Institutes typically last several days and consist of tours of several independent bookstores in the host city, education sessions, author signings, and networking opportunities.

Winter Institute lasts four days and is typically held in late January of early February.

[14] Though it started as a collaboration of the regional associations, Independent Bookstore Day was eventually handed over to ABA to organize.

IndieBound was launched in June 2008 to replace a prior marketing program for independents called Book Sense.

The Indie Bestseller Lists show the top selling titles in independent bookstores nationwide.

Each year, owners and employees of ABA stores have the opportunity to vote for the Indies Choice Book Awards, which is issued in four categories.