Thursday, October 13
Thanks to PRH for supporting Heartland education.
10:00 am–1:50 pm: Heartland Education
10:00–10:50 am
Belonging: Bringing Anti-Racism to Your Bookstore / Room: Gateway East (18th floor)
Educators: Grace Hagen of Novel Neighbor, MO; Jeffrey Blair of EyeSeeMe, MO; Lecia Michelle (author of White Allies Handbook); Ymani Wince of The Noir Bookshop, MO. Moderator: Shane Mullen of Left Bank Books, MO
Are you taking steps to make your bookstore more equitable? Do you want to start the process of you or your staff becoming anti-racist? Are you wondering how you can make your bookshelves represent the diverse community you want to serve? Do you want to find ways to reduce the occurrences of micro-aggressions against staff and customers or to know how to better respond in those instances? This panel of experts will help show you how you can make belonging an important part of your bookstore. Anti-racism has a place in every bookstore and you can be a part of it. This panel will address individual as well as institutional aspects for strategies for becoming anti-racist.
Romance! / Room: Mills 6 (4th floor)
Educators: Broche Fabian of River Dog Book Co, WI and Sourcebooks, IL; Chris Conti of Independent Publishers Group; Danny Caine of The Raven Book Store, KS; Emily Schroen of Main Street Books, MO; debut romance author Melissa Baron (Twice in a Lifetime, Alcove Press/PRH)
Let's explore the category of Romance from bookseller, author, and publisher perspectives. This wide-ranging discussion will attempt to answer the following questions, and much more. Is Romance having a renaissance, or are indie booksellers just finally paying attention? Who are some exciting new voices to watch in Romance-land? How can booksellers and publishers work together to sell more Romance? And how do I start a Romance section if I've never sold it before?
Sidelines and Merchandising / Room: Mills 8 (4th floor)
Educators: Cynthia Compton of 4 Kids Books & Toys and MacArthur Books, IN; Debra Cotterman, Buyer at Delaware North/CBR Partners, MSP International Airport; Jody Everett of Beanbag Books, OH; Melia Wolf, Cover to Cover Children's Books, OH.
Moderator: Kathy Burnette, Brain Lair Books, IN
This session will cover a wide array of topics around sidelines and merchandising--specifically, general planning and timing of selling sidelines, an overview of top-performing vendors, how higher margins reflect on the bottom line, the art and science of merchandising, and phasing out sidelines. We'll end with an open discussion.
11:00 am–11:50 am
Alternative Model Bookstores and Non-Profit Subsidiaries / Room: Mills 6 (4th floor)
Educators: Danny Caine of The Raven Book Store, KS; Kris Kleindienst of Left Bank Books, MO; Noor Shawaf of Seminary Co-op, IL; Barbara Cerda & Valeria Cerda of La Revo Books, WI. Moderator: Gary Lovely of Prologue Bookshop, OH
We are seeing a proliferation of new bookstore models: mission driven, non-profit subsidiaries, bookseller-owned, pop-ups, and much more. The bookstore business model has evolved and changed to complement current industry and community realities. Join this session for a conversation about alternative bookstore business models, how those models work, and tips for keeping the business healthy.
TikTok For Booksellers/ Room: Gateway East (18th floor)
Educators: Alana Haley of Schuler Books, MI; Dashurie Tahiri of Women & Children First, IL; Kassie King of The Novel Neighbor, MO; Nicole Lintemuth of Bettie's Pages, MI
The popularity of BookTok has proven the ability for TikTok to sell books and get customers into stores. This session will cover best practices for getting into TikTok, marketing strategies, best practices for selling books, creating in-store displays, utilizing staff and more.
Ask a Publisher / Room: Mills 8 (4th floor)
Educators: Alyson Turner of Source Booksellers, MI; Brad Simpson of Blackstone Publishing; Broche Fabian of River Dog Book Co, WI and Sourcebooks, IL; Matthew Nichols of Bloomsbury; Melissa Weisberg of Macmillan; Traci Cothran of Wayne State University Press; Sarah Herbik of Scholastic; Robin Smith of HarperCollins
We've come through various lock-downs and COVID remains a reality. In the changing landscape of 2022 and beyond, just how DO publishers and independent bookstores work together these days? What opportunities and programs do publishers have for independent bookstores? What asks do publishers have of indies in this brave new world, and most importantly, what questions do indie booksellers have about working with publishers?
Schools + Bookstores = Helping Build Strong Communities / Room: Gateway West (18th floor)
Educators: Maryan Liban of Cover to Cover Children's Books, OH; Kathy Burnette of Brain Lair Books, IN; Melia Wolf of Cover to Cover Children's Books, OH. Moderator: Kristen Sandstrom of Apostle Islands Booksellers, WI
In this session, you will learn about a variety of possible opportunities to improve your relationships with schools, ranging from bulk orders to book fairs, small rural communities to larger urban areas, and from under-represented populations to private schools. We hope to encourage an open conversation with a plethora of ideas for all.
12:00–12:50 pm
Decoding the P&L for Booksellers, Managers, and Owners / Room: Gateway West (18th floor)
Educators: Kim Hooyboer, Director of Education at ABA and Allison Hill, CEO at ABA
A bookstore's profit and loss statement (P&L) is a critical tool for evaluating a store's overall performance. Join ABA staff on a walk-through of a bookstore P&L statement as we lay a groundwork for understanding bookstore financials, decode individual line items to identify opportunities for improved profitability, discuss how to use ABA's ABACUS Report, and consider ways to share financials with staff in a meaningful and cooperative manner.
Accessibility: More Than Just a Ramp / Room: Gateway East (18th floor)
Educators: Alyson Turner, Source Booksellers, MI; Gary Lovely, Prologue Bookshop, OH; Magan Harms, Art and Culture Director for MindsEye; Nicole Smith, Adult Education Supervisor at Missouri Botanical Garden; Rush Wilkerson, Paraquad. Moderator: Shane Mullen, Left Bank Books, MO [download handout]
Have you ever walked around your bookstore with a yardstick to make sure a wheelchair can fit down your aisles? Do you know the difference between live captioning and closed captioning? Do virtual events or hybrid events help make your event series more accessible for audiences? Are you providing services with audiobooks or large print books? Have you been thinking about all forms of accessibility in the pandemic era to make sure that your bookstore can be more than just wheelchair accessible? Explore the aspects of accessibility for your store with this panel.
Manga & Graphic Novels at Indie Book Stores / Room: Mills 6 (4th floor)
Educators: Chris Conti of Independent Publishers Group; Cris Siqueira of Lion's Tooth, WI; Shelly McClone-Carriere of Lion's Tooth, WI; Graham Overby of Next Chapter, MN
During the pandemic, manga, anime, and graphic novels have had a resurgence and boom in sales. Join this session to learn best practices to harness that trend and sell graphic novels and manga. We'll discuss where to shelve these books, different genres, how to hand-sell these books, and trends in publishing.
Strengths of Non-Profit Mission Driven Presses / Room: Mills 8 (4th floor)
Educators: Ill Nippashi of Graywolf Press; Jim Plank of Haymarket Press; Joe Biel of Microcosm (in person) and Yanna Demkiewicz of Milkweed Editions
Join us for a conversation to discuss the strengths of non-profit presses. Hear from indie presses regarding how their missions and publishing programs are used to serve society and their communities.
1:00-2:30 pm: Rep Picks Lunch / Rooms: Grand FGH
Enjoy lunch with fellow booksellers while publishing industry sales reps pitch their most exciting forthcoming titles. Reps will present their featured titles from the stage while booksellers dine at their seats. There will be three sessions going concurrently, booksellers and reps will be assigned to their room. (We offer a distanced COVID-safe lunch is from 12:30-1:00 pm for those who prefer not to eat in a group.)
10:00–10:50 am
Belonging: Bringing Anti-Racism to Your Bookstore / Room: Gateway East (18th floor)
Educators: Grace Hagen of Novel Neighbor, MO; Jeffrey Blair of EyeSeeMe, MO; Lecia Michelle (author of White Allies Handbook); Ymani Wince of The Noir Bookshop, MO. Moderator: Shane Mullen of Left Bank Books, MO
Are you taking steps to make your bookstore more equitable? Do you want to start the process of you or your staff becoming anti-racist? Are you wondering how you can make your bookshelves represent the diverse community you want to serve? Do you want to find ways to reduce the occurrences of micro-aggressions against staff and customers or to know how to better respond in those instances? This panel of experts will help show you how you can make belonging an important part of your bookstore. Anti-racism has a place in every bookstore and you can be a part of it. This panel will address individual as well as institutional aspects for strategies for becoming anti-racist.
Romance! / Room: Mills 6 (4th floor)
Educators: Broche Fabian of River Dog Book Co, WI and Sourcebooks, IL; Chris Conti of Independent Publishers Group; Danny Caine of The Raven Book Store, KS; Emily Schroen of Main Street Books, MO; debut romance author Melissa Baron (Twice in a Lifetime, Alcove Press/PRH)
Let's explore the category of Romance from bookseller, author, and publisher perspectives. This wide-ranging discussion will attempt to answer the following questions, and much more. Is Romance having a renaissance, or are indie booksellers just finally paying attention? Who are some exciting new voices to watch in Romance-land? How can booksellers and publishers work together to sell more Romance? And how do I start a Romance section if I've never sold it before?
Sidelines and Merchandising / Room: Mills 8 (4th floor)
Educators: Cynthia Compton of 4 Kids Books & Toys and MacArthur Books, IN; Debra Cotterman, Buyer at Delaware North/CBR Partners, MSP International Airport; Jody Everett of Beanbag Books, OH; Melia Wolf, Cover to Cover Children's Books, OH.
Moderator: Kathy Burnette, Brain Lair Books, IN
This session will cover a wide array of topics around sidelines and merchandising--specifically, general planning and timing of selling sidelines, an overview of top-performing vendors, how higher margins reflect on the bottom line, the art and science of merchandising, and phasing out sidelines. We'll end with an open discussion.
11:00 am–11:50 am
Alternative Model Bookstores and Non-Profit Subsidiaries / Room: Mills 6 (4th floor)
Educators: Danny Caine of The Raven Book Store, KS; Kris Kleindienst of Left Bank Books, MO; Noor Shawaf of Seminary Co-op, IL; Barbara Cerda & Valeria Cerda of La Revo Books, WI. Moderator: Gary Lovely of Prologue Bookshop, OH
We are seeing a proliferation of new bookstore models: mission driven, non-profit subsidiaries, bookseller-owned, pop-ups, and much more. The bookstore business model has evolved and changed to complement current industry and community realities. Join this session for a conversation about alternative bookstore business models, how those models work, and tips for keeping the business healthy.
TikTok For Booksellers/ Room: Gateway East (18th floor)
Educators: Alana Haley of Schuler Books, MI; Dashurie Tahiri of Women & Children First, IL; Kassie King of The Novel Neighbor, MO; Nicole Lintemuth of Bettie's Pages, MI
The popularity of BookTok has proven the ability for TikTok to sell books and get customers into stores. This session will cover best practices for getting into TikTok, marketing strategies, best practices for selling books, creating in-store displays, utilizing staff and more.
Ask a Publisher / Room: Mills 8 (4th floor)
Educators: Alyson Turner of Source Booksellers, MI; Brad Simpson of Blackstone Publishing; Broche Fabian of River Dog Book Co, WI and Sourcebooks, IL; Matthew Nichols of Bloomsbury; Melissa Weisberg of Macmillan; Traci Cothran of Wayne State University Press; Sarah Herbik of Scholastic; Robin Smith of HarperCollins
We've come through various lock-downs and COVID remains a reality. In the changing landscape of 2022 and beyond, just how DO publishers and independent bookstores work together these days? What opportunities and programs do publishers have for independent bookstores? What asks do publishers have of indies in this brave new world, and most importantly, what questions do indie booksellers have about working with publishers?
Schools + Bookstores = Helping Build Strong Communities / Room: Gateway West (18th floor)
Educators: Maryan Liban of Cover to Cover Children's Books, OH; Kathy Burnette of Brain Lair Books, IN; Melia Wolf of Cover to Cover Children's Books, OH. Moderator: Kristen Sandstrom of Apostle Islands Booksellers, WI
In this session, you will learn about a variety of possible opportunities to improve your relationships with schools, ranging from bulk orders to book fairs, small rural communities to larger urban areas, and from under-represented populations to private schools. We hope to encourage an open conversation with a plethora of ideas for all.
12:00–12:50 pm
Decoding the P&L for Booksellers, Managers, and Owners / Room: Gateway West (18th floor)
Educators: Kim Hooyboer, Director of Education at ABA and Allison Hill, CEO at ABA
A bookstore's profit and loss statement (P&L) is a critical tool for evaluating a store's overall performance. Join ABA staff on a walk-through of a bookstore P&L statement as we lay a groundwork for understanding bookstore financials, decode individual line items to identify opportunities for improved profitability, discuss how to use ABA's ABACUS Report, and consider ways to share financials with staff in a meaningful and cooperative manner.
Accessibility: More Than Just a Ramp / Room: Gateway East (18th floor)
Educators: Alyson Turner, Source Booksellers, MI; Gary Lovely, Prologue Bookshop, OH; Magan Harms, Art and Culture Director for MindsEye; Nicole Smith, Adult Education Supervisor at Missouri Botanical Garden; Rush Wilkerson, Paraquad. Moderator: Shane Mullen, Left Bank Books, MO [download handout]
Have you ever walked around your bookstore with a yardstick to make sure a wheelchair can fit down your aisles? Do you know the difference between live captioning and closed captioning? Do virtual events or hybrid events help make your event series more accessible for audiences? Are you providing services with audiobooks or large print books? Have you been thinking about all forms of accessibility in the pandemic era to make sure that your bookstore can be more than just wheelchair accessible? Explore the aspects of accessibility for your store with this panel.
Manga & Graphic Novels at Indie Book Stores / Room: Mills 6 (4th floor)
Educators: Chris Conti of Independent Publishers Group; Cris Siqueira of Lion's Tooth, WI; Shelly McClone-Carriere of Lion's Tooth, WI; Graham Overby of Next Chapter, MN
During the pandemic, manga, anime, and graphic novels have had a resurgence and boom in sales. Join this session to learn best practices to harness that trend and sell graphic novels and manga. We'll discuss where to shelve these books, different genres, how to hand-sell these books, and trends in publishing.
Strengths of Non-Profit Mission Driven Presses / Room: Mills 8 (4th floor)
Educators: Ill Nippashi of Graywolf Press; Jim Plank of Haymarket Press; Joe Biel of Microcosm (in person) and Yanna Demkiewicz of Milkweed Editions
Join us for a conversation to discuss the strengths of non-profit presses. Hear from indie presses regarding how their missions and publishing programs are used to serve society and their communities.
1:00-2:30 pm: Rep Picks Lunch / Rooms: Grand FGH
Enjoy lunch with fellow booksellers while publishing industry sales reps pitch their most exciting forthcoming titles. Reps will present their featured titles from the stage while booksellers dine at their seats. There will be three sessions going concurrently, booksellers and reps will be assigned to their room. (We offer a distanced COVID-safe lunch is from 12:30-1:00 pm for those who prefer not to eat in a group.)