2026 Store & Operations Management Registration Opens 01/12/2026
Classes begin Thursday, March 12th, 2026
Online
Event Details
Course Information
The 2026 Store & Operations Management Course starts on Thursday, March 12th at 5 pm ET / 3 pm CT / 2 pm PT.
The course has 14 classes and will run through June 11, 2026. Check the syllabus for all dates and deadlines.
More information about the course is on our website.
How the Course Works
- The course meets online via Zoom on Thursdays from 5 pm ET / 4 pm CT / 2 pm PT. Most classes run 90 minutes.
- The classes are live, and participation is required. Classes include Q&A opportunities and breakout room sessions. Recordings will be available for student review after each class.
- Students will be assigned weekly homework, and create final takeaways that will benefit their store.
- Each class covers a different topic and can include guest speakers from the industry. Classes also include small groups and other interactive elements.
- Students and teachers will communicate in a Discord server. Discord is free to join, and an invitation will be emailed to students before the course begins. Students also receive a twice-weekly newsletters with information about the class.
- Each student will receive a link to their own Operations Workbook located in Google Drive, where they will be able to access class resources and complete their homework assignments.
Registration opens Monday, January 12 @ 1 pm ET / 12 pm CT / 10 am PT
Registration Requirements
Store & Operations Management is designed to cover all of the day to day and long term operational and other business-related needs of an independent bookstore, considering both high level management topics and the daily tasks assigned to individual booksellers. The course is built to help managers and owners evaluate their stores and take steps to build and improve infrastructure such as budgets, staff handbooks, and emergency preparedness plans.
Registration is $395. Most Regional Trade Associations provide discount codes for registration, and offer full or partial reimbursement to students that finish and are certified. Find out what your Trade Association offers, and ask for discount codes before you register.
Registration Details
- Registration is limited to 30 students, with no more than one employee from each store.
- 24 seats are open for first come/first registered, while 6 seats are reserved for students who fall under our Diversity/Equity/Inclusion policy. There are required questions about diversity status when you register.
- Students may elect to take the course to earn certification from the Professional Booksellers School, or they may elect to audit the course. Only students who meet the certification guidelines for attendance and homework will be certified.
- As a requirement of the course, students must be owners or employees of Independent Bookstores that are members in good standing of the ABA and/or their Regional Trade Association.