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 1 Ballroom Lobby, Floor 1, MCC					Full Day Bookstore Tour 2 Ballroom Lobby, Floor 1, MCC								Full Day Publisher Tour 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 1 Ballroom Lobby, Floor 1, MCC					Half Day Bookstore Tour 3 Ballroom Lobby, Floor 1, MCC								Half Day Bookstore Tour 2 Ballroom Lobby, Floor 1, MCC
12:30 PM - 2:30 PM	Edelweiss Education Session TBA Auditorium Room 1, Floor 1, MCC				After the Rupture: Turning Conflict into Repair, Trust, and Growth with RISEWITHUS Auditorium Room 2, Floor 1, MCC					Bookselling 101: Co-Op Funds with Professional Bookselling School Auditorium Room 3, 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	Ask Advocacy Desk Auditorium Lobby, Floor 1, MCC					Quiet Room 202 A, Floor 2, MCC								ABA Welcome Desk Auditorium Lobby, Floor 1, MCC
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM	Breakfast Keynote Ballroom AB, Floor 1, MCC
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM	Bookshop.org One-on-One Appointments 205 D, Floor 2, MCC		Vendor Showcase 200 Lobby, Floor 2, MCC		Board Office Hours Auditorium Lobby, Floor 1, 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			Meet the Presses Auditorium Lobby, Floor 1, MCC			Ingram One-on-One Appointments 205 C, Floor 2, MCC
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM	Rep Picks Speed Dating Multiple Rooms, 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	Beyond the Bookstore: Growing Your B2B Business Auditorium Room 2, Floor 1, MCC	Storytimes to Workshops: Youth Programming Across Every Age Auditorium Room 2, Floor 1, MCC		Discussion Group: Pop-up and Mobile Stores 206 AB, Floor 2, MCC		Creating a Vision of Greatness with ZingTrain 101 AB-JI, Floor 1, MCC		Education for Publishers Greenway AB-IJ, Floor 2, Hyatt			The Conflict Lab: Bring the Messy Stuff with RISEWITHUS 101 CD-HG, Floor 1, MCC		Ingram Session TBA Auditorium Main, Floor 1, MCC				ABFE Education Session TBA Auditorium Room 3, Floor 1, MCC		User Group 207 AB, Floor 2, 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		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		Developing a Vibrant Relationship with Publishers 101 CD-HG, Floor 1, MCC				Bookmanager Education Session TBA 208 AB, Floor 2, MCC		See Your Name All Over Town: Store Merch That Sells Auditorium Room 2, Floor 1, MCC
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM	Rep Picks Speed Dating Multiple Rooms, Floor 2, MCC
5:30 PM - 7:00 PM	Kiss & Tell & Cocktails Party Sponsored by Bookshop.org 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	Quiet Room 202 A, Floor 2, MCC									ABA Welcome Desk Auditorium Lobby, Floor 1, 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	Board Office Hours Auditorium Lobby, Floor 1, MCC		Bookseller Lounge 200 A, Floor 2, MCC		IndieCommerce One-on-One Appointments 205 AB, Floor 2, MCC		Bookshop.org One-on-One Appointments 205 D, Floor 2, MCC		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			Ingram One-on-One Appointments 205 C, 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	How Bookstores Can Help Rebuild a Reading Culture Auditorium Room 2, Floor 1, MCC	Should We Grow? The Reality of Expansion 101 CD-HG, Floor 1, MCC		Stocking Your Graphic Novel and Manga Sections 101 AB-JI, Floor 1, MCC		Education Session TBA Auditorium Room 3, Floor 1, MCC		User Group 207 AB, Floor 2, MCC			Bookmanager Education Session TBA 208 AB, Floor 2, MCC		Navigating Tough Conversations with Parents Auditorium Room 1, Floor 1, MCC				Discussion Group: HR for Bookstores 206 AB, Floor 2, MCC		Events Reimagined Workshop Auditorium Main, Floor 1, MCC
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM	Rep Picks Speed Dating Multiple Rooms, 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 Multiple Rooms, Floor 2, MCC
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM	Theft, Fraud, Phishing, and Other Dark Sides to Retail Auditorium Main, Floor 1, MCC		Rethinking Summer Reading Programs 101 CD-HG, Floor 1, MCC		User Group 207 AB, Floor 2, MCC		The ABACUS Check-Up Auditorium Room 1, Floor 1, MCC		Discussion Group: Genre and Specialty Stores 206 AB, Floor 2, MCC			Education Session TBA Auditorium Room 3, Floor 1, MCC			IndieCommerce Education Session TBA 101 AB-JI, Floor 1, MCC			Creating an Indie Bookstore Ecosystem in Your Community 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					Quiet Room 202 A, Floor 2, MCC								ABA Welcome Desk Auditorium Lobby, Floor 1, MCC
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM	IndieCommerce One-on-One Appointments 205 AB, Floor 2, MCC		Ingram One-on-One Appointments 205 C, Floor 2, MCC		Board Office Hours Auditorium Lobby, Floor 1, MCC		Bookseller Lounge 200 A, Floor 2, MCC		Vendor Showcase 200 Lobby, Floor 2, MCC			Meet the Presses Auditorium Lobby, Floor 1, MCC			Batch One-on-One Appointments 202 B, Floor 2, 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		Cash, Capital & Contingencies: Planning for Your Bookstore’s Financial Future Auditorium Room 3, Floor 1, MCC		Let the Books Talk For You: Crafting the Perfect Shelf Talker Auditorium Room 1, Floor 1, MCC		Buying and Managing the Backlist Auditorium Room 2, Floor 1, MCC			Discussion Group: Stores with Multiple Locations 206 AB, Floor 2, MCC		Navigating AI in Your Store Auditorium Main, Floor 1, MCC				ZingTrain Education Session TBA 101 CD-HG, Floor 1, MCC		Kids Subscription Boxes 101 AB-JI, Floor 1, 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	More Than a Bookstore: Being There When Your Community Needs You Most Auditorium Main, Floor 1, MCC	Discussion Group: Children's Booksellers 206 AB, Floor 2, MCC		Education Session TBA Auditorium Room 3, Floor 1, MCC		Don’t Sleep on This Section! 101 CD-HG, Floor 1, MCC		User Group 207 AB, Floor 2, MCC			Bookmanager Education Session TBA 208 AB, Floor 2, MCC		The HR Specialist is In: Your Questions Answered Auditorium Room 1, Floor 1, MCC				Limiting AI in Your Store Auditorium Room 2, Floor 1, MCC		Ingram Education Session TBA 101 AB-JI, Floor 1, MCC
4:30 PM - 4:45 PM	Binc Heads or Tails Fundraiser and Meet the Presses and Vendor Showcase BINGO Winners Announced Ballroom AB, Floor 1, MCC
4:45 PM - 5:30 PM	Closing Keynote Ballroom AB, Floor 1, MCC

PROGRAM + SCHEDULE