From the Membership Coordinator: Ask Candice Anything! 

In this column, members can ask Candice anything, and they will provide an answer if they know! If you want to ask Candice something that may be in a future column, email candice@sibaweb.com.

This month’s question is:

In your opinion, are the regional conferences more helpful than the Winter Institute?

That is a tough question! I think it depends on your goals and what you hope to get out of a conference. I really like both the Winter Institute and the regional conference, as they offer different things.

Winter Institute is a larger conference and offers networking with other booksellers from across the country and much more broad education sessions. It's an opportunity to meet the folks at the ABA and the ABA board and get more involved in the industry on a national level, if that's something you're interested in. 

Regional conferences are great if you're looking to meet/network with your publisher reps, talk with other booksellers in your region who have similar experiences, get education that's a bit more tailored, and isn't quite as overwhelming. I also think that getting involved with SIBA, even if you don't attend the conference, is a great opportunity and career stepping stone. SIBA is always looking for new board members and influencers, and we recommend booksellers to the ABA frequently for national committees. The regional conference is a great time to meet SIBA staff, get to know other members, and get more involved.

So it depends on what you're looking to do! SIBA also has other smaller events throughout the year, like March Madness, that you can attend for one-day type education and networking if you can't make it to the annual conference.

Hope to see you at a SIBA event soon! And of course, if you have any questions about your membership and benefits or if you just want to say hello, you can contact me any time at candice@sibaweb.com.