American Booksellers Association
The American Booksellers Association (ABA) is a non-profit trade association founded in 1900 that promotes independent bookstores in the United States. ABA's core members are key participants in their communities' local economy and culture, and to assist them ABA creates relevant programs; provides education, information, business products, and services; and engages in public policy and industry advocacy. The Association actively supports and defends free speech and the First Amendment rights of all Americans, without contradiction of equity and inclusion, through the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression.[4] A volunteer board of 10 booksellers governs the Association. ABA is headquartered in White Plains, New York.
Abbreviation | ABA |
---|---|
Founded | 1900 |
Type | nonprofit trade association |
13-5676641[1] | |
Legal status | 501(c)(6)[2] |
Purpose | To help independently owned bookstores grow and succeed.[2] |
Headquarters | White Plains, New York, U.S. |
Jamie Fiocco[3] | |
Bradley Graham[3] | |
Subsidiaries | Booksellers Order Service Inc[2] |
Revenue (2017) | $3,805,890[2] |
Expenses (2017) | $4,641,929[2] |
Employees (2016) | 35[2] |
Volunteers (2016) | 67[2] |
Website | www |
Membership
The ABA's membership has varied over time:
- 1991 — 5,200 members[5]
- 1995 — 5,500 members with 7000 stores[6]
- 1998 — 3,300 members[5]
- 2000 — 3,100 members with 4000 stores[6]
- 2001 — 2,794 members[7]
- 2002 — 2,191 members[7]
- 2005 — 1,702 members,[8] "more than 90" member bookstores opened[9]
- 2006 — 97 member bookstores opened[9]
- 2007 — 115 member bookstores opened[10]
- 2008 — ABA published no data
- 2009 — 1,401 members[11] with 1,651 stores,[12] 40 member bookstores opened,[13] 26 of which were listed by Google Maps as "permanently closed" in December 2018.
- 2010 — 1,410 members, first increase in almost two decades.[11] 26 member bookstores opened,[14] 14 of which were listed as "permanently closed" on Google Maps as of December 2018.
- 2011 — 1,512 members with stores in 1823 locations,[15] 41 member bookstores opened,[16] Used bookstores are now eligible for membership, annual dues of smaller stores are lowered.[17]
- 2012 — 1,567 members with stores in 1,900 locations,[18] 43 member bookstores opened,[19] 17 of which were listed as "permanently closed" on Google Maps in December 2018.
- 2013 — 1,632 members with stores in 1,971 locations,[20] 45 member bookstores opened,[21] 16 of which were listed as "permanently closed" on Google Maps in December 2018.
- 2014 — 1,664 members with stores in 2,094 locations,[12] 59 member bookstores opened,[22] 15 of which were no longer members and listed as "permanently closed" on Google Maps in December 2018.
- 2015 — 1,712 members with stores in 2,227 locations,[12] 61 member bookstores opened,[23] 14 of which were listed as "permanently closed" on Google Maps in December 2018, 3 others are marked "online only" in ABA's list.
- 2016 — 87 member bookstores opened[24]
- 2017 — 75 member bookstores opened[25]
- 2018 — 1,835 members with stores in 2,470 locations,[26] 99 member bookstores opened[27]
- 2019 — 1,887 members with stores in 2,524 locations,[28] 111 member bookstores opened[29]
- 2020 — no numbers published
- 2021 — 1,700 members with stores in 2,100 locations[30]
The ABA sponsored the Book Sense marketing program and associated BookSense.com web site, intended to preserve a connection between consumers and local independent bookstores. In June 2008, Book Sense was replaced by IndieBound, a new program and website.[31]
Association of Booksellers for Children
In November, 2010, the Association of Booksellers for Children (ABC), a non-profit trade association supporting the business of independent children's bookselling, agreed to merge with the American Booksellers Association.[32] The former ABC is now a membership group within the ABA.[33]
See also
- List of independent bookstores
- Murder at the ABA, a novel by Isaac Asimov
- List of booksellers associations
- Books in the United States
References
- "American Booksellers Association Inc". Tax Exempt Organization Search. Internal Revenue Service. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
- "Form 990: Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax". Tax Exempt Organization Search. Internal Revenue Service. September 30, 2017.
- "Board of Directors". American Booksellers Association. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
- "FAQ: First Amendment, Free Expression and ABA's Ends Policies, determined by the ABA Board of Directors". American Booksellers Association. February 24, 2022.
- Singer, Penny (January 17, 1999), "Independent Bookstores Harvest Their Zeal", New York Times
- Kawaguchi, Karen (July 24, 2000), "Feminist Feast And Famine", Publishers Weekly
- Mutter, John (May 5, 2002), "BEA Show Daily: ABA Loses Members, Money", Publishers Weekly, archived from the original on December 20, 2013
- Spearie, Steven (August 14, 2008), "A novel approach to selling books", Norwich Bulletin, archived from the original on January 30, 2013
- "A Plethora of New Independent Bookstores Open in 2006" (Press Release). American Booksellers Association. January 8, 2007.
- ""115 New Independent Bookstores Open in 2007". American Booksellers Association. January 14, 2008.
- Italie, Hillel (May 21, 2010). "Independent Bookstores Get A Boost: American Booksellers Association Membership Up Since Last Year". Huffington Post.
- Italie, Hillel (May 26, 2015). "https://web.archive.org/web/20150925223758/https://bigstory.ap.org/article/43d578a30dc646169e531622981594ef/independent-booksellers-continue-add-new-stores Independent booksellers continue to add new stores]". Associated Press. Archived from the original on September 25, 2015.
- ""40 ABA Member Stores Open in 2009". American Booksellers Association. January 14, 2010.
- Schechner, Karen (February 24, 2011). ""25 ABA Member Stores Open in 2010" (Press Release). American Booksellers Association.
- "ABA Annual Meeting Report". American Booksellers Association. June 5, 2012.
- "41 ABA Member Stores Open in 2011" (Press Release). American Booksellers Association. January 10, 2012. Archived from the original on January 8, 2018.
- Schechner, Karen (August 19, 2018). "ABA President Michael Tucker Sends Important Update"]. American Booksellers Association. August 19, 2010
- "ABA Annual Meeting Report". American Booksellers Association. May 30, 2013
- ""43* ABA Member Stores Open in 2012" (Press Release). American Booksellers Association. January 17, 2013.
- "Annual Meeting Report". American Booksellers Association. May 30, 2013.
- ""45 ABA Member Stores Open in 2013*" (Press Release). American Booksellers Association. February 19, 2014.
- Button, Liz (February 5, 2015). ::59 ABA Member Stores Open in 2014, 29 Sold to New Owners" (Press Release). American Booksellers Association. February 5, 2015.
- "61 ABA Member Stores Open in 2015; 16 Sold to New Owners" (Press Release). American Booksellers Association. February 17, 2016.
- "87 ABA Member Stores Open in 2016; 15 Sold to New Owners". American Booksellers Association. January 25, 2017. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
- "75 ABA Member Stores Open in 2017; 22 Sold to New Owners". American Booksellers Association. February 9, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
- "ABC Children’s Institute: A Celebration of Diversity, Activism, and Kids’ Lit". American Booksellers Association. June 20, 2018. Retrieved September 22, 2021
- "99 ABA Member Stores Open in 2018; 28 Sold to New Owners". American Booksellers Association. January 15, 2019. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- "Shop Local, Buy Online". Alta Journal. September 30, 2019. Retrieved September 22, 2021
- "111 ABA Member Stores Open in 2019; 25 Sold to New Owners". American Booksellers Association. January 29, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- "2021 ABA Annual Meeting and Town Hall". American Booksellers Association. June 4, 2021. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
- "BookSense.com Becomes ABA E-commerce Solution" (Press release). American Booksellers Association. June 4, 2008. Retrieved October 2, 2008.
- Rosen, Judith (23 Nov 2010). "ABC Booksellers Overwhelmingly Approve Merger With ABA". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
- "ABC Children's Group". ABA American Bookseller's Association. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
External links
- official website
- IndieBound.org website
- A program created and sponsored by ABA the Book and Author Luncheon, can be heard at The WNYC Archives. It ran from 1938 to 1974. (See also the Book and Author Luncheon.)