The New England Independent Booksellers Association Fall Conference in Newton, Mass., which ended last Thursday, was a lively, energetic show that attracted 235 booksellers, representing 100 bookstores, and 72 exhibitors, for total attendance of almost 600.
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| NEIBA's outgoing board with executive director Beth Ineson: (front row, l. to r.) Liz Whitelam, Whitelam Books, Reading, Mass.; Hannah Harlow, Bookshop of Beverly Farms, Beverly, Mass.; Ryan Clark, Gibson's Bookstore, Concord, N.H.; (back row, l. to r.) Ineson; David Sandberg, Porter Square Books, Cambridge and Boston, Mass.; Sam Kaas, Norwich Bookstore, Norwich, Vt.; Steve Iwanski, Charter Books, Newport, R.I.; Lisa Dugan, Macmillan. | |
At the annual meeting on Thursday, executive director Beth Ineson noted that one of the best things about the fall conferences is that "an author speaker will say something that brings everything we do into focus." This year, she pointed out, Jill Lepore, Tuesday's keynote speaker, did that (more on her keynote tomorrow), when she said, "The artificial state unmakes citizens, but independent bookstores create citizens. What you [booksellers] do is the most important thing people can do."
She called Lepore's comments "this year's motivating" phrase, adding that "in this time when the world feels dark, it is useful to remember this. In the midst of what I am fond of calling the small and the real--in your case, paying invoices, the processing of returns, the managing of staff, and wrestling with the supply chain--it is wonderful to be reminded of the work that we do and how important it is."
The annual meeting featured a lot of good news for the association and members. Among the highlights:
In the past year, membership grew 20%, to 226 stores.
Despite rising costs and unexpected expenses, NEIBA was able to keep within its budget and had a deficit that was a third less than budgeted. Its endowment is stable; digital ad revenue is up 35%; catalogue income is steady; and the association is relying less on catalogue income and more on other areas, with revenue from the fall conference up because of NEIBA "finding more ways to engage with publisher partners. We have more authors at breakfasts, more breakfasts, more vendors," treasurer/clerk Sam Kaas of the Norwich Bookstore, Norwich, Vt., said. The association's goal is to have a balanced budget for the 2027/2028 fiscal year. This year's deficit came in part because of two unbudgeted expenses: for the new customer relations management (CRM) system and the NEIBA bookstore roadmap.
In January, NEIBA hired former bookseller and former NEIBA president Beth Wagner as operations manager, a move that Ineson happily said "has changed my professional life."
Among accomplishments:
NEIBA introduced a new website and the new CRM system that is much more efficient and can do much more than what it replaced.
The NEIBA bookstore roadmap, which Ineson called "the single best marketing thing we've done," is being expanded in 2027, with folded maps and posters, "and a puzzle in the works."
The Spring Forum included the first sidelines-only exhibit floor; it was such "a phenomenal success" that it will be repeated at the 2027 Spring Forum.
Income held steady for NEIBA summer reading and holiday catalogues, although down from its all-time highs, and this year's print run is almost a third more than last year.
The association offered many virtual and in-person events and meetings during the year and will continue to do so.
The recently held election results that included two new board members and new officers. The new board members are Benjamin Rybeck of House of Books, Kent, Conn., and Fred Rossero of Oblong Books, Millerton and Rhinebeck, N.Y. Board members whose terms ended at the conference were David Sandberg, Porter Square Books, Cambridge and Boston, Mass., and Ryan Clark, Gibson's Bookstore, Concord, N.H. Outgoing president Liz Whitelam of Whitelam Books, Reading, Mass., remains on the board as past president. NEIBA's new president is Sam Kaas of Norwich Bookstore, Norwich, Vt.; the new vice-president is Steve Iwanski of Charter Books, Newport, R.I.; and the new treasurer/secretary is Hannah Harlow of the Bookshop of Beverly Farms, Beverly, Mass.
Next year the NEIBA Fall Conference returns to Manchester, N.H., and the Spring Conference will be in Providence, R.I.