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Wednesday, January 12, 2022  
 
Snow Days!
Here’s a sneak peek at what we’ll be offering this winter
 

We are excited to launch our newly revamped and expanded Snow Days virtual bookselling retreat for March 8–10. Registration and the full schedule will be announced next week in BTW. In the meantime, check out this teaser to see what you have to look forward to! 

And also: here's our new February Programming! 

Join us on Tuesday, February 8, at 3:30 pm ET for the Winter/Spring 2022 Indies Introduce Presentation. You’ll hear about the title selection process from the bookseller panelists who curated the Winter/Spring 2022 Indies Introduce 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. Registration is free and open now. 

We’ll also be holding a series called Three Workshops — Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone: Knowing Better Means Doing Better. This series is free for those who attend. Attend one, or attend all three! Registrants will pay $25 to reserve their spot, but will receive a refund the week after the event if they attend at least one of the sessions. Registration will launch in next week’s BTW!

The workshop schedule is: 

  • Monday, February 14, 3:00 pm ET – 5:30 pm ET: Ally? Accomplice? Co-Conspirator?! An Antiracism Seminar about Doing the Work  
  • Tuesday, February 15, 3:00 pm ET – 5:00 pm ET: Introduction to Conflict De-escalation for Frontline Booksellers: How to Stop Hate When You See It While Staying Safe
  • Wednesday, February 16, 3:00 pm ET – 4:00 pm ET: DEI Store Audit 

    And, on Thursday, February 17 from 3:00 pm ET to 4:00 pm ET, join us for a Town Hall. The Town Hall is an opportunity for bookstore owners and booksellers to share opinions, concerns, and ideas with the ABA Board. The full board will respond to questions and comments from bookstore owners and booksellers; those who would like to send questions in advance can email [email protected].
    Action Items

    Leading up to ABA’s next Disability Affinity Group on January 18, hear from Sarah Hollenbeck of Women & Children First in Chicago, Illinois, and Annie Carl of The Neverending Bookshop in Edmonds, Washington, who shared the importance of having a space for those who identify as disabled to gather and discuss the bookselling industry.

    Saturday, January 15, is the last chance to enroll in Affordable Care Act (ACA) health coverage for 2022. Enrollments will be effective February 1, 2022. Booksellers can contact ABA’s membership health insurance partner LIG Solutions for a no-obligation health insurance assessment. Learn more about open enrollment.
    World Read Aloud Day

    Celebrate World Read Aloud Day on Wednesday, February 2! World Read Aloud Day was founded by LitWorld in 2010 to celebrate the power of reading aloud to create community and amplify new stories, and to advocate for literacy as a foundational human right. Sign up now to receive updates on all the exciting events planned for the day.

    In February, join in by grabbing a favorite text and reading out loud. Have customers or staff bring in their favorite book, magazine, script, or newspaper, and ask each person to choose an excerpt to read aloud. You can record on your phone and share on social media or your website. Or, spread the power of reading by doing one of the following activities in the store:

    • Educate: Have several read alouds in the store throughout the day and talk to your community about the importance of global literacy.
    • Advocate: Spread the word about World Read Aloud Day and the Global Literacy Movement by hosting a read aloud event. Make posters in the store or create social media posts advertising and informing the community about the event. Construct bookmarks with information about the day and tips for reading aloud.
    • Innovate: Share World Read Aloud Day by creating Public Service Announcements and share their projects using video chat, blogs, and websites.
    Amplify the Shop Black-Owned Message

    This February, amplify the "Shop Black-Owned" message. We’ve partnered with the American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA) and invite you to inspire your community to support Black-owned businesses (either yours or those of others) and celebrate diversity. Download logos and assets from Shop Indie Local and get inspired by campaigns shared by our partners.
    Save the Date

    Here are the events on tap this month:
    ABA Membership Renewals

    2022 membership renewal emails will arrive this week. All ABA memberships run from February 1 through January 31. Member stores can opt to pay dues on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis, but all members need to complete the renewal process to update their store’s data. 

    The membership renewal will include an option for participation in the ABC Children’s Group ($50) and members can also choose to support the crucial advocacy work of the American Booksellers for Free Expression (ABFE) by adding a tax-deductible donation.

    Membership benefits can be reviewed on BookWeb. Questions about dues renewal can be emailed to the Membership Team.
    One-Second Survey

    Is your bookstore still in need of federal pandemic relief?

    • Yes
    • No
    • Unsure
    What to Know

    Applications for scholarships to the 2022 Children’s Institute will open on January 19 and close February 9. Watch this space for more information in the coming weeks.

    The Independent Bookstore Day Exclusives Order and Participation Form will open Friday, January 14! Take a look at the digital catalog, which includes the complete list of paid and free exclusives.

    Take a look at the marketing tips that worked in 2021.  

    Watch your inbox! The 2021 ABACUS results will be emailed to bookstores today, Wednesday, January 12.

    Bookstore owners and managers: You should have received an email earlier today, Wednesday, January 12, with the subject line “Amazon’s impact: 2022 independent business survey.” The survey will take 10 to 20 minutes to complete and will be used to strengthen ABA’s advocacy efforts and inform members of Congress, journalists, and community leaders. Please limit responses to one per bookstore.

    Good Morning America featured Charis Books & More in Decatur, Georgia, in a new segment showcasing book recommendations from indie bookstores around the country!

    As Omicron becomes more prevalent, online traffic is increasing, our IndieCommerce Team reports. See how this will impact your e-commerce site.

    BTW talked about art and writing with Jason Reynolds and Jason Griffin, authors of January/February 2022 Kids’ Indie Next List top pick Ain’t Burned All the Bright (Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books). 

    Nancy Tandon is the author of The Way I Say It, a Winter/Spring 2022 Indies Introduce middle grade selection, and January/February 2022 Kids’ Indie Next List pick. In this Q&A, Susan Williams of M. Judson Booksellers, Greenville, South Carolina, and Tandon discuss writing for children.

    Apply for the Sourcebooks BIPOC Editorial Training Program! This is a fully remote, paid editorial training program for BIPOC editors, designed to provide a broad overview of the day-to-day work of an editor. Learn more information and apply.
     
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