NVNR FAQs: What You Need to Know

Who We Are

New Voices New Rooms is a programming partnership between the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association (NAIBA) and the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA), trade organizations that represent independent bookstores in eighteen states in the Southern, Mid-Atlantic, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. Find out more on the NVNR website.

Baltimore

NVNR 2026 is being held August 2–5 in Baltimore, Maryland.

Read our Land Acknowledgement

To simply acknowledge the history of settlement and displacement is not enough, for even as Indigenous communities have survived, protecting their languages, cultures, and traditions, they still face the continuing legacy of colonization. With this in mind, NVNR is making a donation to The Baltimore American Indian Center, and we encourage all of you to also make an individual donation there, and to Indigenous communities in your own cities, especially literacy projects, as we are booksellers.

Hotel

The NVNR 2026 conference hotel is the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront.

Baltimore Marriott Waterfront
700 Aliceanna Street
Baltimore, MD 21202, US

Guest rooms are equipped with a mini fridge. A microwave can be requested.

Attendees can pay $35 to check out by 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, so they don’t have to rush during breakfast or retreats.

Parking: Valet parking is $49/night. For self-parking in the vicinity of the hotel, try SpotHero or ParkWhiz.

Pro tip: There is a parking garage next to the hotel at 700 and 720 Aliceanna Street. The 700 entrance is valet parking. The 720 entrance is self parking ($25/day) with direct access via a skybridge on the conference level (level 3). The elevators inside the garage are labeled with which hotel floor has access. You can use this to put things in your car throughout the conference.

Conference Information

Dress Code

NVNR is business casual. Whatever you would wear in your store works at NVNR.

Accessibility and Respect for Diversity

All conference participants agree to follow the NVNR Code of Conduct. Consult the Code of Conduct on how to report violations.

NVNR has updated its Accessibility Policy and, in particular, introduced an Accessibility Pass, which attendees can request from their regional association. The policy also includes a list of Communal Responsibilities and asks that all participants honor them. Consult the Accessibility Policy on how to request any needs not already addressed.

Communication, News, and Updates

Conference updates can be found at newvoicesnewrooms.org, and at the NAIBA and SIBA websites.

The conference app is available to registered attendees and posts updates and alerts during the event. Attendees can use the app to stay in communication with each other. See the orientation video for details, or view the slideshow.

Booksellers can also talk to each other on the NVNR Discord server. It is a bookseller-only space; no exhibitors or press are allowed. Contact Kit or Candice for an invitation.

Tickets & Passes

All conference participants must have an event pass to be on site. Passes are available for booksellers, exhibitors, authors and speakers, press, and guests.

Bookseller passes are available from each regional association: NAIBA | SIBA
Exhibitor passes can be purchased from NAIBA via Exhibit Sales
Other passes are available on request.

Booksellers and exhibitors must be members of their regional associations to attend or exhibit.

Cancellations & Refunds: Because of NVNR’s hotel obligations, cancellations made by July 15 receive a refund minus 25 percent. There are no refunds after July 15.

What Passes Include: NVNR offers both Full Event and Single Day passes. All passes grant access to non-ticketed programming and include all non-ticketed onsite meals. Exhibitor passes are required to access the Exhibit Hall during designated setup and teardown periods.

Extra Tickets: Some programming requires an extra ticket. In 2026, extra tickets are required for the Bookstore Bus Tours ($50) and the NVNR Awards Dinner ($60). Tickets are available when registering, or via each regional association.

Food & Drink

Water stations will be available during the conference. NVNR prioritizes a vegetarian menu, but the conference offers vegan, vegetarian, and meat or fish options for all meals. Most meals are served buffet style. No nuts or peanuts are included in any meal.

NVNR gathers information about specific dietary needs to pass along to the food service to help determine the menu, but the conference cannot meet specific needs or preferences with individual choices or meals.

All of the conference hotel rooms have mini fridges, and upon request, the hotel will send a microwave to your room at no charge so people who need to bring some food have options for storing and heating it.

Alcoholic Beverages: To keep conference costs low, no free drink tickets are being issued for 2026. All evening events and receptions have a cash bar (credit or debit cards only, no cash or room charges), with the exception of the NVNR Awards Dinner, which has a hosted bar.

Food service for all meals begins promptly at the time specified in the schedule. In order not to disrupt the speakers, food service will be suspended when the speakers begin.

View the 2026 Menu

Schedule & Attendee Services

The NVNR Conference has a four-day schedule. Specific events may change from year to year, but the conference always follows a regular format:

First Day: Bookstore Tours
Second Day: Bookseller Education
Third Day: Exhibit Floor Open
Fourth Day: Retreats and Networking

See the 2026 Program Schedule details in the app or on the website.

Attendee Services

All events and services are located on the Grand Ballroom level on the 3rd floor.

The Registration & Info Desk is open every day by the Grand Ballroom:
Sunday, August 2: 10:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.
Monday, August 3: 7:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, August 4: 7:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, August 5: 7:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
August 2 at 5:30 p.m.: First-Timer’s Orientation
Veteran booksellers offer tips on how to make the most of the conference.
Free Conference Wi-Fi: Use code NVNR26
All-Gender Restrooms are by the Grand Ballroom.
The Quiet Room is located in Chasseur. It is open from August 3–5, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Booksellers

Badges

To order your badges, visit your regional association (NAIBA | SIBA). Walk-in registrations are allowed, but full payment is required onsite. Accessibility Passes are available for walk-in registrations.
Awards Dinner and Bus Tour tickets are additional purchases, subject to availability.
Badges are generated onsite at the NVNR registration kiosks in the Grand Ballroom Foyer.

Registration Area

Welcome Bag: Every bookseller attendee receives one Welcome Bag (subject to availability) and one conference journal. Welcome Bags and journals are available at Registration.
Store Swag Swap: The store swag swap table is in the Grand Ballroom foyer by Registration. Stores are invited to leave items and take items left by others. Leftover swag at the end of the conference will not be returned.
Galley Table: Extra ARCs from program events will be placed on the Galley Table for attendees to take.

Outbound Shipping: Tuesday, August 4, only

Outbound shipping for booksellers will be handled by UPS. Booksellers can pick up a shipping form at Registration on Tuesday, August 4. Booksellers can prep their shipments in Salon I. All boxes will be collected by 6:00 p.m. on August 4.

Note: Limited shipping supplies will be available in Salon I but booksellers are advised to bring some shipping necessities, (packing tape, labels, etc.), and to find boxes for their shipments during the event.

Exhibit Hall

The Exhibit Hall is open Tuesday, August 4, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You must have a pass to enter the Exhibit Hall. Booksellers are not allowed on the exhibit floor outside of its official open hours.

The Exhibit Hall is unavoidably loud. Earplugs are available at the Registration Desk.
Publicity Meet-ups: one-on-one meetings between exhibitors and booksellers. They are arranged in advance and may take place on or off the exhibit floor. Details here.
Ask Me Anything Tables are round discussion tables located in a designated area of the Exhibit Hall. They are staffed by bookseller and industry experts, and open for any attendee to ask questions. The staffing schedule is posted in the program and on the app.
Regional Association Information: Both regional associations will have Ask Me Anything tables. Questions about your association membership can also be answered at Registration.
Buyers Raffle: Bookstores that place orders on the exhibit floor can participate in the $1,000 Exhibit Hall Buyers Raffle. Raffle tickets are provided by the exhibitor when an order is placed, and turned in at the registration desk. The drawing will be held at 4:00 p.m. on the exhibit floor, and the ticket holder must be present to win.
Pro tip: Use pre-printed address labels or stamps to fill out ticket forms!
Binc Heads or Tails: An annual and popular fundraiser for the Book Industry Charitable Foundation. Get your "Blinky Pin" to play at the Binc table (Booth #93) or at NVNR Registration during the conference. The winner takes home a $250 cash prize. Held on the exhibit floor on Tuesday, August 4, at 4:30 p.m.

ARCs, Galleys, and Exhibit Hall Etiquette: Ask. Don’t Take.

Review copies on the exhibit floor are the property of the exhibitor and may not be taken without express permission. Removing items from an exhibit table without permission is considered theft. NVNR attendees found taking items off an exhibit without permission may be evicted from the Exhibit Hall and lose the privilege of attending future conferences. Wheeled carts are not allowed on the exhibit floor.

Exhibitors

Exhibit Hall Schedule

You must have a pass to enter the Exhibit Hall. Only exhibitor personnel are allowed on the floor during move-in and breakdown hours.

Move-In Hours
Monday, August 3: 11:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, August 4: 8:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m.
All exhibits must be completely installed by 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday.

Exhibit Hours
Tuesday, August 4: 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Move-Out Hours
Tuesday, August 4: 5:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.

Do not begin breaking down your exhibit until 5:00 p.m. All equipment and exhibit materials must be completely removed from the show floor by 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 4.

While the Exhibit Hall Is Open

Publicity Meet-ups: one-on-one meetings between exhibitors and booksellers. They are arranged in advance and may take place on or off the exhibit floor. Details here.
Ask Me Anything Tables are round discussion tables located in a designated area of the Exhibit Hall. They are staffed by bookseller and industry experts, and open for any attendee to ask questions. The staffing schedule is posted in the program and on the app.
Exhibitor Directory Listings: Every exhibitor receives a listing in the online directory in the program. Submit your listing here. To edit your listing yourself, contact Nicki Leone or inquire at the Registration Desk on site.
Booth Signings: NVNR will include in-booth signings in the conference schedule. Submit your signings here. Note that any author coming for an in-booth signing must also have a conference pass to be allowed on the exhibit floor.
Buyers Raffle: Bookstores that place orders on the exhibit floor can participate in the $1,000 Exhibit Hall Buyers Raffle. Raffle tickets are provided by NVNR to the exhibitor to give out when an order is placed. The drawing will be held at 4:00 p.m. on the exhibit floor, and the ticket holder must be present to win. The exhibitor who took the order on the winning ticket receives a $1,000 discount on a table at NVNR 2027.
Pro tip: Use pre-printed address labels or stamps to fill out ticket forms!
Binc Heads or Tails: An annual and popular fundraiser for the Book Industry Charitable Foundation. Sign up to play at the Binc table (Booth #93). The winner takes home a $250 cash prize. Held on the exhibit floor on Tuesday, August 4, at 4:30 p.m.

Freight

Shipping is through General Exposition Services. When shipping freight to the Advance Warehouse Shipping Address, the shipping label must follow this format:

Name of Exhibiting Company
Your Exhibit Number
New Voices New Rooms
General Exposition Services
205 Windsor Road
Pottstown, PA 19464

Deadlines:
Advance Warehouse Discount Deadline: Friday, July 17, 2026
Last Date to Arrive at Warehouse Address: Friday, July 31, 2026
Warehouse receiving hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Deliveries will be accepted between July 1 and July 31, 2026.

All forms from the service contractor and building (furniture, freight) can be accessed at their website, www.generalexposition.com. In the upper-right corner is an Online Services button; enter the password NAIBA26.

Note: All carriers must check in at the service desk two hours prior to floor closing time, or freight will be shipped C.O.D. via YRC or UPS.

Bringing In Your Own Freight

NVNR does not encourage using the front driveway and lobby to bring in what you have packed in your car, and is not responsible for any freight transported this way.

Electrical / Wi-Fi / Tech

Conference Wi-Fi is free; use the code NVNR26. Power for your booth must be ordered from the hotel via Encore: https://eventnow.encoreglobal.com/ (use the code NVNR26).

Event Tickets

Exhibitors are allowed to purchase tickets for the Bus Tours and the Awards Dinner, and may do so via NAIBA.

Dinners with Booksellers

NVNR leaves dinner on Sunday and Monday nights unscheduled. Receptions end at 6:30 p.m. and late-night events begin at 9:00 p.m., leaving the time between free for exhibitors to invite booksellers out to dinner. Here are some local restaurants: Our Baltimore 2026.pdf

Tuesday is our Awards Dinner. Do not plan bookseller dinners on Tuesday, but consider sponsoring a whole table and invite booksellers to join you.

Book Donations

Book donations go to Urban Reads Foundation, founded by Baltimore bookseller Tia Hamilton. NVNR can provide you with DONATE labels to put on boxes of books you wish to donate. Boxes will be picked up Tuesday night.