The Emerging Leaders Project was started by four booksellers interested in the future of the bookselling/ publishing industry. Since its inception at ABA Winter Institute 2006, the ELP continues to recognize the need to deliberately retain, develop, and support the industry's future innovators and leaders.

The ELP meets yearly at the ABA Winter Institute (January or February) and at Book Expo America (May or June). Groups also meet at the regional tradeshows. Find your Emerging Leaders regional contact.

Programming focuses on emerging leaders conversations where peers can network and discuss topics that relate to the future of bookselling, leadership development, and industry education. Additionally, the Emerging Leader Project will work to create scholarships and discounts for all future industry programming.

The Store Level. Bookstore owners are asked to encourage and nominate their booksellers to participate in the project and to support participation by sending their emerging leaders to regional trade shows and BEA.

The Regional Level. Regional trade associations are asked to offer emerging leader programming at association events and to support participation through grants or scholarships to emerging leader attendees. Emerging leader programming should include bookseller development as well as bookseller/publisher peer discussions.

The National Level. The American Booksellers Association and publishers are likewise asked to support the project through grants and scholarships and by creating programming, both educational and social, at BEA that foster and deepen a commitment to the industry among those booksellers most likely to engineer the future success of independent bookselling.

The Emerging Leaders Project is tailored, but not restricted, to people 40 or under who plan on sticking with the industry for the next 20 years.