ABA Announces BEA "Day of Education" Lineup

The American Booksellers Association today unveils the programming for its eighth annual Day of Education, to be held on Tuesday, May 25, at BookExpo America. This year's trade show will be held from Tuesday, May 25, through Thursday, May 28, at New York's Javits Convention Center.

Continuing and building upon the curriculum begun at February's Winter Institute, ABA's Day of Education program, which is again sponsored by Ingram, will offer an array of 15 education sessions, roundtable discussions, and workshops. Topics include the results of a brand-new survey of book-buying behavior, the latest on e-books, a fresh look at alternative business models, and more. The program also features two sessions for children's booksellers developed by the Association of Booksellers for Children.

8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

Plenary Presented by ABA and BEA
Details to come.

10:15 a.m. - 11:45 p.m.

"It's A Wrap" Video Lab
Small businesses are increasingly relying on video to communicate with their customers. In this hands-on lab, you'll learn how to shoot a short video, get that video from the camera to your computer, and get the clip from your computer to your blog, website, or Facebook page. Presented by ABA Marketing Manager Paige Poe. Those interested in attending should e-mail [email protected] with "Video Lab" in the subject line.

Techniques & Tactics for Online Website Promotion
Want better placement in search results? Make the most of your website, and increase your audience and your sales. From hyperlocal searches and affiliate marketing to advanced analytics and beyond, learn how to build a meaningful relationship between your website and your community. Presented by Matt Supko, ABA Technology Director. 

2010 Survey of Book-Buying Behavior With Verso Digital
What do customers really want and think? Verso Digital's Jack McKeown, a 25-year publishing veteran, will present the results of a new survey of consumers book-buying behaviors. Conducted and analyzed in the time between Wi5 and BEA 2010, this is the most up-to-date consumer book-buying information that you will find!

It's in the Payroll
The focus of this session is payroll control. Starting with an examination of what is included in the payroll line (total compensation) to providing practical, usable tools for budgeting, scheduling, and controlling payroll, this seminar will provide invaluable tools and information to booksellers, regardless of the size of their store. Presented by Len Vlahos, COO.

Power to the Bookseller: An Update on Key Advocacy Issues
As more and more state legislatures debate e-fairness legislation, the role of booksellers as advocates for online sales tax equity becomes even more critical. This session will update booksellers on the status of the e-fairness fight state by state and offer concrete suggestions for articulating the sales tax equity message, including how to reach out to key legislators and how to build a coalition of local indie retailers and other supporters. As we approach a potential tipping point in the fight for e-fairness, effective advocacy has never been more important. Presented by Oren Teicher, CEO. Panelists to come.

12:45 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.

Large-Store Roundtable
Aimed at owners and managers of large stores. A veteran bookseller will moderate this roundtable discussion for owners and managers of large stores. Space is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. Moderator to come.

Google Editions
Google is preparing to launch a new kind of e-book, one that exists in the "cloud." Come to this session to hear about Google's plans, to learn what the cloud is, and to find out how this program can benefit independent booksellers. Presented by Tom Turvey, Director, Strategic Partnerships, Google.

Serving the "Tween" Reader: Issues & Best Practices
No reader is harder to serve than the "tween," ages 9 - 12. This is the cusp of adolescence, with a wide range of developmental needs, reading levels, and social issues to navigate. Join a panel of experts as we discuss the definition of "tween" and examine key issues, including how to navigate content, how to interface with parents and teachers, how to shelve books for this market, what role outside services like Common Sense are playing in this category, and more. Presented in conjunction with the Association of Booksellers for Children (ABC). Moderated by Kristen McLean, Executive Direcotr, ABC. Panelists to come.

The Business of Accepting Credit & Debit Cards
Come learn how to navigate the myriad rules associated with accepting credit and debit cards. From managing procedures to ensure you are getting the best rate to understanding PCI compliance, learning more about this topic can save you money. Presented by Michael Barnard, owner of Rakestraw Books (Danville, CA).

IndieBound Workshop
The Local First movement isn't an abstract concept -- it lives in your community. Come explore ideas for utilizing the energy of IndieBound to create events, sales opportunities, and awareness together with your indie business neighbors. Presented by Meg Smith, ABA Membership and Marketing Officer, and Paige Poe, Marketing Manager.

2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Small & Mid-Size Store Roundtable
A veteran bookseller will moderate this roundtable discussion for owners and managers of small to mid-size stores. Space is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. 

IndieCommerce Demo
Aimed at owners, managers, webmasters, and frontline booksellers from stores not currently using the product. IndieCommerce (the program formerly known as BookSense.com) has been transformed. Specifically, the product has migrated to an open-source content management system called Drupal. This new and improved program provides booksellers with more intuitive and robust administrative tools, allows for much greater control over the look and feel of websites, and allows ABA staff to roll out new features more quickly. See a demo of the new product and have questions answered by ABA's IndieCommerce staff. Presented by Matt Supko, ABA Technology Director.

The New Reality: Alternative Business Models for Independent Bookstores
A business model based on book sales alone is growing more challenging each year, but there are viable alternatives. Hear from a panel of innovative booksellers who are growing their businesses in directions beyond the book. From selling children's clothes and creating stores within stores to offering local delivery, indie booksellers are using their ingenuity and their roots in the community to find new and interesting ways to sustain their book sales. Moderated by Len Vlahos, COO. Panelists are Carole Horne, Harvard Bookstore (Cambridge, MA); Chris Morrow, Northshire Bookstore (Manchester Center, VT); and Chuck Robinson, Village Books (Bellingham, WA).

Succession Planning: Valuing Your Business
How much is my business worth now? How can I make it worth more? What are my alternatives if I want to exit the business? When should I begin working on my exit strategy? Who should I be selling to if I choose to sell? How do I negotiate successfully? How do I minimize the government's share of the proceeds? These questions -- and more -- will be addressed by professional booksellers with experience in valuing and selling a business. Presenter and panelists to come.

The Nuts & Bolts of Children's Bookselling: Roundtable Discussions
Join us for roundtable discussions about the day-to-day operational issues that we rarely get a chance to discuss in a conference environment, but which can make a big difference in our experience as booksellers. Topics will include selection and shelving, creative display ideas, events, the mechanics of receiving and returns, managing co-op, community networking and partnerships, and more. Each table will focus on a single topic, and seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Bring your questions, ideas, and problems as we learn from each other and emerge with fresh ideas and best practices to take back to our stores. Presented in conjunction with the Association of Children's Booksellers (ABC).

ABA will also offer programming on Wednesday, May 26, that includes users group meetings for IndieCommerce and Gift Card program participants, as well as the association's annual Town Hall and Membership meetings. The winners of the 2010 Indies Choice Book Awards will be honored at the Celebration of Bookselling Luncheon, also on Wednesday. (Reservations for the luncheon are open to two booksellers from each ABA member store; space is limited and will be filled on a first-come, first served basis.)

All ABA Regular Bookstore and Provisional members are eligible for free admission to the trade show. The number of free badges will be based on a bookstore's ABA dues category. (A dues category one store will receive one badge; a category two store, two badges, etc.) An additional BEA badge is available for each staff member who attended the 2010 Winter Institute. All ABA members planning to attend the trade show must register via the BEA website. ABA has provided BEA with information about the number of free badges for which members are eligible. A six-digit ABA Member ID number must be supplied at the time of BEA registration to qualify for the free badges. (Booksellers who don't know their Member ID number should send an e-mail with the store name, address, and key contact to [email protected].)

BEA's hotel exclusively for ABA member booksellers is the Park Central, located just north of Times Square. To reserve a room at the low rates of $179 for one or two beds, single or double occupancy; $199 for triple occupancy; and $219 for a quad, ABA members will need to need to use a special code and web page, accessible here.

Questions about ABA's education program should be addressed to Lisa Winn at (914) 373-6657 or [email protected]. Watch for updates to this information in upcoming editions of Bookselling This Week.