EBMA 2023 Annual Meeting
February 6-9, 2023
Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas


The 2023 Annual Meeting Program Committee, Andrea Crabtree of Crabtree Publishing Company, Marin Foster of Baker & Taylor, and Don Reinbold of Follett School Solutions are pleased to announce the 2023 meeting theme: Windows, Mirrors and Sliding Glass Doors in a Challenged World.

Click the images below for details regarding the agenda, hotel reservations, transportation information, one-on-one session advice and to register. For questions, please contact info@edupaperback.org

COVID POLICY- New 7/12/2022

Bahamas has a travel site for COVID protocols. EBMA is monitoring this site and will communicate any changes to EBMA members. Visit the Bahamas travel health site for more information: https://travel.gov.bs/








SPONSORS




MEETING AGENDA 



 Monday, February 6th  
 9:00 AM Board of Directors Meeting- Eros
 3:00 PM Registration Opens and 1-on-1 Set Up Begins  - Imperial Ballroom BCD
 5:30 PM First Timers Reception - Royal Deck
 6:00 PM Opening Reception - Royal Deck
 6:45 PM Awards Dinner- Poseidon

Ludington New Voices Award Recipient: Jerry Craft, HarperCollins Publishers

   
 Tuesday, February 7th  
 8:00 AM Breakfast- Dig Deck
 9:00 AM Education Session: Youth Authors: Creators and Characters - Poseidon

Speaker: Matt Glowacki, Civility Speaker

 10:30 AM 1-on-1 Session Group A -  Imperial Ballroom BCD
 10:30 AM Publisher Programming: Windows, Mirrors, and Metadata: The Difficulty of Classifying Human Experience - Poseidon

This session will focus on the opportunities and challenges for publishers and wholesalers around gathering and sharing information about the diversity of content creators such as authors and illustrators.  How do we ensure our offerings are diverse and communicate that information across our industry in a way that is respectful and responsible? And how, in an environment where books are being challenged, do we ensure information about the diversity of content creators is not misunderstood or misused? Panelists will include representatives from wholesaler and publisher members.


 12:30 PM Lunch with Author - Poseidon
Featured Author: Chuck Gonzales, Reycraft Books
 2:00 PM 1-on-1 Session Group B - Imperial Ballroom BCD
 6:00 PM Dinner and Celebration  - Royal Deck and West Beach
   
 Wednesday, February 8th  
 8:00 AM Breakfast - Dig Deck
 9:00 AM Education Session: Understanding Today's Student - Poseidon 

Now that we have returned to in person learning we need to be conscious of the impact remote learning has had on our students.  For two years every part of a student’s daily life, both in and out of the classroom had changed.  Large percentages of the student population have fallen behind in school and their educational development.  As publishers, we will need to understand the effects on this new student, and in turn the impact on a school’s need for varying types of content to address the lag in development and achievement.  

Panelists:
Matt Glowacki, Civility Speaker
Phil Miguel, Teacher at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School
Dr. Tonya Olson, Superintendent at Lake Mills Area School District, Lake Mills, WI

 10:30 AM 1-on-1 Session Group B - Imperial Ballroom BCD
 10:30 AM Publisher Programming: Windows, Mirrors, and Metadata: The Difficulty of Classifying Human Experience - Poseidon 

This session will focus on the opportunities and challenges for publishers and wholesalers around gathering and sharing information about the diversity of content creators such as authors and illustrators.  How do we ensure our offerings are diverse and communicate that information across our industry in a way that is respectful and responsible? And how, in an environment where books are being challenged, do we ensure information about the diversity of content creators is not misunderstood or misused? Panelists will include representatives from wholesaler and publisher members.


 12:30 PM Lunch- No Programming - Poseidon 
 2:00 PM 1-on-1 Session Group A - Imperial Ballroom BCD
 6:00 PM President's Reception - Imperial Foyer and Patio
 7:00 PM

President's Dinner -  Poseidon 

Featured Author: Steenz, Andrews McMeel Publishing

   
Thursday, February 9th  
 8:00 AM Breakfast - Dig Deck
 9:00 AM Membership Meeting - Poseidon 
 9:45 AM 1-on-1 Session Groups A & B - Imperial Ballroom BCD
 12:00 PM Meeting Concludes and Optional Excursions 

HOTEL INFORMATION

Hotel Reservations
Please use this link to book your hotel reservations

Hotel Rates

There are two options for the hotel.  A 21% tax, resort fees, and hotel fees are additional.  See full breakdown of tax and fees.

Option 1:  Royal Tower- $255/night plus tax and fees - newly renovated near the main entrance, exercise area, water park, receptions, and breakfast

Option 2:  Coral Tower- $199/night plus tax and fees- more budget friendly resort tower closer to the meetings

PLEASE NOTE: THE CUT-OFF FOR GUARANTEED RESERVATIONS IS January 13, 2023. Reservations made after this date are subject to prevailing room rates. All reservations requests will require a credit card for a deposit for one room night.

Optional Excursions -price and reservations forthcoming

EBMA is working with Bahama's Fantasies to bring our group several options for EBMA members to continue to have fun together.  These will include as separate ticketed item and will be separate from your meeting registration.

Sunday, February 5

As of 01/12/2023, the Swimming with the Pigs excursion has sold out.

Cost per person: $165 (Lunch and transportation to Bayshore Marina are NOT included)
Time: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Maximum # of People: 15

Enjoy an 8-hour day of sightseeing and cruising Nassau Harbor and Paradise Island as you sail out to Rose Island for a full day of swimming with the pigs!  You’ll start the morning boarding a private 32-foot Donzi boat from Bayshore Marina and spend the day snorkeling on live reefs, viewing sea turtles in their sanctuary and, of course, swimming with the pigs!   Lunch is available at the beach bar and restaurant on Rose Island for an additional cost.  Another item on your itinerary will be passing by “Gilligan’s Island” (a.k.a. Sandy Cay).  Known as the 'Most Photographed Island in the World,' this gorgeous 3-acre island off Nassau provided the backdrop shot for Gilligan's Island. It's also the scene of a documentary by Huey Lewis and the News, Coppertone commercials and various movies.  At the conclusion of your day, your charter will drop you off at the Atlantis marina. Click here to register.

Thursday, February 9 (afternoon 1/2 day) - These half day adventures must be arranged directly with Bahama Fantasies. Click here for additional timing and pricing details and payment form.

  • Rum Tour
    Experience everything Rum along with Pirate stories and history, culture and historical sites on this amazing walking tour. Yo ho ho and a barrel of fun!!!!!
  • Catamaran Sail and Snorkel
    We have a wonderful 65-passenger sailing catamaran for charter.  The vessels are certified by the U.S. Coast Guard and have full Bahamian registration as well. Guests will board at the Hurricane Hole Marina, sailing out to a popular snorkeling location.  Aboard the boat, enjoy beverages, the beautiful Bahamian sunrays, and snorkeling activities under the watchful eyes of the captain and crew. Half-day charter does not include lunch.
  • Deep Sea Fishing
    Experience the ultimate thrill of Atlantic deep-water sports fishing aboard a professionally captained and fully equipped sport fisherman yacht.  A tremendous variety of game fish abound including sailfish, barracuda, snapper, grouper, dolphin and even the wily shark.  All of the boats are air-conditioned and have excellent comforts for those who choose to spend their time lounging on the deck instead of catching fish.

TRANSPORTATION TO AND WITHIN BAHAMAS

Transportation options between the airport and hotel:

ONE-ON-ONE SESSION ADVICE

Several EBMA members have indicated on their evaluation forms that it took them a few years to make their One-on-One sessions really pay off, especially since they are only eight minutes long. To get everything possible out of these brief meetings, you really have to plan ahead. Here are some tips that may get you up and running more quickly.

  1. In early January, you will receive from EBMA, by e-mail, registration lists for the 2023 EBMA Annual Meeting.
  2. Complete the Profile Form by December 9, 2022: The Profile Forms are offered as an electronic web form that you will fill out online (Publisher Form or Wholesaler Form). The material collected on the form has also been updated and reduced to pertinent information about your company. During the registration process you will be given the option to select receiving an online profile book only prior to the meeting or a hard copy bound profile book onsite at the annual meeting.
  3. Be sure to characterize your business clearly—EBMA members are NOT all alike!
  4. Be certain that the people who read your Profile Form will know who to contact for what service.
  5. EBMA One-on-One sessions have no agenda. Think of ways to use your session profitably. Time is short but, among the possibilities, you could:
    • Bring printouts and do a business review with each firm. Printouts could include sales figures, marketing plans or an overview of the prior year’s highlights. 
    • Evaluate your year-to-year growth with each other.
    • Discuss new promotions or marketing efforts.
    • Come up with ways that you can work better together or do cooperative marketing.
    • Ask for suggestions as to how your firm can be more helpful to the other.
    • Suggest better ways to use posters, teaching guides, and bookmarks.
    • Discuss creative ways to involve reps.
    • Ask about new trends, new markets, new products--EBMA is the place to hear about them.
    • Bring news from editorial about new books and publishing programs.
    • Find ways to use authors regionally or nationally.
  6. Remember that all EBMA members are not alike. Don’t assume you know what another business focuses on. Read the Profile Form.
  7. And don’t forget that “the other side” has an agenda too! Sometimes one side does all the talking and none of the listening.
  8. What if you have run out of time and there’s more to discuss?
    • There is time each afternoon to continue talking at the wholesaler’s table. Keep a calendar and schedule additional time during one of these time periods.
    • If time runs out, set up ways to keep talking by phone or e-mail when you’re both back at work.
  9. Establish a system for taking notes and keeping track of each discussion. The days are long and the there is too much input to leave everything to memory.

OTHER DETAILS 

Health/COVID Protocols

Bahamas has a travel site for COVID protocols. EBMA is monitoring this site and will communicate any changes to EBMA members. Visit the Bahamas travel health site for more information: https://travel.gov.bs/

Shipping Instructions
IMPORTANT- Shipping to and from the Bahamas is a lengthy and expensive enterprise.  The hotel uses the preferred US based Laser Ship to process all incoming shipments. 

The cost to use Laser Ship is very expensive.  It is suggested that attendees wishing to showcase material pack the material they feel they absolutely must use.  We also suggest that Wholesalers intending to take material home with them pack and extra suitcase for this purpose.  The cost to ship from the hotel to the USA or Canada is much greater than the cost of extra baggage.

NEW SHIPPING INFORMATION & FORMS

  1. Shipping instructions with Laser
  2. Shipping Costs- Please Read
  3. Shipping Form
  4. Shipping Payment
  5. Return Shipping Information

Shipments will need to be in Florida the January 10 to ensure they are able to pass through customs in time for the conference..

Attire

EBMA has naturally adopted a business or smart casual dress code, although we have been known to mix it up in the past.  We just ask that things like flip-flops, shorts, tank tops and t-shirts with any provocative pictures or words be avoided. If you’re more comfortable in business casual or dressy attire please dress in this manner.

The opening awards dinner and the President's dinner are a little more formal.  We will be doing another group picture this year and we want you to look your best.




Educational Book & Media Association is a 501(c)6 non-profit organization.

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Ph. 540-318-7770

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