NAIBA Annual Conference

New Voices New Rooms (NVNR), the combined annual conference for the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association (NAIBA) and Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA) will be hosted on Thursday, August 8 through Sunday, August 11, 2024. 

NVNR returns to the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, VA with a reduced room rate for conference attendees. The four star hotel offers free shuttle service from Ronald Reagan airport, is directly connected to the metro system, and only two miles from Washington, DC. 

The move to weekend dates is intended to help seasonal stores send a staffer since weekends are generally fully staffed in the bookstore. NAIBA and SIBA plan to increase the number of travel grants awarded to bookstores to offset the expense of attendance, as well as bring back day-pass opportunities.

 “Bookselling can feel reclusive and then you come to these events, you find your community, and you find you’re all dealing with the same things.” ―Sarah Rifield, Park Books & Literacy Lab in Severna Park, MD

What’s New in NVNR 2024:

• Expanded exhibit floor.

• Early Bird Pricing.

• More author events.

• More convenient scheduling.

• Region-specific programming.

• Expanded focus on genre picks.

• More travel grants for booksellers.

• More live transcription services at events.

“By pooling resources and talent, and the voices of two vibrant and engaged bookseller communities, we’re creating a special and unique experience. We’ll also take advantage of the timing and setting during a big election year for important bookseller activism on issues affecting our industry,” said Linda-Marie Barrett, Executive Director of SIBA. 

"The fantastic managers retreat [was] a brain trust of people in a room sharing ideas.” ―Kate Storhoff, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC

“The NVNR experience is invaluable,” says Eileen Dengler, Executive Director of NAIBA, “because it is designed not only for, but by those who attend. NVNR is tailored to the specific needs and requests of our booksellers, publishers and partners. We invite and encourage all of you to join us and invest in yourself, your business and your future.”

Exhibit space reservations are open(must be logged in to reserve)
Bookseller registration is open (must be logged in to register)

Booksellers at NVNR Info & Action Items

Scholarships/Grants/Rebates:

Black Bookseller Scholarship (applications close 04/30/2024)
Novel Model Scholarship (applications close 04/30/2024)
NVNR Travel Grant (applications close 06/01/2024)
First-Time Bookstore Rebate (details here)
Mark LaFramboise Bookseller Grant (applications close 05/15/2024)
Sally Lindsay Memorial Grant (applications close 06/01/2024)
George Keating Memorial Scholarship (applications close 06/01/2024)
Binc Scholarship (applications close 06/01/2024)

For more information, visit newvoicesnewrooms.org or contact Eileen Dengler (eileen@naiba.com) or Linda-Marie Barrett (lindamarie@sibaweb.com).