ABA Board Meets in the Twin Cities

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The American Booksellers Association Board of Directors held its fall meeting in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, from October 9 - 12. In addition to ABA-related discussions, the board also had the opportunity to meet with the Upper Midwest Booksellers Association Board in an informal setting to discuss a number of bookselling issues.

On Friday, October 10, the ABA Board also visited the Open Book, a literary and book arts center, in Minneapolis. The tour was led by Open Book board member emerita Gail See, a former ABA Board member and ABA president. The Open Book, which opened in 2000, is the first facility in the nation devoted to the literary arts and a focal point for the flourishing creative writing, publishing, and printing arts activity in the Twin Cities.

During its meeting the ABA Board:

  • Unanimously approved the 2004 - 2005 operating budget as well as a slightly renewed and updated strategic plan. The board had earlier resolved that by 2004 ABA would achieve a balanced budget and that the association's endowment would be maintained at $20 million. Both of these requirements were met in this budget.
  • Heard reports from ABA President Ann Christophersen and ABA CEO Avin Mark Domnitz.
  • Discussed its process in selecting officers, which the board will be doing at its next meeting, scheduled for February 2004.
  • Met with William King of Merrill Lynch to review ABA's current investment portfolio.
  • Continued its discussions with Ivan Barkhorn, a consultant to ABA, regarding analysis of possible future scenarios for the bookselling and publishing industries. The discussions were part of the ongoing environmental scanning called for in the association strategic plan.
  • Met with Susan Doerr of Consortium Book Sales & Distribution to discuss the Book Sense program. And the board also met with Stacy Mitchell of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance to discuss issues related to community development and the health of main street businesses. Both Consortium and the Institute are located in the Twin Cities.
  • Attended the UMBA general membership meeting on Saturday, October 11, where ABA President Christophersen introduced members of the ABA Board and gave an overview of ABA programs, including the latest news on the recently launched Book Sense electronic gift card program. ABA Board members also had the opportunity to attend the UMBA trade show during the weekend, as well as the regional association's book-and-author events.