I could write an entire article on what an amazing experience I had at the Independent Book Publishers Association Publishing University Conference this week in Portland, but I’ll distill my thoughts to a few key observations for any one on the fence about attending in the future:

This is an impeccably organized conference by people who care deeply about their colleagues and the health, success, and longevity of the publishing community at large.
The programming is topical and casts a wide net. I met so many people publishing important, niche work and everyone I spoke with seemed to find multiple breakout sessions that were applicable to their business.
Everyone is so incredibly nice! Networking felt easy and organic and people were genuinely interested in sharing and collaborating. I felt this even more distinctly during the Think Tank session on Thursday, which I highly recommend attending in the future.

It was my first time attending, and I was not disappointed. Thanks to the IBPA team and ancillary folks for putting all of this together and for your continued support of the publishing industry! 👏👏👏