American Booksellers Association

American Booksellers Association

Abbreviation	ABA
Founded	1900; 124 years ago (1900)
Type	nonprofit trade association
Tax ID no.	13-5676641[1]
Legal status	501(c)(6)[2]
Purpose	To help independently owned bookstores grow and succeed.[2]
CEO	Allison K. Hill[3]
President	Tegan Tigani[4]
Subsidiaries	Booksellers Order Service Inc[2]
Revenue (2022[5])	$5,026,094[5]
Expenses (2017)	$4,641,929[2]
Employees (2016)	35[2]
Volunteers (2016)	67[2]
Website	www.bookweb.org

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.^[6] A volunteer board of 10 booksellers governs the Association. Previously headquartered in White Plains, New York, ABA became a fully remote organization in 2024.^[7]

Membership

The ABA's membership has varied over time:

• 1991 — 5,200 members^[8]
• 1995 — 5,500 members with 7000 stores^[9]
• 1998 — 3,300 members^[8]
• 2000 — 3,100 members with 4000 stores^[9]
• 2001 — 2,794 members^[10]
• 2002 — 2,191 members^[10]
• 2005 — 1,702 members,^[11] "more than 90" member bookstores opened^[12]
• 2006 — 97 member bookstores opened^[12]
• 2007 — 115 member bookstores opened^[13]
• 2008 — ABA published no data
• 2009 — 1,401 members^[14] with 1,651 stores,^[15] 40 member bookstores opened,^[16] 26 of which were listed by Google Maps as "permanently closed" in December 2018.
• 2010 — 1,410 members, first increase in almost two decades.^[14] 26 member bookstores opened,^[17] 14 of which were listed as "permanently closed" on Google Maps as of December 2018.
• 2011 — 1,512 members with stores in 1823 locations,^[18] 41 member bookstores opened,^[19] Used bookstores are now eligible for membership, annual dues of smaller stores are lowered.^[20]
• 2012 — 1,567 members with stores in 1,900 locations,^[21] 43 member bookstores opened,^[22] 17 of which were listed as "permanently closed" on Google Maps in December 2018.
• 2013 — 1,632 members with stores in 1,971 locations,^[23] 45 member bookstores opened,^[24] 16 of which were listed as "permanently closed" on Google Maps in December 2018.
• 2014 — 1,664 members with stores in 2,094 locations,^[15] 59 member bookstores opened,^[25] 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,^[15] 61 member bookstores opened,^[26] 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^[27]
• 2017 — 75 member bookstores opened^[28]
• 2018 — 1,835 members with stores in 2,470 locations,^[29] 99 member bookstores opened^[30]
• 2019 — 1,887 members with stores in 2,524 locations,^[31] 111 member bookstores opened^[32]
• 2020 — no numbers published
• 2021 — 1,700 members with stores in 2,100 locations^[33]
• 2022 — 2,178 members with stores in 2,593 locations^[34]

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.^[35]

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.^[36] The former ABC is now a membership group within the ABA.^[37]

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

1. "American Booksellers Association Inc". Tax Exempt Organization Search. Internal Revenue Service. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
2. "Form 990: Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax". Tax Exempt Organization Search. Internal Revenue Service. September 30, 2017.
3. "American Booksellers Association Announces Selection of New CEO". American Booksellers Association (Press release). October 10, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
4. "Board of Directors". American Booksellers Association. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
5. "FIscal Year 2022 Audit Statement". American Booksellers Association. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
6. "FAQ: First Amendment, Free Expression and ABA's Ends Policies, determined by the ABA Board of Directors". American Booksellers Association (Press release). February 24, 2022. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
7. "ABA Officially Closing White Plains Office". the American Booksellers Association (Press release). January 24, 2024. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
8. Singer, Penny (January 17, 1999), "Independent Bookstores Harvest Their Zeal", New York Times
9. Kawaguchi, Karen (July 24, 2000), "Feminist Feast And Famine", Publishers Weekly
10. Mutter, John (May 5, 2002), "BEA Show Daily: ABA Loses Members, Money", Publishers Weekly, archived from the original on December 20, 2013
11. Spearie, Steven (August 14, 2008), "A novel approach to selling books", Norwich Bulletin, archived from the original on January 30, 2013
12. "A Plethora of New Independent Bookstores Open in 2006". American Booksellers Association (Press release). January 8, 2007. Retrieved January 8, 2007.
13. "115 New Independent Bookstores Open in 2007". American Booksellers Association (Press release). January 14, 2008. Retrieved January 14, 2008.
14. Italie, Hillel (May 21, 2010). "Independent Bookstores Get A Boost: American Booksellers Association Membership Up Since Last Year". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on June 2, 2010.
15. Italie, Hillel (May 26, 2015). "Independent booksellers continue to add new stores". AP News. Archived from the original on September 25, 2015. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
16. "40 ABA Member Stores Open in 2009". American Booksellers Association (Press release). January 14, 2010.
17. Schechner, Karen (February 24, 2011). "25 ABA Member Stores Open in 2010". American Booksellers Association (Press release).
18. "ABA Annual Meeting Report". American Booksellers Association. June 5, 2012.
19. "41 ABA Member Stores Open in 2011". American Booksellers Association (Press release). January 10, 2012. Archived from the original on January 8, 2016.
20. Schechner, Karen (August 19, 2010). "ABA President Michael Tucker Sends Important Update]". American Booksellers Association (Press release).
21. "ABA Annual Meeting Report". American Booksellers Association. May 30, 2013
22. "43* ABA Member Stores Open in 2012". American Booksellers Association (Press release). Retrieved January 17, 2013.
23. "Annual Meeting Report". American Booksellers Association. May 30, 2013.
24. "45 ABA Member Stores Open in 2013*". American Booksellers Association (Press release). February 19, 2014.
25. Button, Liz (February 5, 2015). "59 ABA Member Stores Open in 2014, 29 Sold to New Owners". American Booksellers Association (Press release).
26. Button, Liz (February 17, 2016). "61 ABA Member Stores Open in 2015; 16 Sold to New Owners". American Booksellers Association (Press release).
27. Jarrard, Sydney (January 25, 2017). "87 ABA Member Stores Open in 2016; 15 Sold to New Owners". American Booksellers Association (Press release). Retrieved March 30, 2017.
28. Jarrard, Sydney (February 9, 2018). "75 ABA Member Stores Open in 2017; 22 Sold to New Owners". American Booksellers Association (Press release). Retrieved April 7, 2018.
29. Jarrard, Sydney (June 20, 2018). "ABC Children's Institute: A Celebration of Diversity, Activism, and Kids' Lit". American Booksellers Association (Press release). Retrieved September 22, 2021.
30. Button, Liz (January 15, 2019). "99 ABA Member Stores Open in 2018; 28 Sold to New Owners". American Booksellers Association (Press release). Retrieved March 26, 2020.
31. O'Brien, Chris (September 30, 2019). "Shop Local, Buy Online". Alta Journal. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
32. Jarrard, Sydney (January 29, 2020). "111 ABA Member Stores Open in 2019; 25 Sold to New Owners". American Booksellers Association (Press release). Retrieved March 26, 2020.
33. Behnke, Emily (June 4, 2021). "2021 ABA Annual Meeting and Town Hall". American Booksellers Association (Press release). Retrieved September 22, 2021.
34. "ABA 2022 Annual Report". the American Booksellers Association. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
35. Grogan, David (June 4, 2008). "BookSense.com Becomes ABA E-commerce Solution" (Press release). American Booksellers Association. Archived from the original on February 4, 2016. Retrieved October 2, 2008.
36. Rosen, Judith (November 23, 2010). "ABC Booksellers Overwhelmingly Approve Merger With ABA". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
37. "ABC Children's Group". ABA American Bookseller's Association (Press release). Retrieved January 31, 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.)