Beginning next year, the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association and the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance will return to hosting separate regional conferences.
From 2020 to 2026, the two associations joined forces to put on the New Voices New Rooms conference, and though the most recent NVNR show in Baltimore, Md., "drew record attendance and overwhelmingly positive feedback," attendees "incurred the highest historical costs, with event and travel costs skyrocketing," the organizers noted. By once again holding their own conferences, SIBA and NAIBA will be able to increase accessibility by making travel costs more manageable for their respective members.
While the shared conference will no longer be held, NAIBA and SIBA plan to continue partnering under the NVNR label. Linda-Marie Barrett, SIBA's executive director, explained: "We want to support the community we've built with future opportunities to share resources and inspire innovations. The NVNR identity is not going away. SIBA and NAIBA are looking forward to partnering for future in-person and virtual events, including uniting on advocacy around book bans and AI."
"Our shared mission is always serving the booksellers," said NAIBA executive director Liz Hottel. "Both associations are energized about possibilities for future collaborations as well as the chance for growth this move offers our booksellers and our individual associations."
More information about the associations' 2027 conferences will be announced in the weeks ahead.