Stay up to date with the world of independent bookselling.
Wednesday, March 16, 2022  
 
Here’s how you can make a difference this year.
 

Place Your Vote for the ABA Board of Directors Election

Voting is underway for the ABA Board of Directors election! One person per ABA member store may vote; if you’re the designated voter, head over to the ballot now! But before you do, learn more about this year’s candidates.

Nominations Open for ABA’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee (DEIC)

We’d like to give a huge thanks to long-time DEIC members Michelle Malonzo and Sarah Hollenbeck. Both Sarah and Michelle extended their terms of service to help transition a new committee last year and we are grateful to them for their many contributions during their tenure.

We are now opening nominations to fill Michelle and Sarah’s spots on ABA’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee which serves as a sounding board and advisory council on issues related to antiracism, equity, access, and representation facing the bookselling community and ABA.

Booksellers are invited to nominate themselves or another bookseller!

Join Us in Condemning the Nationwide Attack on Books in Schools and Libraries

Sign ABFE’s banned books petition! The petition is for independent booksellers to collectively condemn the growing partisan attacks on books and offer support to schools and libraries. We encourage you to share the petition with your bookselling colleagues to maximize its impact. This petition, and its signatories, will be made publicly available.

And take a look at two new free expression resources that are now available on BookWeb.org: Handling a Records Request About School District Orders and 9 Tips for Handling Trolls on Social Media. The resources are meant to help bookstores respond to requests they may receive due to the growing partisan attacks on books in schools and libraries. Contact the American Booksellers for Free Expression (ABFE) at [email protected] or (800) 209-1538 with any questions.
ICYMI: Snow Days Wrap-up

Last week, we held Snow Days, a three-day virtual event packed with education, conversation, and poetry. Thank you to Ingram and to publishers, authors, booksellers, panelists, and business partners who made it possible — and thank you to the 1,232 people who joined us. If you joined us, please take a moment to fill out this post-event survey by March 25.

Session recordings will be available in the coming weeks. Watch this space for more information! 

And, if you missed the ipage® session during Snow Days, or if you joined that conversation and are looking for more information, you won't want to miss Ingram's bimonthly ipage® webinar series, Tuesdays with ipage®. Join the Ingram team as they discuss ipage® elements to help you better navigate the daily ordering process, step by step. Save time and resources by learning to use the service’s top features. These sessions are geared toward all ipage® users and account administrators. The next webinar will be on Tuesday, April 26, and will focus on Ingram’s Direct-to-Home program.  Register now.
Action Items

We are thrilled to announce the 44 booksellers who have received a scholarship to Ci10! Take a look at the list, which is now live on BookWeb.org. We look forward to seeing you all in Arizona!

Writers for Democratic Action has launched Book the Vote, a campaign that aims to register more voters before the November elections. Here’s how to participate.

Save the Date

Next Wednesday, March 23, at 3:00 pm ET, join us for Creating a Strategic Plan for Your Store Part 2: Developing a Marketing Strategy  Access registration and handouts on BookWeb.org. 

ABA member booksellers are also invited to take advantage of one-on-one sessions with Lesli Rice, lead strategist for Rice Education Consulting. This is a limited-time offer and will be available until June 1, 2022. Pricing is available at Partner Discounts and Services on BookWeb.org. To book appointments, please reach out directly to Lesli Rice at [email protected].
ABA Welcomes New Staff!

In the past year, ABA has welcomed six new staff members! Here’s a super quick introduction — watch BTW in the coming weeks for full profiles. (And, in the meantime, take a look at Elisa’s profile, which ran in February!) 

  • Daron Mueller, E-Commerce Support Specialist
  • Sara Lacey Graham, Executive Assistant
  • Ben Hewitt, IndieCommerce Developer 
  • Elisa Thomas, DEIA Member Relations Manager
  • Britt Camacho, Copy Editor
  • Ray Daniels, Chief Communications Officer
What to Know

Last Wednesday, March 9, bipartisan members of the House Judiciary Committee sent a letter to the U.S. Justice Department, urging the Justice Department to investigate potentially criminal conduct by Amazon and its senior executives. The letter accuses Amazon of refusing to provide information lawmakers sought as part of their Big Tech investigation and alleges that the refusal was an attempt to cover up a lie that Amazon told lawmakers about its treatment of third-party sellers on its platform. 

Small Business Rising, the antitrust coalition ABA is a part of, released a statement applauding the Committee and urging the DOJ to fully investigate the conduct. Read Small Business Rising's full statement.

The federal government has created a collection of resources to help small businesses complete their taxes, close out their 2021 financials, and prepare for new funding opportunities in 2022.

The resources include how to get your federal and state tax ID numbers, tax credits available, and frequently asked questions. Booksellers can also use the site to find a free local small business advisor or mentor in their area.

Here’s a preview of the titles that will be included in the Spring Reading Group Guide, which will be delivered as an e-newsletter on April 14. This guide includes the following categories: Dazzling Debuts, Family and Coming of Age, Historical Fiction, Nonfiction & Memoir, and Small Bites.

Judy I. Lin is the author of A Magic Steeped in Poison, a Winter/Spring 2022 Indies Introduce young adult selection and March/April 2022 Kids’ Next List pick. Here, Casey Gerken of Innisfree Bookshop and Lin talk about crafting complex characters and the power of imaginary worlds.
 

Here is the Indie Biography & Memoir Bestseller List, based on sales at independent bookstores nationwide for the eight-week period ending March 13, 2022.

 
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