The American Booksellers Association has launched a new, annual award for independent booksellers called the ABA Entrepreneurial Excellence Award, Bookselling This Week announced.
Winners will receive a full scholarship to Winter Institute 2020 in Baltimore, Md., including up to five nights in the host hotel, reasonable travel costs and a stipend of $1,000.
The award will be given to two booksellers "whose ideas, creativity, and execution have improved operations, fostered community relationships, inspired new efficiencies, created a more inclusive environment, saved money or increased sales." Any bookseller from an ABA-member store that is in good standing is eligible to apply.
To apply, booksellers must submit an essay, video or audio recording explaining the problem or concern they recognized, the solution they created, the steps they took to implement said solution and the results of that solution. Applicants should include data showing the success of their initiative.
Applications are due no later than Monday, October 21, and can be e-mailed to excellence@bookweb.org. An award selection committee, comprised of booksellers, will evaluate the applications. Winners will be announced on Monday, November 18.