Winter Institute 13: Scholarship Application Form Now Open

Booksellers can apply for a chance to win a publisher-sponsored scholarship to the American Booksellers Association’s 2018 Winter Institute by filling out the Wi13 scholarship application form or by submitting a business card at the ABA booth during the fall regional trade shows.

New this year, a scholarship winner will be drawn and announced at the end of each of the eight regional trade shows. The winner will be selected from the pool of business cards submitted at the ABA booth throughout the show; booksellers do not need to be present at the drawing to win.

The 13th annual Winter Institute (Wi13) will be held January 22–25 in Memphis, Tennessee. Scholarships will cover the conference fee; up to four nights plus tax at the host hotel, the Sheraton Memphis Downtown Hotel, at the special ABA rate; and transportation costs up to $400.

Scholarships are open to booksellers from ABA member stores that did not have a Winter Institute scholarship winner in 2016 or 2017. The deadline to apply is Sunday, October 29, at 5:00 p.m. EST. Winners will be announced in November.

ABA is committed to awarding a number of scholarships to booksellers from diverse backgrounds, with the aim of making Winter Institute as welcoming and inclusive as possible. Via the online form, ABA invites booksellers to describe what makes them diverse, whether in terms of race, class, gender, sexual identity, physical ability, cultural background, or another attribute. Those who leave a business card with ABA during any of the fall regional trade shows are also encouraged to fill out the online application.

ABA will also be accepting business cards at the fall regional trade shows to put booksellers in the running for scholarships to the 2018 Children’s Institute; the application form on BookWeb will open later this year.

Apply now for a scholarship to Winter Institute 13.

Registration for Winter Institute 13 is scheduled to open September 13; watch for an announcement in Bookselling This Week.

Booksellers with questions about Wi13 and/or the scholarship application process should e-mail [email protected].