New BEA Super Pass Offers ABA Booksellers Unlimited Educational Opportunities

New for 2004, BookExpo America's (BEA) Super Pass provides ABA bookstore members with unlimited access to all ABA and BEA educational programming with the $65 show pre-registration admission, potentially saving booksellers hundreds of dollars in course fees.

In years past, ABA members paid a per-class admission for each BEA course offering and a $50 fee to attend ABA's Thursday All-Day Education Program. Now, all session admissions are inclusive with a bookstore member show badge, giving ABA members an all-access pass to the 2,000 exhibits, over 80 educational sessions, and all autographing sessions, throughout the course of the convention's four days. (Note the Super Pass does not include ticketed author events such as the breakfasts and luncheons.)

Greg Topalian, vice president and show manager for BEA

"ABA and BEA educational programming is one of the most valuable sources of information the convention has to offer," said Greg Topalian, vice president and show manager for BEA. "With that in mind we've done away with the per-session fee. Instead of signing up for just one or two courses at $49 per session, booksellers have the option to attend as many sessions as they'd like, whether it be five, or 50, at no additional cost."

"This change allows all ABA member booksellers to attend our full day of educational programming on Thursday, plus as many BEA education sessions as they wish, for just $10 above the cost of last year's admission to BEA," said ABA COO Oren Teicher. "It's a great savings, and we hope our members will take advantage of the opportunity to attend as many educational sessions as they possibly can over the four days of the convention."

BEA registration for ABA members is $65 before May 21; after May 21 the registration fee is $100, so booksellers should register early to save. To qualify for the new Super Pass, ABA member booksellers must check off "ABA Bookstore Member" and provide their ABA ID number under "Registration Options" on the BEA registration form.

BEA's Event Program and Registration Form will arrive in mailboxes the week of April 13, and information is posted daily on BEA's Web site, www.bookexpoamerica.com.

For more information, contact BEA customer service at (800) 840-5614.

For a look at ABA programming at BEA, click here.