Bookstore helps to fund grassroots activism, education and economic development efforts in Phoenix, Arizona.

Palabras Bilingual Bookstore: Palabras Bilingual Bookstore is Arizona’s only Bilingual bookstore, carrying titles in both Spanish and English and offering the community workshops and events with a focus on cultural representation and diversity. The Palabras Mission is to promote cultural representation and diversity through literature, language, and the arts.

Changing Hands: Changing Hands Bookstore has two locations in Tempe and Phoenix, Arizona. The Phoenix store is home to First Draft Book Bar, a wine/beer/coffee shop with small bites. The stores have over 100,000 new and used books alongside a large selection of gift items. Changing Hands hosts author events, workshops, and book clubs. CHB has been a community gathering place since 1974.

Learn the ins and outs of TikTok in a workshop environment. Participants will gain a better understanding of TikTok lingo, how to record and produce video, as well as basic to intermediate editing tools that will help bookstores attract customers a drive sales.

Learn the ins and outs of TikTok in a workshop environment. Participants will gain a better understanding of TikTok lingo, how to record and produce video, as well as basic to intermediate editing tools that will help bookstores attract customers a drive sales.

From book banning challenges and troll attacks to stores faced with defending their store mission, business decisions, or mistakes, the past two years we’ve seen stores impacted by social media and PR crises. Effective crisis communication management starts long before an issue arises. In this session, learn how to create a plan to mitigate and respond to risk, and how to handle things when the plan fails.

From book banning challenges and troll attacks to stores faced with defending their store mission, business decisions, or mistakes, the past two years we’ve seen stores impacted by social media and PR crises. Effective crisis communication management starts long before an issue arises. In this session, learn how to create a plan to mitigate and respond to risk, and how to handle things when the plan fails.

First time at Children’s Institute? Don’t panic! If you requested a mentor, now is also the time to meet them so that you can connect throughout the conference. Join us before the Opening Reception and Costume Party to get the scoop on Children’s Institute and meet other attendees new to the event. Together, we will assist you in making the perfect game plan that ensures you get the most out of your Ci10 experience. Pre-registration is required to be matched with a mentor.

Celebrate the opening of the 10th Annual Children’s Institute in the company of your colleagues from around the country with a costume party! Come dressed as your favorite book character or collaborate with fellow booksellers with a group costume. All attendees are encouraged to be put their best sartorial foot forward and join in the fun!

Celebrate Juneteenth with music and a not to be missed conversation between Dr. Ibram X. Kendi (Goodnight Racism, Penguin Young Readers) and Frederick Joseph (Better Than We Found It: Conversations to Help Save the World, Candlewick Press).

Celebrate Juneteenth with music and a not to be missed conversation between Dr. Ibram X. Kendi (Goodnight Racism, Penguin Young Readers) and Frederick Joseph (Better Than We Found It: Conversations to Help Save the World, Candlewick Press).

The Quiet Room is intended to provide a quiet, calm space where attendees can spend time away from noise, light, and other stimuli of conference spaces. The quiet room is not available for conversations or meetings.

Pick up your badge, the official Ci10 welcome bag, and a full schedule of Institute events. Mentor/Mentee and Rep Picks table assignments are printed on bookseller badges.

Join activist and author Karen Walrond (The Lightmaker's Manifesto) for a keynote conversation on how booksellers can maintain their spark while continuing to work for change in their communities and the world at large. By identifying tools and practices that can help booksellers define and refine their missions without succumbing to burnout, Walrond's opening keynote is sure to kindle conversations that will resonate through the entirety of Ci10.

Join activist and author Karen Walrond (The Lightmaker's Manifesto) for a keynote conversation on how booksellers can maintain their spark while continuing to work for change in their communities and the world at large. By identifying tools and practices that can help booksellers define and refine their missions without succumbing to burnout, Walrond's opening keynote is sure to kindle conversations that will resonate through the entirety of Ci10.

The Consultation Station offers booksellers the opportunity to meet with representatives from ABA’s business solution partners and other service providers. The full list of Consultation Station participants is available on BookWeb and the event app. Be sure to check BookWeb frequently as new participants are added regularly and make appointments in the coming months.

IndieCommerce and IndieLite are ABA’s online platforms for marketing events and author appearances as well as selling books and other merchandise. Both users and non-users of IndieCommerce and IndieLite are invited to schedule a one-on-one time with a program specialist from the IndieCommerce team. Space is limited, but walk-ins are welcome. Hours are offered Tuesday and Wednesday. Schedule your appointment here.

Non-book gifts and sidelines support a store’s book inventory, increase dollars per transaction, add value for customers, and enhance a store’s personality. This session will offer merchandising tips to optimize your space, improve profitability, and serve your customers in a way that both increases sales and lets your store’s identity shine.

Storytime is so much more than a staff member reading a book to little ones. It is an opportunity to brand your store, bolster sales, generate goodwill, and capture new audiences. This session will unpack how to turn storytime into a bookselling event with introductory storytelling training, as well as ideas to drive sales and create a new revenue stream by monetizing the event.

Brenna Connor, Books Insights Manager of The NPD Group, will break down the state of the US children’s book market including key trends to watch, highest growth areas, and performance by genre, format, and age range. This can’t-miss session is based on the latest NPD BookScan data and Brenna’s industry expertise.

Indies Introduce is all about what independent booksellers do best: Discovering exciting debut authors and sharing the best with readers across the country. You will hear about the title selection process from the bookseller panelists who curated the list and many of the debut authors will be present to read a short passage and answer a question posed by one of the panelists. Afterwards, authors will move to the signing area where booksellers can meet the authors and get galleys signed.

Indies Introduce is all about what independent booksellers do best: Discovering exciting debut authors and sharing the best with readers across the country. You will hear about the title selection process from the bookseller panelists who curated the list and many of the debut authors will be present to read a short passage and answer a question posed by one of the panelists. Afterwards, authors will move to the signing area where booksellers can meet the authors and get galleys signed.

Developed for author guests in the early stages of their writing careers, this panel features booksellers who have formulated best practices for creating events that benefit both stores and authors. This session will cover a number of issues, from author publicity to dealing with pre-event nerves.

Ci10 Children’s book sales reps share great upcoming titles from the publisher sponsors. Seats are assigned; table numbers are printed on bookseller badges. Booksellers are expected to attend.

The Consultation Station offers booksellers the opportunity to meet with representatives from ABA’s business solution partners and other service providers. The full list of Consultation Station participants is available on BookWeb and the event app. Be sure to check BookWeb frequently as new participants are added regularly and make appointments in the coming months.

Thanks to the generosity of ABA’s publisher sponsors, many authors and illustrators will be on hand to chat with booksellers and autograph new and forthcoming titles at the Author Reception. Hors d’oeuvres and refreshments will be served.

Come join Scholastic Graphix and an amazing group of authors and illustrators to kick off the summer with drinks and delicious desserts! Booksellers will meet fall 2022 authors and illustrators, get a first look at their upcoming graphic novels, and take home galleys and gifts. Appearing authors are Jamar Nicholas (Leon the Extraordinary: A Graphic Novel), Gale Galligan (Freestyle: A Graphic Novel), Christina Soontornvat (The Tryout: A Graphic Novel), and Christina Diaz Gonzalez (Invisible: A Graphic Novel).

Pick up your badge, the official Ci10 welcome bag, and a full schedule of Institute events. Mentor/Mentee and Rep Picks table assignments are printed on bookseller badges.

The Quiet Room is intended to provide a quiet, calm space where attendees can spend time away from noise, light, and other stimuli of conference spaces. The quiet room is not available for conversations or meetings.

Join Native authors Cynthia Leitich Smith, Traci Sorell, and Danielle Greendeer in a conversation about how reader awareness and shifts in publishing have affected the way they create new stories with native characters at the center, and share stories of the past.

Join Native authors Cynthia Leitich Smith, Traci Sorell, and Danielle Greendeer in a conversation about how reader awareness and shifts in publishing have affected the way they create new stories with native characters at the center, and share stories of the past.

IndieCommerce and IndieLite are ABA’s online platforms for marketing events and author appearances as well as selling books and other merchandise. Both users and non-users of IndieCommerce and IndieLite are invited to schedule a one-on-one time with a program specialist from the IndieCommerce team. Space is limited, but walk-ins are welcome. Hours are offered Tuesday and Wednesday. Schedule your appointment here.

Community partnerships are an untapped source of income for many stores. They can have a profound impact on a store’s bottom line as well as the soul of the store and its community. A panel of booksellers who work closely with community partners will share how to make initial contact, what format a partnership can take, and how to manage expectations without taking on too much. Attendees will have an opportunity for open discussion and to ask each other questions on community partnerships.

Over the last two years, the IndieCommerce team has observed and analyzed consumer e-commerce buying habits as all consumers were forced to adapt to online shopping throughout the public health crisis. In this feature talk, Phillip Davies, ABA’s Director of E-Commerce, will give attendees an e-commerce market overview and share assessments on consumer buying habits. Afterward, booksellers will meet in Buzz Groups to discuss how they can optimize what they’ve learned to continue to drive online sales.

Over the last two years, the IndieCommerce team has observed and analyzed consumer e-commerce buying habits as all consumers were forced to adapt to online shopping throughout the public health crisis. In this feature talk, Phillip Davies, ABA’s Director of E-Commerce, will give attendees an e-commerce market overview and share assessments on consumer buying habits. Afterward, booksellers will meet in Buzz Groups to discuss how they can optimize what they’ve learned to continue to drive online sales.

Enjoy lunch while hearing about great upcoming titles from more of Children's Institute publisher sponsors. Seating is unassigned for this lunch.

Book fairs come in all shapes and sizes. If well planned, they can be a profitable undertaking for a bookstore. In this session, booksellers with profitable book fair models will discuss different store models and how bookstores with established relationships with local school districts can analyze and optimize profitability.

BookTok is here to stay. In this session, booksellers will learn how bookstores, authors, and publishers use BookTok to assess sales, trends, and engage with a virtual community of readers.

In this session, bookstores with experience with the media will share how to to make your store media ready, including creating an About Us section that will attract press, how to build a media kit, which components are key, and how to select the assets to share to highlight your bookstore’s individuality in the press.

Heads or Tails is back! The ABA is sponsoring the ever-popular fundraising event Heads or Tails for the Binc Foundation. You can win $250! A $20 donation earns you one chance to win and a $35 donation gives you two chances to win! All proceeds will help your fellow booksellers through an emergency. Click here and then pick up your flashing pin at the Binc table in the Consultation Station.

Closing keynote address by Charlie Jane Anders. 

More details to come!