ABA Strategic Plan INDEPENDENT BOOKSELLING Competing in a Changing World Strategic Plan for the Years 2003 - 2007 (as adopted July 13, 2002) (To view the Plan updated with strategies for 2005 - 2006, click here.) ABA's Mission The mission of the American Booksellers Association is to provide advocacy, opportunities for peer interaction‚ education‚ support services‚ and new business models that enable independent professional booksellers to compete successfully in a changing world. ABA's Vision for the Independent Bookselling Industry in the Year 2007 Independent professional booksellers are skilled retail businesspeople who‚ through innovation and success‚ are a vibrant‚ profitable‚ and growing force in a diverse marketplace. They are recognized as an influential and vital link between authors‚ readers‚ publishers‚ and the community. ABA's Strategic Planning Goals and Objectives Goal I Provide independent professional booksellers with access to the education, information, and business services they need to succeed in a changing world. Objective IA: Create an accessible education program that effectively meets the needs of independent professional booksellers. Objective IB: Provide independent professional booksellers with the timely information they need to compete successfully in a changing world. Objective IC: Provide independent booksellers with the tools they need to compete successfully in a changing world. Goal II Serve as the voice of independent professional booksellers and advocate on their behalf on issues such as free expression, trade practices, literacy, and community activism. Objective IIA: Defend free expression and First Amendment rights. Objective IIB: Maintain active vigilance in the arena of trade practices and achieve a more productive relationship with a growing number of vendors. Objective IIC: Encourage‚ with appropriate allies‚ literacy‚ a literary culture‚ and the development of new readers. Objective IID: Support community activism and help create alliances that promote independent bookselling and other independent businesses. Objective IIE: Identify and advocate members' interests on issues of public policy. Objective IIF: Create a strong public voice for independent bookselling by helping to build the market share and presence of current members and by developing new members. Goal III Promote the value of independent booksellers as a group through Book Sense and other cooperative activities. Objective IIIA: Increase the impact of Book Sense by expanding participation among new and existing ABA members and others. Objective IIIB: Keep Book Sense in tune with market developments and opportunities in order to further develop consumer awareness of the Book Sense brand among the reading public and to attract additional publisher support for the Book Sense program. Goal IV Foster development of new and enhanced business models, systems, and services. Objective IVA: Monitor development of new business models and technologies that will allow member bookstores to better operate according to sound business practices. Objective IVB: Investigate and incubate new business models that can help independent professional booksellers compete more profitably. Definitions Core Member: ABA's core member is the independent bookstore with a storefront location that is operated by professional independent booksellers according to sound business principles. Although ABA will provide programs and services to others in the bookselling industry‚ its primary focus will be on its core members. Professional Independent Bookseller: Someone who is committed to operating an independent bookstore business according to sound business principles. This term can mean either an owner or an employee. Independent Bookstore: Any privately owned retailer of books and related products. Sound Business Principles: Applying the best available business practices to achieve and maintain profitable operations that will ensure the continued viability of the company. Community: Any population‚ constituency‚ or group served by booksellers. American Booksellers Association 200 White Plains Rd., Tarrytown, NY 10591