American Booksellers Association Explained

American Booksellers Association
Purpose:	To help independently owned bookstores grow and succeed.^[1]
Abbreviation:	ABA
Leader Name:	Allison K. Hill^[2]
Leader Title:	CEO
Leader Name2:	Tegan Tigani^[3]
Leader Title2:	President
Tax Id:	13-5676641^[4]
Status:	501(c)(6)
Type:	nonprofit trade association
Revenue:	$5,299,148^[5]
Revenue Year:	2021
Expenses:	$4,498,252
Expenses Year:	2021
Employees:	42
Employees Year:	2021
Volunteers:	12
Volunteers Year:	2021
Subsidiaries:	Booksellers Order Service Inc

The American Booksellers Association (ABA) is a non-profit trade association founded in 1900 that promotes independent bookstores in the United States. ABA's core members are key participants in their communities' local economy and culture, and to assist them ABA creates relevant programs; provides education, information, business products, and services; and engages in public policy and industry advocacy. The Association actively supports and defends free speech and the First Amendment rights of all Americans, without contradiction of equity and inclusion, through the American Booksellers for Free Expression.^{[6] [7]} A volunteer board of 13 booksellers governs the Association. Previously headquartered in White Plains, New York, ABA became a fully remote organization in 2024.^{[8] [9]}

Winter Institute and Children's Institute

The American Booksellers Association hosts two conferences each year, known as Institutes. Institutes typically last several days and consist of tours of several independent bookstores in the host city, education sessions, author signings, and networking opportunities.

Winter Institute lasts four days and is typically held in late January of early February. It is the larger of the two events, with more 1,000 people in attendance in 2024.^{[10] [11]}

Children's Institute is a three-day long event, typically held in the summer, with education and sessions geared towards booksellers who carry children's books.^[12]

Independent Bookstore Day

Independent Bookstore Day, celebrated the last Saturday in April, is a celebration of independent bookstores. The American Booksellers Association organizes this annual celebration, creates assets and resources for booksellers to use, and coordinates with publishers to create exclusive items booksellers can sell for this event.^[13]

Independent Bookstore Day was introduced in 2015, following the success of a regional California Bookstore Day.^[14] Though it started as a collaboration of the regional associations, Independent Bookstore Day was eventually handed over to ABA to organize.

Membership

The ABA's membership has varied over time:

• 1991 — 5,200 members
• 1995 — 5,500 members with 7000 stores
• 1998 — 3,300 members
• 2000 — 3,100 members with 4000 stores
• 2001 — 2,794 members
• 2002 — 2,191 members
• 2005 — 1,702 members, "more than 90" member bookstores opened^[15]
• 2006 — 97 member bookstores opened^[15]
• 2007 — 115 member bookstores opened^[16]
• 2008 — ABA published no data
• 2009 — 1,401 members^[17] with 1,651 stores,^[18] 40 member bookstores opened,^[19] 26 of which were listed by Google Maps as "permanently closed" in December 2018.
• 2010 — 1,410 members, first increase in almost two decades.^[17] 26 member bookstores opened,^[20] 14 of which were listed as "permanently closed" on Google Maps as of December 2018.
• 2011 — 1,512 members with stores in 1823 locations,^[21] 41 member bookstores opened,^[22] Used bookstores are now eligible for membership, annual dues of smaller stores are lowered.^[23]
• 2012 — 1,567 members with stores in 1,900 locations,^[24] 43 member bookstores opened,^[25] 17 of which were listed as "permanently closed" on Google Maps in December 2018.
• 2013 — 1,632 members with stores in 1,971 locations,^[26] 45 member bookstores opened,^[27] 16 of which were listed as "permanently closed" on Google Maps in December 2018.
• 2014 — 1,664 members with stores in 2,094 locations,^[18] 59 member bookstores opened,^[28] 15 of which were no longer members and listed as "permanently closed" on Google Maps in December 2018.
• 2015 — 1,712 members with stores in 2,227 locations,^[18] 61 member bookstores opened,^[29] 14 of which were listed as "permanently closed" on Google Maps in December 2018, 3 others are marked "online only" in ABA's list.
• 2016 — 87 member bookstores opened^[30]
• 2017 — 75 member bookstores opened^[31]
• 2018 — 1,835 members with stores in 2,470 locations,^[32] 99 member bookstores opened^[33]
• 2019 — 1,887 members with stores in 2,524 locations,^[34] 111 member bookstores opened^[35]
• 2020 — no numbers published
• 2021 — 1,700 members with stores in 2,100 locations^[36]
• 2022 — 2,178 members with stores in 2,593 locations^[37]

The ABA sponsored the Book Sense marketing program and associated BookSense.com web site, intended to preserve a connection between consumers and local independent bookstores. In June 2008, Book Sense was replaced by IndieBound, a new program and website.^{[38] [39]}

Association of Booksellers for Children

In November, 2010, the Association of Booksellers for Children (ABC), a non-profit trade association supporting the business of independent children's bookselling, agreed to merge with the American Booksellers Association.^[40] The former ABC is now a membership group within the ABA.

See also

• List of independent bookstores
• Murder at the ABA, a novel by Isaac Asimov
• List of booksellers associations
• Books in the United States

External links

• official website
• IndieBound.org website
• A program created and sponsored by ABA the Book and Author Luncheon, can be heard at The WNYC Archives. It ran from 1938 to 1974. (See also the Book and Author Luncheon.)

Notes and References

1. "Form 990: Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax, 2016". Tax Exempt Organization Search. Internal Revenue Service. September 30, 2017.
2. 2019-10-10 . American Booksellers Association Announces Selection of New CEO . American Booksellers Association . March 22, 2024.
3. Web site: Board of Directors . American Booksellers Association . March 22, 2024.
4. "American Booksellers Association Inc". Tax Exempt Organization Search. Internal Revenue Service. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
5. Web site: Form 990: Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax, 2021 . Tax Exempt Organization Search . . May 3, 2024.
6. Web site: Robertson . Imogen . Shelf Awareness for Friday, November 21, 2014 . 2024-05-03 . www.shelf-awareness.com.
7. 2022-02-24 . FAQ: First Amendment, Free Expression and ABA's Ends Policies, determined by the ABA Board of Directors . American Booksellers Association . February 24, 2022.
8. Web site: Milliot . Jim . American Booksellers Association to Close Its Headquarters . 2024-05-03 . PublishersWeekly.com . en.
9. 2024-01-24 . ABA Officially Closing White Plains Office . 2024-03-22 . the American Booksellers Association.
10. Web site: ABA Education for Booksellers . 2024-05-02 . the American Booksellers Association.
11. Web site: Kirch . Claire . Beeck . Nathalie op de . Winter Institute 2024: Moments from the Show . 2024-05-02 . PublishersWeekly.com . en.
12. Web site: Kirch . Claire . Beeck . Nathalie op de . What's on Tap at Children's Institute 2023 . 2024-05-03 . PublishersWeekly.com . en.
13. Web site: Kirch . Claire . Beeck . Nathalie op de . Independent Bookstore Day 2024: 'An Indie Bookseller's Christmas' . 2024-05-02 . PublishersWeekly.com . en.
14. Web site: Sultana . Nusrat . April 26 . 2024 . It's Independent Bookstore Day—here's how to celebrate . 2024-05-02 . USA Today . en.
15. 2007-01-08 . A Plethora of New Independent Bookstores Open in 2006 . American Booksellers Association . January 8, 2007.
16. 2008-01-14 . 115 New Independent Bookstores Open in 2007 . American Booksellers Association . January 14, 2008.
17. News: Italie . Hillel . May 21, 2010 . Independent Bookstores Get A Boost: American Booksellers Association Membership Up Since Last Year . . dead . http://web.archive.org/web/20100602021420/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/24/independent-bookstores-ge_n_587015.html . 2010-06-02.
18. News: Italie . Hillel . May 26, 2015 . Independent booksellers continue to add new stores . dead . . https://web.archive.org/web/20150925223758/https://bigstory.ap.org/article/43d578a30dc646169e531622981594ef/independent-booksellers-continue-add-new-stores . September 25, 2015 . 2024-03-22.
19. 40 ABA Member Stores Open in 2009 . American Booksellers Association . January 14, 2010.
20. Schechner . Karen . February 24, 2011 . 25 ABA Member Stores Open in 2010 . American Booksellers Association.
21. "ABA Annual Meeting Report". American Booksellers Association. June 5, 2012.
22. https://web.archive.org/web/20160108233503/http://archivenews.bookweb.org/news/41-aba-member-stores-open-2011 . 2016-01-08 . 41 ABA Member Stores Open in 2011 . dead . American Booksellers Association . January 10, 2012.
23. Schechner . Karen . August 19, 2010 . ABA President Michael Tucker Sends Important Update ]. American Booksellers Association.
24. "ABA Annual Meeting Report". American Booksellers Association. May 30, 2013
25. 43* ABA Member Stores Open in 2012 . American Booksellers Association . January 17, 2013.
26. "Annual Meeting Report". American Booksellers Association. May 30, 2013.
27. 45 ABA Member Stores Open in 2013* . American Booksellers Association . February 19, 2014.
28. Button . Liz . 2015-02-05 . 59 ABA Member Stores Open in 2014, 29 Sold to New Owners. American Booksellers Association.
29. Button . Liz . 61 ABA Member Stores Open in 2015; 16 Sold to New Owners . American Booksellers Association . February 17, 2016.
30. Jarrard . Sydney . 87 ABA Member Stores Open in 2016; 15 Sold to New Owners . American Booksellers Association . January 25, 2017 . March 30, 2017.
31. Jarrard . Sydney . 75 ABA Member Stores Open in 2017; 22 Sold to New Owners . American Booksellers Association . February 9, 2018 . April 7, 2018.
32. Jarrard . Sydney . 2018-06-20 . ABC Children's Institute: A Celebration of Diversity, Activism, and Kids' Lit . American Booksellers Association . September 22, 2021.
33. Button . Liz . 2019-01-15 . 99 ABA Member Stores Open in 2018; 28 Sold to New Owners . American Booksellers Association . March 26, 2020.
34. News: O'Brien . Chris . Shop Local, Buy Online . Alta Journal . September 30, 2019 . September 22, 2021.
35. Jarrard . Sydney . 2020-01-29 . 111 ABA Member Stores Open in 2019; 25 Sold to New Owners . American Booksellers Association . March 26, 2020.
36. Behnke . Emily . 2021 ABA Annual Meeting and Town Hall . American Booksellers Association . June 4, 2021 . September 22, 2021.
37. Web site: ABA 2022 Annual Report . 2024-03-22 . the American Booksellers Association.
38. Grogan . David . BookSense.com Becomes ABA E-commerce Solution . American Booksellers Association . June 4, 2008 . dead . October 2, 2008 . http://web.archive.org/web/20160204025225/http://news.bookweb.org/news/6107.html. 2016-02-04.
39. Web site: ABA Rolls Out New Campaign . 2024-05-03 . PublishersWeekly.com . en.
40. News: Rosen . Judith . ABC Booksellers Overwhelmingly Approve Merger With ABA . 31 January 2022 . Publishers Weekly . 23 Nov 2010.