Stay up to date with the world of independent bookselling.
Wednesday, January 4, 2023  
2023 Membership Renewals
 

Booksellers: your store’s 2023 membership renewal email is arriving soon. 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. Stores who have recently become members will also need to renew their membership.

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 Foundation 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.
 
Infographic: What You Need For Membership Renewals
Remembering Joyce Meskis

ABA joins those sharing their memories of Joyce Meskis this week.

The former owner of Tattered Cover (attributed with building the bookstore to its legendary status), former Executive Director of the Denver Publishing Institute, former ABA Board President, the first MPBA Board President, and recipient of the Jean Otto Friend of Freedom Award from the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition — just some of her many industry accomplishments — passed away at the age of 80.

“Joyce was widely known throughout the bookselling world as a leader and advocate and was a great contributor to ABA over the years. She taught in the ABA bookseller school, served as a Board Director and Board President, and shared her expertise on panels. Her power and passion will surely be missed.” —Christine Onorati, Board President.

“I remember as a newbie store manager getting a call from Joyce. I had grown up in the industry watching Joyce's work from afar. It felt like getting a call from the president! We didn’t really know each other but she was calling to thank me for holding an author event despite protests. I couldn’t believe she was thanking me! Joyce supported and influenced generations of booksellers. She contributed greatly to the book industry, the Denver community, and the protection of privacy and freedom of expression. She was a force in our industry and an inspiration for a life well lived. May she rest in peace.” —Allison Hill, ABA CEO
ICYMI: 47 Days Until Winter Institute 2023

Wi2023 attendees, yesterday we sent an email with the subject line“Join Us for a Book Swap Dinner at Wi2023: Headcount Needed” with updates about attending the Institute and other important information as you prepare to join us in Seattle. Refer back to that email about the following actions:

Keep an eye on your inboxes leading up to Winter Institute 2023 from [email protected] for other actions you’ll need to take including signing up for Indie Commerce 1:1’s, Publishers by Appointment, and completing your HealthShield vaccination verification.
Action Items
2022 Sales Survey

We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season! We’d like to get a sense of how stores did in 2022. Thanks in advance for responding to this brief 4 question sales survey by Monday, January 16.

A Top 10 1st Quarter (Q1) Checklist

Congratulations! You made it through the retail holiday season. Take a deep breath...now on to the new year. Here’s a Top 10 1st Quarter (Q1) checklist to get you started.
ABA and Bookseller New Year’s Resolutions

In the spirit of the New Year and a fresh start, ABA has created some New Year’s Resolutions that might keep you on track and help you get the most out of your newly renewed membership.
January 19 is Get To Know Your Customers Day

Get to Know Your Customers Day is observed the third Thursday of every quarter, but why wait until then? Share how you get to know your customers and we will compile them in an article for next week’s BTW, along with best practices and tips for creative ways to connect all year long with those who shop at your store.
Advocacy Task Force Meeting Reminder

Booksellers who volunteered for ABA's Advocacy Task Force should mark their calendars: The Task Force will be holding its first meeting on Monday, January 9, 2023 from 4:30 to 6:00 pm ET. The Advocacy Task Force will help ABA gain insight into the top priorities and problems facing booksellers and bookstores in order to best advocate for legislative and regulatory change at the local, state, and national level. Each member of the Task Force is only expected to serve for one meeting.
Booksellers May Still Be Able to Claim Employee Tax Credit

Booksellers should be aware that they may still be eligible to claim the Employee Retention Credit for tax years 2020 and 2021. The American Rescue Plan extends the availability of the Employee Retention Credit for small businesses through December 2021 and allows businesses to offset their current payroll tax liabilities by up to $7,000 per employee per quarter. This credit of up to $28,000 per employee for 2021 is available to small businesses who have seen their revenues decline, or even been temporarily shuttered, due to COVID.

Save the Date

Save the date for these upcoming events:

For 2023:

ShopTalk and ShopTalk Subsets will be combined. Sessions will occur every other month. The majority of each session will be set aside for smaller breakout groups, with the last 15 minutes of the hour reserved for a larger group discussion.

Board Office Hours and ABA Open Houses will also be combined to create an opportunity for members to connect and engage in discussion with both Board members and the ABA team. Members of the ABA Board of Directors, the ABA CEO, and other members of the ABA staff will be in attendance.
What to Know
National Trivia Day, Advocacy Edition
 

In honor of National Trivia Day on January 4, the Advocacy team has created a quiz to see if you know all that we are doing on behalf of our members. See how up to date you are!

ABA/ABFE signs coalition letters advocating on behalf of key issues on a regular basis. In 2022, ABA/ABFE signed:

A. 10+
B. 20+
C. 25+
D. 30+

Answer: D. ABA/ABFE signed over 35 letters advocating in support of policy issues important to independent bookstores.

How many people signed ABA’s Banned Books petition last year?

A. 524
B. 5,012
C. 942
D. 1,683

Answer: D. 1,683 consumers and booksellers signed ABFE’s petition opposing book bans in schools and libraries across the country.

ABFE was formed in what year?

A. 1994
B. 2002
C. 1990
D. 1066

Answer: C. ABFE was founded in 1990.

What was ABFE’s original name?

A. The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression
B. The American Booksellers for Free Speech
C. The National Coalition Against Censorship
D. The American Booksellers for the First Amendment

Answer: A. The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression
A Q&A With Deepti Kapoor, Author of January Indie Next List Top Pick “Age of Vice”

Independent booksellers across the country have chosen Deepti Kapoor’s Age of Vice as their top pick for the January 2023 Indie Next List. Here, Bookselling This Week and Kapoor talk about Age of Vice.
February Indie Next List Preview

Here are the 25 Indie Next List and 6 Now in Paperback picks on the February 2023 Indie Next List flier. Top pick? How To Sell A Haunted House by Grady Hendrix. And, to mark the start of a new month, January Indie Next List and January/February Kids’ Next List social media assets are live on BookWeb.
Poetry Bestseller List

Here is the Indie Poetry Bestseller List, based on sales at independent bookstores nationwide for the eight-week period ending January 1, 2023.

Poetry fans attending Winter Institute, be sure and stop by ABA's Poetry Theater! 
 
Quick Links
Indie Next ListIndie Bestseller Lists
Follow ABA
ABA TwitterABA FacebookABA Instagram
Follow IndieBound
IndieBound TwitterIndieBound Facebook
General inquiries and membership: [email protected]
IndieCommerce: [email protected]
Bookselling This Week (BTW) is a Publication of the American Booksellers Association.
Subscribe to Bookselling This Week. E-mail [email protected] to update your e-mail address. Unsubscribe from BTW.