The American Booksellers Association was founded on November 15, 1900, to represent the interests of the retail booksellers of America. ABA held its first convention in 1901 and in the 100-plus years hence has continued to provide its members with education, research, information, and advocacy. From the first edition of the Book Buyer’s Handbook to the birth of IndieBound in 2008, the ABA has always existed to serve its diverse, knowledgeable, and passionate membership.
2008 - Book Sense becomes IndieBound, a unique, community-oriented movement that celebrates independent bookstores and promotes shopping locally. Bookselling is never the same again. 2007 - New BookWeb.org launches!
2006 - Independent booksellers are instrumental in the runaway success of Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants
2005 – ABA holds its first Winter Institute, two full days of free – and highly valuable – educational programming
2005 – Bookseller Relief Fund established to help meet the needs of booksellers affected by disasters; $100,000 disbursed this year
2004 – Book Sense Best Books, Volume 1: 125 Favorite Books Recommended by Independent Booksellers, with foreword by Barbara Kingsolver, published to celebrate the 5th anniversary of Book Sense
2002 – Online edition of ABA Book Buyer’s Handbook launches
2001 – BookSense.com launches: suite of website tools and content to help Book Sense stores level the online playing field
2001 – Book Sense membership roster reaches the 1,200-bookstore mark (in 50 states)
2000 – ABBY Award is renamed the Book Sense Book of the Year Award in recognition of a new era in bookselling, and the important role the Book Sense 76 has played in spreading the word about independent booksellers
1999 – Book Sense is born: national marketing program that strengthens the competitive position of independent storefront booksellers
1998 – American Bookseller magazine ceases publication; Bookselling This Week expanded to include features, store and publisher profiles, and author interviews
1997 – ABA Board adopts a new strategic plan that defines a core member as “the independent bookstore with a storefront location operated by professional independent booksellers according to sound business principles”
1995- BookWeb.org, ABA's member website, launches!
1993 – Children’s category is added to the ABBY Award. Honor books, too
1991 – American Booksellers Book of the Year (ABBY) Award established to honor the “hidden treasures” ABA members most enjoyed recommending to customers
1990 – American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression founded to serve as the bookseller’s voice in the fight against censorship
1982 – Banned Books Week founded by the American Booksellers Association, American Library Association, Association of American Publishers, and National Association of College Stores to raise awareness of censorship problems in the United States and abroad. It remains the only national celebration of the freedom to read
1974 - A Manual on Bookselling added to list of resources for ABA members