BookED American Booksellers Association

Free Expression Friday is an interview series from ABA's American Booksellers for Free Expression celebrating the amazing work of booksellers, organizers, and book people in general fighting for the right to read.
In this episode, ABA's Advocacy Associate Manager, Philomena Polefrone talks with Moira Marquis, Senior Manager of the Freewrite Project at PEN America.
Follow the American Booksellers for Free Expression on Instagram at @ABFEFreeExpression to keep up with ABFE's advocacy efforts and tune into their Free Expression Friday series. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
 
Theme by Constant Companion

ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On April 11, 2024, Robin Stern (Books Inc.) discussed Creating a Sensory-Friendly Store Environment to improve Autistic inclusion in your store. 
Files & Links
Video Recording Slide Deck Better Community Business Certification Digital Brochure Better Community Best Practices Guide  
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
 
Theme by Constant Companion

Nearly half of small businesses fail within the first five years, and only 25% make it to 15 years or more - and bookselling can be a particularly tough industry to crack. This makes it all the more impressive when a bookstore manages multiple decades in business, with no sign of stopping. This panel features five indomitable booksellers with more than 100 years of combined bookselling experience. They will share their stories and the ups and downs of their careers in bookselling, what motivates them to keep going, and their hopes for the future of the industry. Come learn from our bookselling veterans!
Speakers
Kris Kleindienst, Left Bank Books - St. Louis, MO Janet Jones, Source Booksellers LLC - Detroit, MI Rick Simonson, Elliott Bay Book Company - Seattle, WA Brein Lopez, Children's Book World - Los Angeles, CA Shirikiana Gerima, Sankofa Video and Books - Washington, DC Files & Links
Video Recording Slide Deck Recorded February 14, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
 
 
Theme song by Constant Companion

The heart of a bookstore is the bookseller in the stacks, on the floor, behind the counter, or in the back room. These are the dedicated professionals who create the welcoming environment your community experiences every day. How do you keep this team? This session will cover important factors that impact employee retention today. You will be asked to consider your store culture, the openness of store-wide communication, your diversity and inclusion efforts, and conditions around compensation, among other important factors that drive employee satisfaction and retention. Come prepared to listen, engage, and leave with the beginnings of an action plan.
Speakers
Suzanna Hermans, Oblong Books - Millerton, NY Jamie Thomas, Women & Children First - Chicago, IL DJ Johnson, Baldwin & Co. - New Orleans, LA Lyn Roberts, Square Books - Oxford, MS Files & Links
Video Recording Slide Deck Recorded February 14, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
 
 
Theme song by Constant Companion

Edelweiss Analytics, a tool created uniquely for indie booksellers, allows you to easily manage your inventory by integrating POS data into Edelweiss to analyze your stock, view order & sales history, and access aggregate market data without missing a beat. Whether your store uses Square or a bookstore-specific POS system, this conversation is for you. An Edelweiss team member in collaboration with bookseller panelists will examine each tier of Edelweiss Analytics and explain the value of utilizing these tools for better collaboration with publishers, and for amplifying the power of the indie market as a whole. If you’re not currently signed up, remember Edelweiss Analytics’ base tier — Basecamp — is free for ABA members the first year so come check it out! If you’re already signed up, come hear best practices and ways to optimize it for your store.
Speakers
Jeanne Costello, Maria's Bookshop - Durango, CO Jenny Cohen, Waucoma Bookstore - Hood River, OR Dan Brewster, Prologue Bookshop - Columbus, OH Nicolette Siclare, Edelweiss by Above the Treeline - Ann Arbor, MI Files & Links
Slide Deck  
Recorded February 14, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
 
 
Theme song by Constant Companion

You’ve meticulously curated your inventory, designed the perfect displays, and developed an events program for your community — but how will you know if what you’re doing is working? Tracking Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) will give you the answer. KPIs are specific outcome-based targets that support your strategic plan and can be measured quantitatively, such as inventory turnover ratios, sales per square foot, and average transaction value. By the time you leave this session, you will: (1) understand the meaning and value of critical retail KPIs and how to track them, (2) understand how to compare your store’s KPIs against financial metrics found in the ABACUS report, and (3) be able to apply this data to create an improvement plan for at least one area of your store’s performance.
Speakers
Cynthia Compton, MacArthur Books - Carmel, IN Melissa DeMotte, The Well Read Moose - Coeur d'Alene, ID Candice Anderson, Tombolo Books - St. Petersburg, FL Files & Links
Video Recording Slide Deck  
Recorded February 13, 2024 at Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
 
 
Theme song by Constant Companion