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Committee Structure

Here's a link to the information we shared with the booksellers (scroll past the fold), so re-read that page to get acquainted with where they are. 

Programming

Chair: John Christensen
​​The Programming Committee will convene three times per year to:
  • brainstorm educational and networking needs
  • identify and develop educational programming for MIBA events
  • identify and review other organizations’ education
 
The Programming Committee will consist of:
  • at least one board member
  • the director of operations (aka, HFF coordinator)
  • booksellers representing a range of MIBA member stores, with a focus on stores that attend WI, BEA, and HFF
  • other members as necessary, for a term of two years
Committee Members
  1. MN: Matt Keliher, Subtext
    MattKeliher@gmail.com 
  2. WI: Kristen Sandstrom, Apostle Islands
    aibooksellers@gmail.com  
  3. IA: Hunter Gillum, Beaverdale­­­­­­
    beaverdalebooks@gmail.com
  4. SD: Amy Thue, Whimsy on Main
    whimsymilbank@gmail.com
  5. KS: Melanie Green, Bluebird
    mg@bluebirdbookstore.com 
  6. MO: Holland Saltsman, The Novel Neighbor
    holland@thenovelneighbor.com
  7. ​IL: Keith Lewis, Bookie’s
    keith@bookieschicago.com
  8. NE: Aja Martin, Indigo Bridge
    aja@indigobridgebooks.com 
Meeting Schedule
  1. After Winter Institute (early February)
  2. After BEA (early June)
  3. After HFF (mid-October)
Suggested starting points for the committee chair
  • Official HFF education committee. MIBA needs two people on the HFF education committee, so John should ask one bookseller to join him. The goal is to have the education far enough along to post to the website by the end of June (ie, names and sessions selected, and panelists if available).
  • Education generally. We suggest sharing the education ideas with the entire MIBA committee. That way, the bookseller on the HFF committee can represent our entire programming committee's ideas.

Engagement

Chair: David Enyeart
​​The Engagement Committee will convene three times per year to:
  • review member and nonmember stores and publishers; reach out to non-members (targeted lists will be supplied)
  • help mentor new members or connect them with mentors
  • address questions of diversity and inclusivity
  • gauge member satisfaction and review feedback and ideas
 
The Engagement Committee will consist of:
  • at least one board member
  • the executive director 
  • booksellers representing a range of member stores – maybe someone from each state
other members as necessary, for a term of two years
Committee Members
  1. MN: Jessica Peterson White, Content
    jessica@contentbookstore.com 
  2. MN: Zsame Morgan, Babycakes
    babycakesbookstack@gmail.com 
  3. IA: Mollie Loughlin, Book Vine
    Bookvine.cherokee@gmail.com
  4. KS: Danny Caine, Raven Bookstore
    danny@ravenbookstore.com 
  5. MO: Shane Mullen, Left Bank Books
    shane.m@left-bank.com 
  6. ND: Leslie Huerta, Francie & Finch
    leslie@francieandfinch.com
​Meeting Schedule
  1. Late Jan/early Feb - rally for spring meetings
  2. After spring meetings - rally for new membership year
  3. July - rally for HFF​ ​

Suggested starting points for the committee chair
  • Reach out to nonmember stores. Share current and prospective member list to pinpoint non-member stores we'd like to join MIBA
  • New booksellers. Divide up the provisional bookstore list (provisional = people in all stages of opening a new store) and contact each new bookseller. Ask the committee to volunteer to shepherd new people through their questions about opening a bookstore (this might require a few phone calls). 
  • Resources for new booksellers. Become well informed about the best industry resources available to new booksellers.
  • Representation. DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) is a topic we'd like this committee to consider. This will likely be a special project for sometime down the road as the board makes recommendations in this area. 

Title and Author

Chair: Kate Rattenborg
​The Title and Author Committee will convene three times per year to:
  • Suggest authors for HFF, keynotes and otherwise
  • Suggest authors for spring meetings
  • Suggest titles to include in the catalog
 
The Title and Author Committee will consist of:
  • the executive director 
  • booksellers representing a range of MIBA member stores
  • other members as necessary, for a term of two years


Committee Members
  1. MN: Lily Tschudi-Campbell, Red Balloon
    lily@redballoonbookshop.com 
  2. WI: Patti Blount, Durand Public Library
    pblount@durand.k12.wi.us 
  3. WI: Jason Kennedy, Boswell
    jason@boswellbooks.com 
  4. KS: Rebekah Rine, Watermark
    rebekah.rine@watermarkbooks.com 
  5. MO: Melissa Posten, The Novel Neighbor
    melissa@thenovelneighbor.com 
  6. IL: Jamie Thomas, Women and Children First
    wcfjamie@gmail.com 
  7. SD: Carla Ketner, Chapters
    wcfjamie@gmail.com 
Suggested starting points for the committee chair
  • Heartland authors. Ask booksellers which authors they would love to see at Heartland. Due June 22. 
    Heartland authors don't have to be regional. If they aren't, the book should be an indie-friendly title that indies will get behind. If the author is regional, that's great and makes a more obvious case for us asking for them to be at the show. 
  • Catalog titles. Ask booksellers to send us titles that would work well for them in the winter catalog. Due date June 29. 
    Books included in the catalog should be innately giftable. We want a mix of adult, kids, fiction, nonfiction, regional, and national titles. Spring 2018 through November 1, 2018 is the acceptable pub range. 
  • Midwest Connections. Send us title recommendations all throughout the year. Books need to either have Midwestern content, or an author who is from the Midwest. Our states includes: ND, SD, NE, KS, MN, IA, MO, WI, and the upper peninsula of MI.
Midwest Independent Booksellers Association
2355 Louisiana Avenue North, Suite A
Golden Valley, MN 55427
Carrie Obry, Executive Director: (612) 208-6279 
​
Robert Martin, Operations: (612) 520-1482

Fax: (844) 273-4119
info@midwestbooksellers.org

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