New Voices New Rooms (NVNR), the joint conference hosted by the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association (NAIBA) and the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA), takes place Sunday, August 3, through Wednesday, August 6, at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis in Atlanta, Ga. The show begins with bus tours of local bookstores from 12 to 5 p.m. followed by an orientation for first-time attendees, an early bird reception, and a screening of the documentary Banned Together, about three students and adult supporters trying to reinstate 97 books pulled from their school libraries. Representatives from the organization featured in the film will speak at the breakfast the next morning.
Monday begins with Opening Breakfast: Heroes on the Front Lines of Book Banning from 8 to 9:30 a.m., featuring activists, authors, and booksellers working against book bans. Education sessions begin at 10, covering sidelines, children's literacy, new marketing platforms, book clubs, Edelweiss, bookseller mental health, and more. At 11:15, there is a Horror Author Panel. The Genre Buzz Lunch, during which booksellers discuss their favorite genres or ones underrepresented in their stores, runs from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. Exhibitor setup and education sessions that cover remainders, inventory turns, dealing with the stresses of running a business, and more occupy the rest of the afternoon. The Debut Author panel at 3:30 features four authors. From 5 to 6:30, attendees can mingle with debut and veteran authors published by indie presses at the Indie Press Author Reception. Capping the day, the Sip & Sizzle Romance Authors Reception runs from 9 to 10 p.m.
Tuesday begins with regional breakfasts and meetings at 8 a.m.: NAIBA will hold its annual meeting, and SIBA features a town hall. From 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., reps will highlight Picks of the List. The exhibit floor opens at 11. Question-and-answer sessions run throughout the afternoon, covering topics from bookstore newsletters and bookstore business models to pre-orders and used books. A Focus on Editors Reception takes place from 5 to 6:15, followed by the NAIBA Awards Dinner and SIBA Celebration Reception, each occurring separately from 6:30 to 8:30. Author Jason Reynolds will receive the NAIBA Legacy Award.
The Moveable Feast Breakfast, in which many free books are given out while authors and booksellers mingle, kicks off Wednesday at 8 a.m. A series of retreats run from 10:15 to 11:45, each focused on a particular bookstore role: general manager, owner, bookseller, and more. Beginning at 12:30 p.m., sideline buyers will be able to go on a guided tour of the nearby AmericasMart Atlanta, the world's single-largest collection of wholesale home, gift, and apparel showrooms.
The show marks the last at which Eileen Dengler will be executive director of NAIBA. At the end of the year, she will retire after 25 years heading the organization. The three days offer many opportunities to thank her for a job well done!