MidAtlantic Book Publishers Association

Spring always seems to bring with it a sense of excitement. The weather gets warmer, the days grow longer, new growth begins to emerge and migratory animals return. It’s a season of change and growth, and a great opportunity for organizations to look to the future.

The MBPA Board of Directors is looking to the future as we work to grow the organization into a vital, active organization that will meet the needs of you, the independent publishers of the MidAtlantic area.

Board member Mary Shafer just returned from a retreat hosted by PMA for affiliate organizations like ours. She returned brimming with ideas, excitement, and offers of help from PMA and other affiliates. Mary’s report on the retreat appears in the Spring '08 issue of our newsletter.

Your MBPA Board of Directors will be meeting later this month to discuss some of these ideas, as well as our plans for the upcoming year. As in past years, we’ll most likely host exhibits at the Baltimore Book Festival and the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association conference, but we’ll also be discussing other ways we can help members market their books regionally.

One important topic we’ll be discussing is how we can better facilitate communication between members, both online and through in-person meetings. Our large region—members are spread out over several states—makes scheduling in-person meetings a challenge, but we’re determined to find a way to make it work. We’re developing ways to provide educational opportunities for our members, either in conjunction with meetings or as a separate event.

We’re also evaluating member management software that will provide a better way to for us to keep our membership rolls up to date and to stay in touch with members on a more timely basis. Some candidate software we’re looking at even functions as a portal for listserv discussions, sharing of member projects, events and successes, while making it convenient for members to manage their MBPA profiles and memberships online.

Your board members are all enthusiastic and optimistic about the potential for these initiatives to re-invigorate our association. The bottom line is, though, that a vital, effective organization depends on the active interest and participation of you, the members.

The Board can make plans, but without member involvement, none of them can come to life. As we solidify our strategies for the year, I hope you will find ways to engage with the organization as an active member. Watch for opportunities to attend meetings and participate in online discussions—nothing makes a group stronger than solid bonds formed directly among members.

Volunteer to help with the communications that keep us connected, like writing newsletter articles, newsletter editing and graphic design. Share your expertise and experience with fellow members by speaking at events—everyone has something of value to offer. Help us with event planning, so we can provide much-needed opportunities for our members to get their books and other products in front of buyers.

Be a part of the change you’d like to see in your publishers association! If you’d like to volunteer, or if you have any questions, concerns or ideas, please email me today at sruth@ImaginatorPress.com. I’ll look forward to sharing the excitement with you.

Sheila Ruth, President
MidAtlantic Book Publishers Association

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