Bookstore owners and managers are invited to register now [6] for the American Booksellers Association’s Human Resources Workshop, an in-depth education event to be led by Dr. John Sherlock, the director of the Master of Science in HR program at Western Carolina University.

The Human Resources Workshop, to be offered twice this fall, is designed to focus on human resources essentials for small business and will cover topics such as recruiting; training and development; employee performance; and organizational culture. The program will conclude with a discussion of workplace policies and the legal side of HR, and participants will have time at the end to create an HR strategy and action plan.

At this year’s Winter Institute in Asheville, North Carolina, Sherlock presented a highly praised session on human resources, which Vicky Titcomb, co-owner of Titcomb’s Bookshop [7] in East Sandwich, Massachusetts, said was the highlight of the entire conference for her.

“He was practical, thoughtful, and really knowledgeable. I came back from Winter Institute with tons of information, which we are working on — from something as simple as making sure we have the required Department of Labor posters on display to creating updated job descriptions and a staff handbook,” said Titcomb. “I can’t wait for our regional meeting, when we’ll have more time to really focus on this really important topic!”

The first Human Resources Workshop will be presented at the Holiday Inn Portland-Airport in Portland, Oregon, on Thursday, October 1, from 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., just prior to the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association [8] trade show.

The second workshop will take place over two days: on Tuesday, October 6, from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., and on Wednesday, October 7, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Biltmore Hotel Providence. The workshop is being held in conjunction with the New England Independent Booksellers Association [9] trade show at the Rhode Island Convention Center.

The registration fee for the workshops, which are open to the owners and managers at all ABA member stores, is $75 per person. The registration deadline is September 21, but space is limited.

To learn more about the Human Resources Workshop and to register, click here [6].