PUBLISHED AUGUST 2017

by Angela Bole, CEO, Independent Book Publishers Association –

Angela Bole

Welcome to the conference issue of IBPA Independent magazine! In this issue, you’ll find numerous articles to help you navigate a year of events.

For terrific tips and tricks for conference attendance, check out Joshua Tallent’s “Musings of a Conference Veteran.” Or, if your interests are more locally inclined, Deb Vanasse provides great insight into regional programs in “Publishing Gatherings: The Power of Small.”

Of course, with all this conference talk, I’d be remiss if I didn’t remind you about the annual IBPA Publishing University, scheduled for April 6-7, 2018, in Austin, Texas.

Whether you’re looking for introductory learning on new-to-you topics or hunting for strategic approaches to new challenges, IBPA Publishing University is the place for you. If you attend, you’ll advance your publishing program through 30+ individual sessions including panel discussions, experiential learning labs, insightful keynotes, a gala book award ceremony, fun networking events, and much more.

It may seem early to plan for April 2018, but it isn’t. Last year, the IBPA Publishing University sold out by January, and we had to negotiate a waitlist that kept dozens of people from attending. As this conference is one of the only times we’re able to bring members face-to-face each year, having to turn people away was no fun at all. If you register early, however, this won’t be a problem for you. In addition, you’ll save 15 percent off the general registration fee by being an “early bird.” It’s a win-win.

Over the next couple of months, you might also consider submitting a speaker proposal or applying for a scholarship to attend. Speaker proposals are accepted until Oct. 1, 2017 here and the scholarship application is available until Nov. 30, 2017 here. It would be our pleasure to consider you for either opportunity.

As always, I remain at your disposal should you have questions about IBPA Publishing University … or anything at all. Please let me know how I can help at angela@ibpa-online.org.

Just before Angela Bole became IBPA’s Chief Executive Officer, she was Deputy Executive Director of the Book Industry Study Group, Inc. (BISG), which fosters conversation and consensus across all sectors of the book business. Before that, Angela served for two years as BISG’s Associate Director and two years as its Marketing and Communications Manager.