Program: Winter Institute 2027

Full Schedule

Wednesday, February 10, 2027
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM	Ask Advocacy Desk Nicollet Ballroom Promenade, Floor 1, Hyatt
1:00 PM - 6:00 PM	ABA Welcome Desk Nicollet Ballroom Promenade, Floor 1, Hyatt
2:00 PM - 2:45 PM	IGNITE: Arrival/Mingle Nicollet Ballroom C-D, Floor 1, Hyatt
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM	IGNITE: Welcome + Round Tables Nicollet Ballroom C-D, Floor 1, Hyatt
4:15 PM - 5:15 PM	IGNITE: Rep Picks Nicollet Ballroom C-D, Floor 1, Hyatt
5:30 PM - 7:00 PM	IGNITE: Author and Editor Reception Nicollet Ballroom C-D, Floor 1, Hyatt
Thursday, February 11, 2027
7:00 AM - 7:30 AM	12 Step Meeting 201 A, Floor 2, MCC
7:30 AM - 6:00 PM	Quiet Room 202 A, Floor 2, MCC									ABA Welcome Desk Auditorium Lobby, Floor 1, MCC
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM	Ask Advocacy Desk Auditorium Lobby, Floor 1, MCC
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM	Paz & Associates Seminar: So You Want to Own a Bookstore? Business Best Practices for Future Store Owners (Pre-Registration Required) Northstar A, Floor 2, Hyatt
9:00 AM - 3:30 PM	Full Day Bookstore Tour 2 Ballroom Lobby, Floor 1, MCC					Full Day Publisher Tour Ballroom Lobby, Floor 1, MCC								Full Day Bookstore Tour 1 Ballroom Lobby, Floor 1, MCC
9:00 AM - 3:45 PM	Publishers By Appointment Ballroom B, Floor 1, MCC
9:30 AM - 11:30 AM	Photography Tips for Booksellers Auditorium Room 3, Floor 1, MCC					Bookselling 101: The Questions You're Too Afraid to Ask Auditorium Room 1, Floor 1, MCC								Making Children's Booksellers Out of Everyone Auditorium Room 2, Floor 1, MCC
12:00 PM - 3:30 PM	Half Day Bookstore Tour 3 Ballroom Lobby, Floor 1, MCC					Half Day Bookstore Tour 1 Ballroom Lobby, Floor 1, MCC								Half Day Bookstore Tour 2 Ballroom Lobby, Floor 1, MCC
12:30 PM - 2:30 PM	Bookselling 101: Co-Op Funds with Professional Bookselling School Auditorium Room 3, Floor 1, MCC				RISEWITHUS Education Session TBA Auditorium Room 2, Floor 1, MCC					Edelweiss Education Session TBA Auditorium Room 1, Floor 1, MCC						IndieCommerce 2.0 Makerspace 205 AB, Floor 2, MCC
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM	Ask Advocacy Desk Auditorium Lobby, Floor 1, MCC
3:45 PM - 4:15 PM	Opening Keynote Ballroom AB, Floor 1, MCC
4:15 PM - 5:15 PM	Community Conversation Ballroom AB, Floor 1, MCC
5:45 PM - 7:15 PM	Opening Reception Nicollet Ballroom, Floor 1, Hyatt
8:30 PM - 9:30 PM	Affinity Groups Reception Greenway Ballroom C-H, Floor 2, Hyatt
Friday, February 12, 2027
7:00 AM - 7:30 AM	12 Step Meeting 201 A, Floor 2, MCC
7:30 AM - 8:00 AM	Buffet Lines Open Ballroom AB, Floor 1, MCC
7:30 AM - 6:00 PM	ABA Welcome Desk Auditorium Lobby, Floor 1, MCC					Ask Advocacy Desk Auditorium Lobby, Floor 1, MCC								Quiet Room 202 A, Floor 2, MCC
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM	Breakfast Keynote Ballroom AB, Floor 1, MCC
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM	Bookseller Lounge 200 A, Floor 2, MCC		Batch One-on-One Appointments 202 B, Floor 2, MCC		IndieCommerce One-on-One Appointments 205 AB, Floor 2, MCC		Meet the Presses Auditorium Lobby, Floor 1, MCC		Board Office Hours Auditorium Lobby, Floor 1, MCC			Ingram One-on-One Appointments 205 C, Floor 2, MCC			Vendor Showcase 200 Lobby, Floor 2, MCC			Bookshop.org One-on-One Appointments 205 D, Floor 2, MCC
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM	Rep Picks Speed Dating 204 AB, Floor 2, MCC
10:30 AM - 6:30 PM	Galley Room and Shipping Desk 200 B-J, Floor 2, MCC
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM	User Group 207 AB, Floor 2, MCC	Ingram Session TBA 101 CD-HG, Floor 1, MCC		Discussion Group: Pop-up and Mobile Stores 206 AB, Floor 2, MCC		ABFE Education Session TBA Auditorium Room 3, Floor 1, MCC		Education for Publishers Greenway AB-IJ, Floor 2, Hyatt			Developing a Vibrant Relationship with Publishers Auditorium Main, Floor 1, MCC		Storytimes to Workshops: Youth Programming Across Every Age Auditorium Room 2, Floor 1, MCC				Creating a Vision of Greatness with ZingTrain 101 AB-JI, Floor 1, MCC		Beyond the Bookstore: Growing Your B2B Business Auditorium Room 2, Floor 1, MCC
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM	Buffet Lines Open Ballroom AB, Floor 1, MCC
12:30 PM - 2:00 PM	Editors Buzz Lunch Ballroom AB, Floor 1, MCC
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM	Wait, We Need a Policy for That? Auditorium Main, Floor 1, MCC	Merchandising and Buying for Difficult Sections Auditorium Room 3, Floor 1, MCC		Bookmanager Education Session TBA 208 AB, Floor 2, MCC		RISEWITHUS Education Session TBA 101 CD-HG, Floor 1, MCC		See Your Name All Over Town: Store Merch That Sells Auditorium Room 2, Floor 1, MCC			Discussion Group: Used Bookstores 206 AB, Floor 2, MCC		Moving the Book Fair from School to Store Auditorium Room 1, Floor 1, MCC				Growing with Bookshop.org 101 AB-JI, Floor 1, MCC		User Group 207 AB, Floor 2, MCC
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM	Rep Picks Speed Dating 211 AB, Floor 2, MCC
5:30 PM - 7:00 PM	Publisher Sponsored Dinner Ballroom AB, Floor 1, MCC
9:30 PM - 11:00 PM	Romance After Party Northstar Ballroom and Promenade, Floor 2, Hyatt
Saturday, February 13, 2027
7:00 AM - 7:30 AM	12 Step Meeting 201 A, Floor 2, MCC
7:30 AM - 8:00 AM	Buffet Lines Open Ballroom AB, Floor 1, MCC
7:30 AM - 6:00 PM	ABA Welcome Desk Auditorium Lobby, Floor 1, MCC									Quiet Room 202 A, Floor 2, MCC
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM	Breakfast Keynote Ballroom AB, Floor 1, MCC
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM	Ask Advocacy Desk Auditorium Lobby, Floor 1, MCC
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM	Vendor Showcase 200 Lobby, Floor 2, MCC		Bookseller Lounge 200 A, Floor 2, MCC		Board Office Hours Auditorium Lobby, Floor 1, MCC		IndieCommerce One-on-One Appointments 205 AB, Floor 2, MCC		Meet the Presses Auditorium Lobby, Floor 1, MCC			Ingram One-on-One Appointments 205 C, Floor 2, MCC			Bookshop.org One-on-One Appointments 205 D, Floor 2, MCC			Batch One-on-One Appointments 202 B, Floor 2, MCC
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM	Galley Room and Shipping Desk 200 B-J, Floor 2, MCC
9:30 AM - 10:15 AM	Discussion Group: HR for Bookstores 206 AB, Floor 2, MCC	User Group 207 AB, Floor 2, MCC		How Bookstores Can Help Rebuild a Reading Culture Auditorium Room 2, Floor 1, MCC		Education Session TBA Auditorium Room 3, Floor 1, MCC		Stocking Your Graphic Novel and Manga Sections 101 AB-JI, Floor 1, MCC			Should We Grow? The Reality of Expansion 101 CD-HG, Floor 1, MCC		Events Reimagined Workshop Auditorium Main, Floor 1, MCC				Navigating Tough Conversations with Parents Auditorium Room 1, Floor 1, MCC		Bookmanager Education Session TBA 208 AB, Floor 2, MCC
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM	Rep Picks Speed Dating 204 AB, Floor 2, MCC
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM	Buffet Lines Open Ballroom AB, Floor 1, MCC
12:15 PM - 1:45 PM	Lunch Programming TBA Ballroom AB, Floor 1, MCC
1:45 PM - 2:30 PM	Vendor Showcase and Meet the Presses Open House Auditorium Lobby, Floor 1, MCC
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM	Rep Picks Speed Dating 204 AB, Floor 2, MCC
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM	Discussion Group: Genre and Specialty Stores 206 AB, Floor 2, MCC		Rethinking Summer Reading Programs 101 CD-HG, Floor 1, MCC		IndieCommerce Education Session TBA 101 AB-JI, Floor 1, MCC		The ABACUS Check-Up Auditorium Room 1, Floor 1, MCC		User Group 207 AB, Floor 2, MCC			Education Session TBA Auditorium Room 3, Floor 1, MCC			Creating an Indie Bookstore Ecosystem in Your Community Auditorium Main, Floor 1, MCC			Theft, Fraud, Phishing, and Other Dark Sides to Retail Auditorium Main, Floor 1, MCC
5:30 PM - 7:00 PM	Evening Author Reception Exhibit Hall B, Floor 1, MCC
Sunday, February 14, 2027
7:00 AM - 7:30 AM	12 Step Meeting 201 A, Floor 2, MCC
7:30 AM - 8:00 AM	Buffet Lines Open Ballroom AB, Floor 1, MCC
8:00 AM - 9:30 AM	Rep Picks Breakfast Presentations Ballroom AB, Floor 1, MCC
8:00 AM - 3:00 PM	Ask Advocacy Desk Auditorium Lobby, Floor 1, MCC					ABA Welcome Desk Auditorium Lobby, Floor 1, MCC								Quiet Room 202 A, Floor 2, MCC
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM	Meet the Presses Auditorium Lobby, Floor 1, MCC		Vendor Showcase 200 Lobby, Floor 2, MCC		Batch One-on-One Appointments 202 B, Floor 2, MCC		IndieCommerce One-on-One Appointments 205 AB, Floor 2, MCC		Bookseller Lounge 200 A, Floor 2, MCC			Ingram One-on-One Appointments 205 C, Floor 2, MCC			Board Office Hours Auditorium Lobby, Floor 1, MCC			Bookshop.org One-on-One Appointments 205 D, Floor 2, MCC
9:00 AM - 6:30 PM	Galley Room and Shipping Desk 200 B-J, Floor 2, MCC
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM	Bookmanager Education Session TBA 208 AB, Floor 2, MCC	User Group 207 AB, Floor 2, MCC		ZingTrain Education Session TBA 101 CD-HG, Floor 1, MCC		Kids Subscription Boxes 101 AB-JI, Floor 1, MCC		Buying and Managing the Backlist Auditorium Room 2, Floor 1, MCC			Navigating AI in Your Store Auditorium Main, Floor 1, MCC		Let the Books Talk For You: Crafting the Perfect Shelf Talker Auditorium Room 1, Floor 1, MCC				Cash, Capital & Contingencies: Planning for Your Bookstore’s Financial Future Auditorium Room 3, Floor 1, MCC		Discussion Group: Stores with Multiple Locations 206 AB, Floor 2, MCC
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM	Circana Presentation Ballroom AB, Floor 1, MCC
12:30 PM - 1:00 PM	Buffet Lines Open Exhibit Hall B, Floor 1, MCC
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM	Lunchtime Author Reception Exhibit Hall B, Floor 1, MCC
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM	Discussion Group: Children's Booksellers 206 AB, Floor 2, MCC	Bookmanager Education Session TBA 208 AB, Floor 2, MCC		Ingram Education Session TBA 101 AB-JI, Floor 1, MCC		The HR Specialist is In: Your Questions Answered Auditorium Room 1, Floor 1, MCC		Don’t Sleep on This Section! 101 CD-HG, Floor 1, MCC			Education Session TBA Auditorium Room 3, Floor 1, MCC		Limiting AI in Your Store Auditorium Room 2, Floor 1, MCC				User Group 207 AB, Floor 2, MCC		More Than a Bookstore: Being There When Your Community Needs You Most Auditorium Main, Floor 1, MCC
4:30 PM - 4:45 PM	Binc Heads or Tails Fundraiser Ballroom AB, Floor 1, MCC
4:45 PM - 5:30 PM	Closing Keynote Ballroom AB, Floor 1, MCC

PROGRAM + SCHEDULE