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Association Advisory Council

The Association Advisory Council (AAC) is a quarterly forum convened by the Book Industry Study Group (BISG) to connect leaders of book industry organizations. At its core, the AAC exists to strengthen the organizations that strengthen the book industry.

BISG represents all segments of the book publishing ecosystem—including publishers, retailers, libraries, manufacturers and printers, wholesalers and distributors, industry partners, agents, consultants, and students. The AAC reflects that same spirit of cross-sector collaboration, creating space for association professionals in the book industry to share insights, address shared challenges, and identify opportunities to work smarter together.

2026 Meeting Dates

What Is the AAC?

The Association Advisory Council is an informal, discussion-driven virtual gathering held quarterly. Each session provides:

  • A forum for sharing organizational updates and initiatives

  • Peer-to-peer problem solving

  • Open discussion of industry challenges and trends

  • Opportunities for collaboration across associations

  • A trusted, collegial environment for candid conversation

This is not a webinar or lecture. It’s a working conversation among professionals who understand the realities of serving members in today’s publishing landscape.

Who Should Participate?

The AAC is for professionals working within book industry organizations who are responsible for engaging, informing, or supporting members. This includes: 

  • Executive directors and association leaders

  • Membership and engagement managers

  • Communications and marketing professionals

  • Program directors and event strategists

  • Operations and development leaders

Participation is open to both BISG members and nonmembers. If your organization serves the publishing supply chain in any capacity, you belong in this conversation.

How to Get Involved

Getting involved in the Association Advisory Council (AAC) is simple:

  • Join the mailing list. Email info@bisg.org to express your interest and be added to the AAC distribution list for meeting invitations, agendas, and key updates.

  • Register for a meeting. View upcoming meeting dates and register through the BISG Events page. Once registered, you’ll receive a Zoom link and calendar invitation.

  • Participate and contribute. Engage in discussions, resource development, and collaborative projects based on your organization’s expertise, priorities, and capacity.

Have questions about participation? Contact info@bisg.org and we’ll be glad to help.

Know another association leader who would benefit from joining the conversation? Share this page or make an introduction. Expanding participation strengthens both the dialogue and the broader book industry.

Why It Matters

The AAC matters because it gives association professionals structured time to solve shared problems together instead of each organization working through them alone. The book industry is interconnected; when one organization faces challenges with member retention, event strategy, revenue diversification, advocacy, or technology adoption, others are often navigating similar terrain. The AAC creates structured time to:

  • Share best practices and lessons learned

  • Reduce duplication of effort across organizations

  • Surface opportunities for partnership

  • Stay informed about industry-wide initiatives

  • Build lasting professional relationships

Collaboration at the association level strengthens the entire publishing ecosystem.

Testimonials

"I love AAC for the opportunity it provides for me to get to know other leaders of publishing-related associations. I learn something new every time I meet with this group! It is a smart and generous group of executives."  
—Beth Lewis, Executive Director, PCPA

"Aside from personally making me feel more connected to the larger publishing community, my relatively fresh-faced publishing organization has benefited from the expertise and the network that the AAC has connected me to."  
—Noah Perkins, Founder & Chairman, Young Publishers Association (YPA)

"The Association Advisory Council has been an uncommonly helpful forum for idea exchange and shared industry intelligence. I routinely bring insights gleaned from these conversations back to the ECPA staff and apply what was learned to our work for the benefit of our member publishers."  
—Jeff Crosby, President, Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA)

"The Association Advisory Council has been incredibly beneficial to Binc. It's a welcoming group of industry professionals who openly share ideas, resources, and solutions. The conversations have helped us build valuable cross-functional relationships and better understand the breadth of organizations across the book and publishing industry."  
—Pamela French, Chief Executive Officer, Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation

"As an association executive in the publishing industry, the advisory council has given me the opportunity to listen to and share about issues and concerns that affect both my niche portion of the industry and the publishing world as a whole. I appreciate the diversity of people and slices of the industry that are represented because it has opened us some new lines of collaboration that I wouldn’t have known to pursue without this group."  
—Therese Brown, Executive Director, Association of Catholic Publishers (ACP)