2025 Fall Show Education Day
Tuesday, September 30
Sponsored by Penguin Random House
9:45 - 10:30 am
Salon I
Navigating Attacks on Your Store
Learn best practices and strategies for dealing with harassment, threats, vandalism, and other attacks targeting your curation and events. Sometimes these are one-off instances, but in other cases, it has snowballed into extended campaigns targeting stores with hundreds of calls and messages in addition to protests, threats, and vandalism. American Booksellers for Free Expression, ABA’s free expression initiative, has been supporting stores one by one as these issues arise, but there are steps you can take now to make yourself more resilient and less likely to be targeted. This workshop will go over some common themes in these attacks, resources available to guide your response, some common pitfalls, and ways to proactively defend against them.
Presenter:
Navigating Attacks on Your Store
Learn best practices and strategies for dealing with harassment, threats, vandalism, and other attacks targeting your curation and events. Sometimes these are one-off instances, but in other cases, it has snowballed into extended campaigns targeting stores with hundreds of calls and messages in addition to protests, threats, and vandalism. American Booksellers for Free Expression, ABA’s free expression initiative, has been supporting stores one by one as these issues arise, but there are steps you can take now to make yourself more resilient and less likely to be targeted. This workshop will go over some common themes in these attacks, resources available to guide your response, some common pitfalls, and ways to proactively defend against them.
Presenter:
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Philomena Polefrone (she/her)
Advocacy Assoicate Manager.
American Booksellers Association
Advocacy Assoicate Manager.
American Booksellers Association
Salon II
More Than Books: The Art and Impact of Buying Sidelines
Whether you’re curating puzzles, mugs, cards, or quirky impulse buys, this session will help demystify the buying process—covering where to find the good stuff (Faire.com, gift shows, rep groups), how to manage inventory, and what questions to ask before you buy.
We’ll walk through best practices for merchandising, vendor communication, and budgeting for a successful sidelines program, and share real-world insights from bookstores that are making it work. Attendees will leave with take-home resource sheets and actionable tips they can start using right away.
Presenter:
More Than Books: The Art and Impact of Buying Sidelines
Whether you’re curating puzzles, mugs, cards, or quirky impulse buys, this session will help demystify the buying process—covering where to find the good stuff (Faire.com, gift shows, rep groups), how to manage inventory, and what questions to ask before you buy.
We’ll walk through best practices for merchandising, vendor communication, and budgeting for a successful sidelines program, and share real-world insights from bookstores that are making it work. Attendees will leave with take-home resource sheets and actionable tips they can start using right away.
Presenter:
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Trudi Bartow (she/her)
Director Unemployed Philosophers Guild |
Lisa Bach (she her)
Director of Sales & Publishing Relations, Anne McGilvray & Co. |
Sarah Hutton (she/her)
Owner, Village Books & Paper Dreams |
Karen Sawyer (she/her)
Owner Pier Six Press |
Salon III
It's Getting Hot in Here: What Romance Readers Want You to Know
From hockey hunks to aliens and everything in-between -- you'll learn what romance readers wish you knew. Romance continues to top the book lists. Romance-only book stores are popping up everywhere. What's going on? What are the trends to know about in the constantly shifting landscape of Romance? Learn about the terminology, trends, and tips to help you serve your Romance customers. Whether you are a romance veteran or romance virgin, this session is for you!
Presenter:
It's Getting Hot in Here: What Romance Readers Want You to Know
From hockey hunks to aliens and everything in-between -- you'll learn what romance readers wish you knew. Romance continues to top the book lists. Romance-only book stores are popping up everywhere. What's going on? What are the trends to know about in the constantly shifting landscape of Romance? Learn about the terminology, trends, and tips to help you serve your Romance customers. Whether you are a romance veteran or romance virgin, this session is for you!
Presenter:
Lori Lieberman (she/her)
Portland Public Schools Libraries
Portland, OR
(Lori runs a high school romance book club that has been featured on NPR's All Things Considered and the Washington Post.)
Portland Public Schools Libraries
Portland, OR
(Lori runs a high school romance book club that has been featured on NPR's All Things Considered and the Washington Post.)
10:45 - 11:30 am
Salon I
Books and ... : Hybrid Bookstore Models
A bookstore is always more than just a bookstore, but in this session, we’ll specifically discuss hybrid bookstores—bookstores that combine books sales with another specific product or service. We’ll talk about a variety of bookstore hybrids, the unique challenges faced by hybrid bookstores, and the additional ways hybrid bookstores play a role in their communities.
Presenters:
Books and ... : Hybrid Bookstore Models
A bookstore is always more than just a bookstore, but in this session, we’ll specifically discuss hybrid bookstores—bookstores that combine books sales with another specific product or service. We’ll talk about a variety of bookstore hybrids, the unique challenges faced by hybrid bookstores, and the additional ways hybrid bookstores play a role in their communities.
Presenters:
Christine Longmuir (she/her)
Two Rivers Bookstore Portland, OR |
Madison Duckworth (she/her)
Saltwater Bookshop Kingston, WA |
Sophie Raymond (she/her)
Hodgepodge Books Eugene, OR |
Salon II
Author Events: A Crash Course
Why host author events? And more importantly. . . how? Author events are a timeless bookstore tradition and integral to the literary culture of every community. When developed over time, an event series will also have a significant impact on a bookstore’s financial bottom line. Whether you have a vision for hosting 30 events a year or 300, Third Place Books author events manager Spencer Ruchti will demystify the process and pain points of creating, maintaining, and growing an author event series. In this humorous and candid session, event-curious booksellers will receive a crash course on identifying their bookstore’s strongest assets as a venue, creating SEO-optimized web listings, marketing and promoting events, anticipating attendance, fully utilizing Edelweiss event grids, documenting key data, and more. This session will include an extended Q&A with Penguin Adult sales manager Craig Bunn for an insider’s perspective on what makes an Edelweiss proposal stand out, how publishers weigh pitches, and best practices for working with publicists.
Presenters:
Author Events: A Crash Course
Why host author events? And more importantly. . . how? Author events are a timeless bookstore tradition and integral to the literary culture of every community. When developed over time, an event series will also have a significant impact on a bookstore’s financial bottom line. Whether you have a vision for hosting 30 events a year or 300, Third Place Books author events manager Spencer Ruchti will demystify the process and pain points of creating, maintaining, and growing an author event series. In this humorous and candid session, event-curious booksellers will receive a crash course on identifying their bookstore’s strongest assets as a venue, creating SEO-optimized web listings, marketing and promoting events, anticipating attendance, fully utilizing Edelweiss event grids, documenting key data, and more. This session will include an extended Q&A with Penguin Adult sales manager Craig Bunn for an insider’s perspective on what makes an Edelweiss proposal stand out, how publishers weigh pitches, and best practices for working with publicists.
Presenters:
Craig Bunn (he/him)
Sales Manager Penguin Random House |
Spencer Ruchti (he/him)
Author Events Manager Third Place Books |
Salon III
The Care and Keeping of LGBTQIA+ Staff
With the increase in requests for right-wing political books, ongoing legislation to limit queer and trans people's right to exist, and the upcoming film remake of a children's book series whose proceeds go to fund anti-trans organizations, your LGBTQIA+ staff is likely feeling stressed more than ever. In this panel, crowdsourced resources to ensure your booksellers and librarians are feeling safe and supported at work will be presented by our panelists. Procedures and recommendations for training will also be included.
Presenter:
The Care and Keeping of LGBTQIA+ Staff
With the increase in requests for right-wing political books, ongoing legislation to limit queer and trans people's right to exist, and the upcoming film remake of a children's book series whose proceeds go to fund anti-trans organizations, your LGBTQIA+ staff is likely feeling stressed more than ever. In this panel, crowdsourced resources to ensure your booksellers and librarians are feeling safe and supported at work will be presented by our panelists. Procedures and recommendations for training will also be included.
Presenter:
Kim Bissell (she/her)
Broadway Books
Portland, OR
Broadway Books
Portland, OR
11:45 - 12:30 pm
Salon I
Creating Immaculate Vibes: Applying Retail Experience Design to Bookstores
Explore how intentional design choices—from layout and lighting to signage and scent—can transform a bookstore into a space that invites discovery, community, and communicates your brand. We'll be joined by bookstores who’ve crafted their retail environments to reflect their store’s values, engage their unique audiences, and boost sales without sacrificing soul.
Presenters:
Creating Immaculate Vibes: Applying Retail Experience Design to Bookstores
Explore how intentional design choices—from layout and lighting to signage and scent—can transform a bookstore into a space that invites discovery, community, and communicates your brand. We'll be joined by bookstores who’ve crafted their retail environments to reflect their store’s values, engage their unique audiences, and boost sales without sacrificing soul.
Presenters:
Charlie Hunts (he/him)
Charlie's Queer Books Seattle, WA |
Becky Merilatt (she/her)
Ridgecrest Books Shoreline, WA |
Cassie Clemans (she/her)
Roundabout Books Bend, OR |
Salon II
Capturing Middle Grade Readers--Meeting Them Where They Are and Creating a Love of Reading
Launching and maintaining passion, diving into stories! Our panelists will discuss their philosophical approach to a love of literacy plus hands-on, in-store and in-community techniques to ignite the love of reading and keep those flames going. Enticing middle grade readers means raising the next generation of readers (and writers, booksellers, and neighbors!). Reading isn’t something you HAVE to do, it’s something you GET to do.
Presenters:
Capturing Middle Grade Readers--Meeting Them Where They Are and Creating a Love of Reading
Launching and maintaining passion, diving into stories! Our panelists will discuss their philosophical approach to a love of literacy plus hands-on, in-store and in-community techniques to ignite the love of reading and keep those flames going. Enticing middle grade readers means raising the next generation of readers (and writers, booksellers, and neighbors!). Reading isn’t something you HAVE to do, it’s something you GET to do.
Presenters:
Rebecca Crosswhite (she/her)
Rediscovered Books Boise, ID |
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Salon III
Introduction to Time Management Strategies for Book Buyers
Time is our most limited resource. Our experienced panel will teach you how to tame your buying to-do list by working more efficiently and making the most of the time you have to spend on your buying duties. Panelists will discuss favorite strategies (task batching, time blocking, decision criteria, etc.) and time-saving tools (electronic ordering, Trello, etc.).
Presenters:
Introduction to Time Management Strategies for Book Buyers
Time is our most limited resource. Our experienced panel will teach you how to tame your buying to-do list by working more efficiently and making the most of the time you have to spend on your buying duties. Panelists will discuss favorite strategies (task batching, time blocking, decision criteria, etc.) and time-saving tools (electronic ordering, Trello, etc.).
Presenters:
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Jill Hendrix (she/her)
Customer Success SPecialist MVB (Pubnet & Pubeasy) |
Melissa DeMotte (she/her)
The Well-Read Moose Coeur d'Alene, ID |
Jane Danielson (she/her)
Eagle Harbor Books Bainbridge Island, WA |