ABA announces 2017 conference program; Daunt, Mutter to give keynotes

The Australian Booksellers Association (ABA) has announced details of the program for its 2017 conference, to be held in Melbourne from 18-19 June.

Running under the theme ‘Collaboration and Community’, the conference will look at the ways the industry can build on the cooperation among booksellers, publishers, authors and other partners. The trade day exhibition will be held on the 18 June.

UK bookstore chain Waterstones managing director James Daunt and editor-in-chief of US bookselling news publication Shelf Awareness John Mutter will deliver the keynote addresses.

The conference will include an industry forum, featuring a panel of industry leaders discussing key issues, such as the supply chain, pricing, data and PIRs; a session on strategies for sustainability; the launch of National Bookshop Day 2017; a session on how small and independent publishers can work with bookstores to offer customers ‘something different’; a panel on children’s bookselling; and sessions on the state of the industry, ‘analogue marketing’, stock mix, and issues affecting small businesses.

The ABA Gala dinner on 18 June will be hosted by stand-up comedian Joel Creasey, with Peter FitzSimons, Richard Fidler and Kari Gislason also speaking during the evening. The finalists for the 2017 Miles Franklin Literary Award and the winners of the ABA bookselling awards will also be announced.

To see the full program, click here.

Category: Conferences Local news