Joining the ranks of three other regional booksellers associations that
have added the word independent to their names, the
Mountains & Plains Booksellers Association has officially become
the Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association. Lisa
Knudsen, executive director of MPIBA, commented: "We have been 'living
the life' for many years. It was time for our name to reflect our
convictions."
In other MPIBA news, the association, which has about 240 bookseller members and is growing, has added about 25 new members from Texas and Oklahoma, areas that were served by the Mid-South Independent Booksellers Association, which disbanded last year, and is seeking more. "We've identified about 70 potential stores in the area that are either ABA members or were MSIBA members," Knudsen said.
In New York several weeks ago, Knudsen and MPIBA president Catherine Weller of Sam Weller's Zion Bookstore, Salt Lake City, Utah, said they noticed a strengthening in the newer independents. As Weller put it, "for a time, many new stores would close in a year a half. For the last four years, the stores that have opened have done their homework and understand the market."
The association, Knudsen continued, is trying to help booksellers, particularly those in small stores, "with the technical aspect of things. Some of them are resistant but need the most help technically to help learn shortcuts, maximize efficiencies and work smarter." She lauded Above the Treeline as one piece of the technical puzzle.
As part of its effort to make the annual fall trade show even more effective as a place for booksellers and publishers to engage in dialogue and to help nurture a new generation in the book world, the association is also developing programming connected to the Emerging Leader Project that will focus on both emerging leader publishers and booksellers. MPIBA will likely have several such events.
In other MPIBA news, the association, which has about 240 bookseller members and is growing, has added about 25 new members from Texas and Oklahoma, areas that were served by the Mid-South Independent Booksellers Association, which disbanded last year, and is seeking more. "We've identified about 70 potential stores in the area that are either ABA members or were MSIBA members," Knudsen said.
In New York several weeks ago, Knudsen and MPIBA president Catherine Weller of Sam Weller's Zion Bookstore, Salt Lake City, Utah, said they noticed a strengthening in the newer independents. As Weller put it, "for a time, many new stores would close in a year a half. For the last four years, the stores that have opened have done their homework and understand the market."
The association, Knudsen continued, is trying to help booksellers, particularly those in small stores, "with the technical aspect of things. Some of them are resistant but need the most help technically to help learn shortcuts, maximize efficiencies and work smarter." She lauded Above the Treeline as one piece of the technical puzzle.
As part of its effort to make the annual fall trade show even more effective as a place for booksellers and publishers to engage in dialogue and to help nurture a new generation in the book world, the association is also developing programming connected to the Emerging Leader Project that will focus on both emerging leader publishers and booksellers. MPIBA will likely have several such events.