Announcements

New Voices New Rooms (NVNR) is excited to announce that its annual conference will be held in Baltimore, Maryland at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront from  August 2 – August 5, 2026. Baltimore, known as the “Charm City,” boasts a long, vibrant literary tradition, and approximately two dozen independent bookstores are located in the greater Baltimore […]

The fall NVNR Owner Strategy Session began with booksellers sharing their 4th Quarter plans and strategies, before opening the discussion to a variety of issues that were "top of mind" for booksellers in the current uncertain economic climate. 4th Quarter Strategies takeaways: 1. Take Care Self Care is important for owners and staff during the

Publicity Speed Dating is the popular event, conceived by NAIBA, where booksellers looking to expand their event program can meet with publicists one-on-one to share their publicity kit and “pitch” their store as a good partner for author events. It is an invaluable opportunity for booksellers and publicists to make connections and put themselves on

The post-conference feedback about New Voices New Rooms is usually enthusiastic, but NVNR has never received the kind of outpouring of praise from attendees that is has this year. Here are fifteen things –just a small part of the responses we received — that people had to say about NVNR 2025: "This was so helpful

by Kit Little This year’s SWAG SWAP table at New Voices New Rooms was a huge success with lots of fun, branded items being traded by booksellers. Items included stickers, pens and pencils, pins, t-shirts, and more. We asked where you sourced these items and here is what you shared: Death By Stickers: deathbystickers.com; @death_by_stickers:

by Sara Braverman When we attend a conference, we often leave inspired and motivated — but once we’re back in our regular routines, it’s easy for that energy to fade. One of the best ways to keep momentum going is to focus on resilience — the ability to adapt, recover, and keep moving forward in

The 2025 New Voices New Rooms Conference in Atlanta last week received high marks from booksellers and exhibitors. "Really great and really positive" and "a vibrant show" announced the coverage in the book industry press. Booksellers commented on the quality of the education offered by the program, and especially of the sessions in the Children’s

The ever-popular Genre Buzz event at NVNR this year took place over lunch, with different tables reserved for specific genres. Booksellers sat at the table dedicated to the genre they love. It was basically the biggest book talk in the eastern US that day! The lists below are some of the titles booksellers talked about.

A fun and speedy rep talk about new titles they want you to love and connect with customers. When sales reps sign up for a spot at the "Pick of the Lists" event at NVNR, they get five minutes to present their favorite fall books. They select their top five books and spend a fraught

(with a big thank you to Jamille Christman of Eagle Eye Books in Decatur for allowing NVNR to use their screen shots) Step one: Select a show to register for, and choose "Attendee Registration"   Step two: Search on your email or company name to find your account. Step three: If your info is not

Tips and Resources Register as a buyer in advance. This will allow you to place orders, instead of just window shopping. It will also allow you to receive updates on new vendors and future shows. AmericasMart is open to the trade only. What you need to register. Wear comfortable shoes. The docent-led tour is a

One of the highlights of New Voices New Rooms in Atlanta is our docent-led tour of AmericasMart Atlanta, a leading wholesale marketplace housing the nation’s largest gift product mix. Although booksellers who signed up for the tour will have guest passes to visit the Mart, we highly recommend you take a few minutes before the

Excitement was high as the organizers reported that registration numbers were already higher than previous years, and also included a high number of new bookstores and first-time attendees. The NVNR Team of NAIBA and SIBA staff gave an overview of some of the schedule highlights, the extensive author events, and fun activities planned for the

The NVNR Team of NAIBA and SIBA staff gave an overview of some of the schedule highlights and opportunities available to exhibitors for putting their books and their companies in front of booksellers. They did a walk through of the conference app, and offered suggestions for how to make the most out of the conference

In response to an increased demand, the deadline to reserve a hotel room at the NVNR rate of $180/night has been extended through July 20. Reserve your hotel room

NVNR is looking for booksellers volunteers to share their expertise with their colleagues to volunteer for NVNR’s "Ask Me Anything" table in the Exhibit Hall lobby from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM on Tuesday, 8/5. A shift is 30 minutes. "Expertise" can be in anything that helps you run a successful business, from operational skills

The Advantage of NVNR Day Passes New Voices New Rooms travels to different cities every year, but the general structure of the program is purposely consistent from year to year: Bus Tours on the first day, education on day two, exhibits on day three, and bookseller retreats on the final day of the conference. The

Attending the New Voices New Rooms conference can be overwhelming, especially if you are attending as the sole representative of your bookstore. The 2025 NVNR program has concurrent education tracks, multiple bus tours, and programming that goes from before breakfast to late-night receptions. The exhibit hall holds up to 100 vendors, with rep picks discussions

Whether you are an exhibitor planning your booth, or a bookseller planning your schedule, it is time to get your ducks in a row for NVNR The NVNR Orientations for attendees will be held on July 16, on Zoom: Bookseller Orientation: 7/16 at 11:00 AM ET Exhibitor Orientation: 7/16 at 3:00 PM ET Both session will be

When I was a bookseller, I waited in a very long line at BookExpo to meet David Levithan, whose writing I cherished. When I finally got to the front of the line and met him, I shared how much his work meant to me and our customers. I invited him to our store, and (gently)

One of the little-known “insider” perks of supporting NVNR is a big discount on association advertising. Publishers can send a dedicated eblast to both NAIBA and SIBA booksellers, or put a banner in the NAIBA and SIBA newsletters, effectively reaching booksellers in both organizations for the price of one. Exhibiting is not required! This offer

A now regular feature and attendee favorite of the NVNR Conference, the Store Swag Swap invites bookstores to bring some of their store-branded merchandise to put on a display table in the conference lobby. Stores are encouraged to show off their creative (and clever, and funny) side: from bookmarks and book totes to puzzles, ball

Confirmed exhibitors are currently receiving their table number assignments. Shipments to the Advance Shipments Warehouse begins on July 1st. As in the past, NVNR’s partner for handling exhibits shipping and set up is General Exposition Services (GES). Information to create an account can be found on page 7 of the NVNR Exhibit Sales Brochure, or

Dear friends, I’m thrilled to invite you to this year’s New Voices New Rooms (NVNR) annual conference – and even more excited to share that it will be hosted in Atlanta! As a Georgia bookstore, I couldn’t be happier to welcome you to our vibrant, book-loving city. NVNR has always been a special conference for

Genre Buzz is an event unique to NVNR , a book conversation among booksellers about recently released and forthcoming books in their favorite genres. This year, NVNR is hosting a Genre Buzz Lunch on Monday, August 4th — a full hour and change for booksellers to sit with their collegues and talk about new and

Seeking Booksellers Who Love Genre Books! Genre Buzz is an event unique to NVNR, a book conversation among booksellers about recently released and forthcoming books in their favorite genres. This year, NVNR is hosting a Genre Buzz Lunch on Monday, August 4th — a full hour to sit with fellow fans and talk about what

Ask, don’t take. New Voices New Rooms has updated its code of conduct to include an explicit anti-theft policy. The updated policy is available on the NVNR website. Conference attendees will be required to acknowledge they have read and agree to the code of conduct when they check in. NVNR will also make "Ask. Don’t

Bookseller registration for the NVNR 2025 Conference is well ahead of last year! The 150 bookstores currently registered (and counting!) includes both a larger number of first-time and newly-opened bookstores, and bookstores from every state in the combined SIBA and NAIBA territories. Registrants are already logging into their account and using the conference app to

Important shipping dates and deadlines have been added to the exhibitors information hub. Conference shipping is managed by General Exhibition Services (GES). Exhibitors can find contract information in the NVNR 2025 Sales Brochure. Mark the following dates your calendars June 30: Deadline to cancel and receive a refund (less 25%). No refunds after 6/30. July

Registered exhibitors can look forward to receiving their booth numbers before the end of the month. New Voices New Rooms encourages exhibitors to host booth signings when the exhibit hall is open, and will support them with promotions to attendees: Booth signings will be listed in the schedule and specially tagged as a signing. Booth

During my days running the ABA convention, the United States Secretary of Defense sat with his wife, a publisher of children’s books, at a small press table in the convention hall. I was privy to his presence because I had to work with the Secret Service. Out of curiosity, I took a stroll over to

New Voices New Rooms is holding orientation sessions for booksellers and exhibitors on July 16. Click on an Orientation to register: Bookseller Orientation: 7/16 at 11:00 AM ET Exhibitor Orientation: 7/16 at 3:00 PM ET Each orientation will give attendees and exhibitors a chance to hear what to expect and what is new for the 2025 Conference. Even if you have not yet

My favorite thing about NVNR is getting to be with other booksellers. The conference is a reminder of how isolated being a bookseller can be and how fulfilling it can be to spend time together. – NVNR 2024 Attendee Attendees at NVNR have several tools for finding their way around the conference. Up to date

Exhibitor listings will start publishing on the NVNR 2025 Conference Website and App in June. Exhibitors should submit their initial listings here. Listings will appear 2-3 business days after submission. Only listings from confirmed exhibiting companies will be published. This is your initial listing. Each exhibitor will be able to designate one of their conference

"My goal for attending NVNR? As a new bookstore owner, to learn best practices from experienced booksellers and store owners. And to network with publishers and gain insight into lists, with a focus on my niche interest store." –NVNR 2024 Attendee One of the most important resources any small business has for facing an uncertain

Did you know? There are an extensive number of ways to put your books in front of booksellers with NVNR advertising. Advertising is sold separately from Exhibit reservations, and does not require you have a table or be present at the event: Book advertising here | Conference Information Conference Journal Ads: Every attendee receives a

Follow NVNR@IG: #NVNR25 #thiswillbesomuchfun! New Voices New Rooms is growing every year — in attendees, in exhibitors, in programming, in fun! And while we will always keep booksellers and exhibitors updated about important information on the NVNR website and via email, we also know that the average email inbox is, well, pretty full pretty much

A Letter from Linda-Marie Barrett, SIBA Executive Director Registrations for New Voices New Rooms (NVNR) are up from last year, but we hear from those who have yet to register that they have concerns about the economy, tariffs, travel safety, and time away from their stores. While a trade organization cannot solve all these problems

The behind the scenes work of putting together the New Voices New Room Conference each year sometimes feels like a whirlwind, as new authors are confirmed, new exhibitors are signed on, and new ideas for education sessions are added almost every day. There is method to the madness, however. The planners work hard to create

New Voices New Rooms 2025 shines a light on the ongoing fight against censorship and book banning, an issue impacting every level of the book industry. On Sunday, August 3 at 8:30 PM, NVNR will host a special screening of the the award-winning documentary, Banned Together. The film follows three students from Beaufort, South Carolina,

One of the primary goals of the 2025 New Voices New Rooms conference is to foster connections between booksellers and exhibitors. Both SIBA and NAIBA have experienced strong membership growth in the last year, with many new members and new store owners. The 2025 conference features an updated platform and fully functional attendee app that

Booksellers may think of the New Voices New Rooms conference as a place to learn what is happening in the book industry, but NVNR is also a place where the book industry comes to learn about indie bookstores. A key part of the NVNR mission is to showcase NAIBA and SIBA bookstores to publishers, vendors,

The deadline to submit authors for the New Voices New Rooms 2025 conference in Atlanta (August 3-6) is fast approaching! Submissions close on May 1st, after which the NVNR Team will start placing authors in the program and promoting their appearances to booksellers. Publishers must be confirmed exhibitors before their authors can be confirmed for

One of the benefits of hosting New Voices New Rooms 2025 in Atlanta is its proximity to AmericasMart, a city block’s worth of exhibit space containing the world’s single-largest collection of wholesale home, gift and apparel showrooms. The complex hosts exhibitions throughout the year– there are formal wear and apparel exhibitions going on during NVNR

The New Voices New Rooms Owners Strategy session on April 17th represented a departure from previous meetings in that it had no over all theme or topic. Instead, store owners were invited to bring any business issues that were currently top of mind for their stores. Booksellers then came together in breakout rooms to share

Booksellers take advantage of early bird savings. Over 100 people from more than 60 bookstores have already taken advantage of NVNR’s early-bird pricing and registered for New Voices New Rooms 2025 in Atlanta. Booksellers who register for the conference in April receive $50 off a full event pass. For a store bringing several staff members

May 28, on Zoom Meet booksellers from NAIBA and SIBA and hear about all the unique events they host in their stores. This virtual event begins at 9:30 am and ends at around 4:00 pm, with a lunch break. Publicists will receive access to the publicity kits and a complete list of stores attending. There

May 28, 2025 on Zoom NVNR’s 2025 Publicity Speed Dating event will be hosted on Zoom on May 28th. This is an opportunity for booksellers to meet publicists and share all the unique events they host in their store. This virtual event begins at 9:30 AM and ends at around 4:00 PM, with a lunch break. Publicists will receive

Nearly 100 booksellers from over 50 bookstores have already registered for the 2025 New Voices New Rooms conference in Atlanta since registration opened on April 4th. Marking the strongest early sign up since New Voices New Rooms’ first event in 2020. Title discovery is a major focus of the NVNR conference. The program’s innovative approach

New Voices New Rooms is committed to helping bookstores attend the 2025 conference in Atlanta in August. Attending a conference is a big commitment of both time and money, especially in the current economy. But NVNR can also be one of the most cost effective and profitable things a bookstore does, in terms of connections

Exhibitor Sales and Attendee Registrations are now open for the 2025 New Voices New Rooms (NVNR) conference in Atlanta, August 3-6. The conference will be held at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis hotel in downtown Atlanta, famous as a film location for several of the Hunger Games movies, and the host hotel for Dragon Con. Visit

An unexpected technical delay prevented NVNR from launching conference registration on April 2nd as planned. We are working to get that resolved and will make an announcement when we are able to open the registration system. We appreciate your patience and understanding! Reserve your hotel room Room rate is $180/night. Conference Reservation link Apply for

The 2025 New Voices New Rooms conference will be a whirlwind booksellers’ adventure that makes the most of its Atlanta location. Registration will open on April 2, with a return of earlybird pricing. Here are some of the highlights booksellers can look forward to: A new easy-to-use event platform with a fully functional integrated app.

New Voices New Rooms has upgraded its platform for 2025, allowing for continuity of data, the ability to connect all our attendees and provide up-to-the-minute information. Publishers will be able to purchase exhibit and sponsor packages, as well as any extra event passes they need for their on-site staff, in a streamlined process that provides

Getting Ready for New Voices New Rooms August 3-6, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia Registration and Exhibit Sales for the New Voices New Rooms (NVNR) conference will open at the end of March. Here are some things to do before registration opens: Reserve your hotel room Room rate is $180/night. Conference Reservation link Apply for a

Author submissions are now open for the 2025 New Voices New Rooms Annual Conference, to be held August 3-6 in Atlanta, Georgia. This year’s conference features author opportunities throughout the program, including author panels, featured meal speakers, evening receptions, and the ever popular Moveable Feast. Authors must be represented by an exhibiting publisher. Priority is

New Voices New Rooms (NVNR) seeks suggestions and proposals for education programming to be offered at its upcoming conference in Atlanta, August 3-6, 2025. Proposals are welcome from all NVNR stakeholders, including booksellers, authors, and publishers. Submissions may include ideas for education you would like to see offered, as well as proposals for education that

New Voices New Rooms (NVNR), the combined annual conference for the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association (NAIBA) and Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA), is pleased to announce the dates of its 2025 Annual Conference, which will be held August 3 – 6, 2025, at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis in Atlanta, Georgia. The Atlanta location, which

by Nicki Leone & Candice Huber The first NVNR Owners Strategy Session of 2025 met January 16, with about twenty store owners in attendance from both NAIBA and SIBA regions. The focus of the discussion was "Safety." Moderators Melissa Taylor of E. Shaver, Booksellers in Savannah, Georgia, and Hannah Oliver Depp of Loyalty Bookstores in

New Voices New Rooms (NVNR) will host its 2025 annual conference in Atlanta, Georgia, with dates and venue to be announced.  NVNR is the programming partnership between the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association (NAIBA) and the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA) and has been hosting conferences and events for booksellers since 2020. It has hosted

The conversation at the NVNR October Owners Retreat focused largely on 4th quarter and holiday preparations. Booksellers shared what they were looking forward to selling, successful regular holiday promotions, and some of the little things they do during the busy season to reduce stress and take care of staff. One common piece of advice was

NVNR Recap: Budgeting for Booksellers The Budgeting for Booksellers session at NVNR was SRO (standing room only)! The presenter was Candice Huber, owner of Tubby and Coo’s Traveling Bookshop, who is also the Membership and Social Media Coordinator for SIBA and an instructor for the Store and Operations and Event Management tracks of the Professional

10/25/2023: NVNR Announces 2024 Dates (Publishers Weekly) 08/12/2024 NVNR Draws Large Turnout as Trade Show Season Kicks Off (Publishers Weekly) 08/12/2024 NVNR: Pictures from the Conference(Shelf Awareness) 08/12/2024 NVNR: Authors! Authors! (Shelf Awareness) 08/16/2024 Fall Regionals 2024: Booksellers Reach Across Regional Divides (Publishers Weekly) 08/16/2024 Fall Regionals 2024: Programming Highlights (Publishers Weekly) 08/27/2024 NVNR Draws

The panelists: LeeAnna Callon and Jodi Laidlaw, Blue Cypress Books in New Orleans, Louisiana Bradley Frizzell, Little City Books in Hoboken, New Jersey Hannah Fenster, The Ivy Bookshop in Baltimore, Maryland What does a successful event look like? Booksellers on the "Successful Spins on Authorless Events" Panel all agreed there are many ways to measure

Multiple education sessions at New Voices New Rooms focused on building relationships with community partners for programming and events including: Community Book Festivals panelists Julia Davis, The Book Worm Bookstore; and Patrick Kern, Little District Books For bookstores interested in starting a book festival in their town. Davis and Kern discussed how a community book

"Genre Buzz" is the innovative, bookseller-led event which highlights genre and themed titles and brings booksellers together to discuss how they can enhance sales. Each genre buzz topic is moderated by a bookseller who is an enthusiastic fan. But it is the booksellers at the table who drive the discussion — sharing their favorite forthcoming

NVNR 2024 opened Thursday, August 8, on a generous and inspirational note with a "Bookmobile Rally" featuring three mobile bookstores operating within driving distance (naturally) of the conference. Read Early and Daily (READ) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to giving children access to new, quality, and culturally relevant books of their own. Founder and Executive

When the New Voices New Rooms conference was announced in February, one of the pieces of advice given to booksellers was to think hard about their purpose for attending the conference, and to create specific, achievable goals for their visit. It is impossible to see everything at a conference, but with a list of goals

by Candice Huber, NVNR Accessibility and Social At New Voices New Rooms 2024, our theme is wellness and self care. We know how hectic industry conferences are and how easy it is to get lost in the chaos and forget to care for yourself. To make this a bit easier for attendees, NVNR is incorporating

One of the major goals of the New Voices new Rooms program is title discovery: providing multiple opportunities for booksellers to find new books to fit in their store inventory and mission. Rep Picks, where sales reps talk about their favorites from the fall lists, Genre Buzz, bookseller-led and driven discussions about the genre books

The New Voices New Rooms Conference is only a few weeks away! To ensure a great experience at NVNR, registered booksellers should take a moment to log in to their attendee app and click on “My NVNR” to make sure the following information is up to date before the conference: Double-check your Name, Bookstore, City,

NEW VOICES NEW ROOMS OPENS 2024 ATTENDEE APP The NVNR Attendee App is now open for registered attendees! (save this message for future reference) New Voices New Rooms has opened the NVNR 2024 App for all registered attendees. Visit the App at NVNR to sign in. Save a shortcut to your phone’s home screen for

One of the highlights of the annual New Voices New Rooms Conference happens before the event officially starts: the pre-show Bus Tours of area indie bookshops. Because of its location in Arlington, there are a wide range of great indie bookshops worth visiting. Bus tours are scheduled for the afternoon of Thursday, August 8. NVNR

"My goal for NVNR? Seeking new vendors/products, learning from sessions and networking with fellow booksellers – it’s like an IV infusion of energy!" –NVNR 2023 Attendee No matter what your reasons are for attending New Voices New Rooms, the Exhibit Hall on Saturday is going to be a centerpiece of your time at the conference.

During book industry events, many publishers hold dinners with authors and invite booksellers to attend. These dinners are held at local restaurants and are generally intimate. Publishers host them to have a chance to talk to booksellers in depth about their store and mission and how the publisher’s titles can be a good fit. As

“What I love about NVNR is chatting with other booksellers and store owners and helping each other problem solve and figure out what issues are shared vs what issues are specific to my store.” –NVNR 2023 Attendee The New Voices New Rooms Conference may be several months away, but savvy booksellers can get a lot

"My goal for coming to NVNR was to gain insight about events and marketing" –NVNR 2023 Attendee Coming to New Voices New Rooms with a set of specific goals will go a long way toward making your conference experience useful, profitable, and fun. But NVNR is a large conference with a very busy program;  even

Plans for Independent Bookstore Day The Spring New Voices New Rooms Owners Retreat met on April 11th to share ideas and plans for Independent Bookstore Day on April 27th. IBD is just around the corner, but booksellers created a list of things stores can to quickly to help make the day more fun and a

"My goal for coming to NVNR was to learn as much as I can because I am relatively new to bookselling." –NVNR 2023 Attendee Attending the New Voices New Rooms conference can be overwhelming, especially if you are attending as the sole representative of your bookstore. The 2024 NVNR program has as many as four

The New Voices New Rooms Conference returns to Arlington Virginia for 2024! Registration is now open for the New Voices New Rooms 2024 Conference, August 8-11 in Arlington, Virginia. NAIBA Registration | SIBA Registration Exhibitor Sales & Reservations (via NAIBA) The conference will again be held at the Crystal Gateway Marriott, a four-star hotel located

April 11 2024 at 6:00 PM ET on Zoom The New Voices New Rooms Spring Owners Retreat will be held April 11th at 6 PM ET / 5 PM CT on Zoom.  Bookstore owner members from the NAIBA and SIBA regions are invited to attend and share information, issues, and advice. The general theme of

"What I loved about NVNR? All of it quite honestly – loved the sessions, loved the energy of the group, and loved that it was [a joint conference] to learn from other eastern seaboard booksellers" –NVNR 2023 Attendee At the New Voices New Rooms (NVNR) Owners Retreat in January, booksellers shared many ways they budgeted

"My goals for NVNR? Meeting booksellers and store managers to share ideas with, coming back with great ideas from the managers retreat, networking with publisher reps." –NVNR 2023 Attendee NVNR recognizes that attending conferences represents a significant investment of time and money for bookstores, especially if they want to bring along their frontline staff. In

"One of my goals for NVNR 2023 was to learn how to deal with industry challenges and how to squeeze a little bit out of profit to make my business sustainable while continue my commitment to pay a liveable wage." –NVNR 2023 Attendee Attending a conference is a commitment not just of money but of

“What did I love about NVNR? Being able to talk directly to other bookstore operators, publisher reps, and vendor reps without a computer between us. Meeting people who I might be able to work with later.“ –NVNR 2023 Attendee Bookstores make many strategic decisions in the early part of the year, from planning their budget

Strategic Closures: Giving Your Business a Break A recap of the New Voices New Rooms Owners’ Retreat discussion on January 25, 2024 Recently, almost 50 store owners attended the first quarterly virtual owners retreats for NAIBA and SIBA bookstores. Moderating the session were Adam Waterreus, owner, Lost City Books, Washington, DC and Janet Geddis, owner,