Incarcerated people deserve books to read for enjoyment, education, and connection. However, PEN America notes that "prisons are the largest censors in the United States" due to book banning, strict packaging rules, and a firm adherence to an allowed senders list. This session will be led by booksellers who have navigated this bureaucratic and confusing terrain to develop crucial book programs for incarcerated people. You'll leave this session with actionable steps you can take to develop a similar program in your own bookstore and community.

Recorded February 26, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.

Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.

Theme song by Constant Companion

Indie bookstores and indie presses share more than just a name -- they share a mission: championing voices, building community, and supporting a thriving literary world. This session will explore how indie bookstores can collaborate and strengthen their partnerships with indie presses. We'll explore avenues for discoverability, hosting impactful events, and making thoughtful frontlist and backlist buying decisions. Publishers and booksellers will share tips for creative handselling, co-promotional opportunities, and building sustainable relationships that benefit both stores and presses. You'll walk away with actionable ideas to deepen your indie press offerings and highlight the role these publishers play in shaping our dynamic and thriving industry.

Recorded February 25, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.

Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.

Theme song by Constant Companion

From scary walk-throughs, to romantic mixers, to once-in-a-lifetime celebrations, nontraditional events are redefining how customers experience your space. This session dives into creative event concepts that go beyond the book launch, helping you reimagine your store as a dynamic venue for community connection, entertainment, and unexpected joy. Learn how to plan, market, and execute standout events that increase foot traffic, diversify revenue, and make your store the talk of the town — all while staying true to your brand and mission.

Recorded February 26, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.

Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.

Theme song by Constant Companion

Bookstore crawls are a fun and effective way to build buzz, boost sales, and strengthen community ties — but pulling off a successful crawl takes coordination and creativity. In this session, you'll hear from booksellers who've planned crawls of all sizes, from neighborhood strolls to citywide (or even statewide) celebrations. We'll cover logistics like mapping routes, partnering with fellow stores, creating passports or incentives, and working with local media. Learn how to turn your crawl into a signature event that brings customers back long after the final stop.

Recorded February 26, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.

Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.

Theme song by Constant Companion

Remainders don't have to mean compromise — they can be a powerful tool for boosting sales, enhancing discovery, and strengthening your store's identity. We'll dig into strategies for sourcing remainders that complement your frontlist, creating displays that highlight value without diluting your brand, and using remainder sales to attract new customers while delighting loyal ones. Along the way, we'll also discuss how to balance margins, manage inventory flow, and avoid common pitfalls that make remainders feel disconnected from your store's larger mission. You'll leave with practical, creative ideas to ensure remainders support your financial goals and your store's unique personality. This interactive session is in collaboration with Book Country Clearing House, one of the largest and oldest bargain book wholesalers in the world.

Recorded February 24, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.

Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.

Theme song by Constant Companion

Books can offer more than just thrills — they can be a powerful and safe space for kids to explore big feelings, face fears, and build resilience. In this session, we'll dive into the growing popularity of horror, mystery, and suspense across age categories, from gently eerie board books to middle grade page-turners full of chills and heart. We'll explore how scary stories can help children process anxiety, develop empathy, and gain a sense of control in an unpredictable world — all while having fun. You'll leave with strategies for curating age-appropriate "safe scares," hosting themed programming, and merchandising displays that invite kids and caregivers alike to lean into the genre's emotional benefits. Whether your readers are hesitant or hardcore, books can open the door to deeper confidence, connection, and year-round engagement.

Recorded February 25, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.

Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.

Theme song by Constant Companion

Your Kids section should be constantly growing and changing — just like your kid customers! This session will explore unique ways to organize and merchandise your Kids section. From adding opportunities for play and imagination, relocating books to kid-friendly heights, and rethinking how to categorize your books, you'll leave with fresh ideas to make your Kids section a bestseller.

Recorded February 25, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.

Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.

Theme song by Constant Companion

ABA's Indies Introduce interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book.

In this episode, Kristin Pidgeon of Riverstone Books in Pittsburgh, PA interviews Tess & Corby Campbell, co-authors of A Wheelie Awkward Romance: The Love Story of a Girl Who Is Definitely Not Touchy-Feely and a Quadriplegic Guy Who Most Assuredly Is, available now at your local independent bookstore.

Theme song by Constant Companion

Increasing your sales per square feet doesn't require moving to a bigger building or knocking down a wall -- there are small tweaks you can do to make the most of every inch of your existing space. This session goes beyond layout tweaks to explore how sales-per-square-foot impacts overall profitability and how to strategically manage it. We'll cover techniques for identifying high- and low-performing areas of your store using financial data, evaluating inventory mix, and allocating prime space to your highest-margin products. Learn how to measure the success of your layout changes, set realistic sales-per-square-foot goals, and tie merchandising decisions directly to your bottom line. Whether you're working with 500 or 5,000 square feet, you'll leave with practical, financially driven strategies to make your existing footprint more productive, profitable, and intentional.

Recorded February 24, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.

Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.

Theme song by Constant Companion

The author event landscape has shifted and booksellers are feeling the strain. This candid session explores what sustainable programming really looks like now. From rising costs to staff burnout, we'll discuss how to build events that are realistic, joyful, and community-driven. Come ready to share, reflect, and leave with practical ideas you can actually use. If you have been organizing or hosting events at your bookstore for a few years and have had a few knotty issues you can't resolve, this session is perfect for you.

Recorded February 24, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.

Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.

Theme song by Constant Companion