ABA to Launch Children’s Institute at BEA
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Updated March 5, 2012: The first-ever American Booksellers Association ABC Children’s Institute will be held on Wednesday, June 6, at New York’s Javits Convention Center during BookExpo America 2012.
The one-day program focusing on children’s bookselling will offer educational sessions, roundtables, and special events and is open exclusively to booksellers at ABA member stores. Registration will open on Wednesday, March 7, and will be online only at kids.bookweb.org.
“On the heels of another incredibly successful Winter Institute, we will now have a full-day Children’s Institute at BEA in New York in June!” said ABA President Becky Anderson, of Anderson’s Bookshops in Naperville, Illinois. “I can’t wait, and I hope as many of you as possible can come for a full day of great education, favorite authors, bookseller networking, and best practices. We start the day with a brilliant breakfast line-up and end with the Annual Children’s Art Auction and Reception. A full day of kids-related education and fun!”
The Children’s Institute education sessions will be open free of charge to booksellers at all ABA member stores. In addition, all ABA member booksellers can purchase a “special value” events package that includes table seating at the BEA Children’s Breakfast, the Speed Dating With Children’s Authors Lunch, the ABA/CBC Authors and Illustrators Tea, and a ticket for the Annual Children’s Art Auction and Reception. ABC Group member pricing for the special events package is $99 (a $199 value). ABA members that do not belong to the ABC Group can purchase the special events package for $149 (a savings of $50), and the price includes a $50 ABC Group Membership.
“I encourage you to join the ABC Group at ABA if you haven’t already,” said Anderson. “It’s only $50. That gives you a day to remember for only $99, plus all the other benefits of ABC Group membership. So come out and play with us, and make children’s books, independent bookselling, authors and readers the focus for a BEA you’ve never experienced before.”
The Children’s Institute special events package is limited to 150 participants (maximum three registrants per store) and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. The deadline to sign up will be May 1.
Program details and more will be in upcoming editions of BTW, and beginning March 7 on the Institute registration site at kids.bookweb.org. Registration for BookExpo America is via bookexpoamerica.com.
For information about joining the ABC Group at ABA, contact your ABA Member Relationship Manager (Nathan Halter in the GLIBA, MIBA, MPIBA, PNBA, and SIBA regions; Kaitlin Pitcher in the NAIBA, NCIBA, NEIBA, and SCIBA regions). Questions about ABA’s children’s programming should be addressed to ABC Group Manager Shannon O’Connor.