Why NVNR? Year After Year, Bookstores Prioritize Attending New Voices New Rooms
“I am one year in to my role as store manager, and I have learned so so much from other bookstores, other booksellers, publisher reps, and workshops. The things I am learning are only helping our store grow, and I’m so excited about our potential!” –NVNR 2025 Attendee
Going to a conference is a big commitment for a small business, which must contend not only with the out of pocket costs of travel, but also staffing expenses to keep the bookstore open while some of the staff is away. Stores weigh their options carefully, choosing education and networking opportunities that will best justify the expense of attending. For a growing number of bookstores, New Voices New Rooms is that conference.
Since its first in-person event in 2023, NVNR has attracted booksellers from the farthest corners of the NAIBA and SIBA territories. Attendance has increased every year as programming has expanded to meet the needs of a wider variety of bookstores and business models.
“Attending last year’s conference in Atlanta gave me a strong foundation: I was able to establish relationships with major publishers, begin learning how to navigate the event grid, and gather insights that I’m still actively implementing in the store today. At the time, I felt like I learned so much, but now I realize it was only the beginning.” –NVNR 2025 Attendee
At a recent event with new and prospective bookstores SIBA Membership Coordinator Candice Huber said, “What makes [the NVNR] conference different from a big national one is that NVNR is region-specific. You can network with YOUR specific sales reps and industry partners, and booksellers who are in your region. Our programming is also more focused and specific, and we survey and listen to attendees about what they want to see.”
New Voices New Rooms put out a call to booksellers for education ideas in the spring and has already provided a preview of some of the education tracks booksellers can take, including profitability, event, promotion and marketing, nurturing programs to prevent burnout, and a “level up” track with higher level content. The education is largely bookseller-suggested, bookseller-created, and bookseller-driven.
Already over more than 200 booksellers from 130 different bookstores have decided NVNR provides the most value for their business. Find out why.
“I attended NVNR last year in Atlanta and it completely changed the way that I do my job. At last year’s conference my store was less than a year old, and to be completely honest, we didn’t really know what we were doing; just figuring it out as we went, making many mistakes along the way. The skills and tools that I learned at NVNR have elevated our store in innumerable ways.”
–NVNR 2025 Attendee