IBPA Publishing University 2026

For Start Strong Independent Publishers.

Learn the basics of starting your own traditional publishing company. Whether you are at square one or already running another kind of publishing-related operation, this program will introduce the key points you need to know in order to get your traditional press up and running. Doug Seibold started his company, Agate, in 2002 with little more than a cell phone, a laptop, and an internet connection, and is eager to share his experience and perspective with aspiring publishers. This program will cover:

• Finding potential funding sources—grants, investors, banks
• Determining your publishing topics and acquisition strategy
• Understanding the publishing financial timeline
• Deciding who to hire and when to hire them

Participants should leave with a fuller understanding of everything that goes into a publishing startup.

The rules of discovery have changed. The old funnel model of ads and keywords and the funnel of “reader magnet → nurture email → sale” is collapsing under the weight of AI-driven discovery and content saturation. Sarah Bean of Book Launchers shares how successful author-publishers are replacing funnels with ecosystems that attract readers through visibility, trust, and ongoing connection.

Attendees will learn:
Why “lead magnets” and traditional funnels are failing and what’s replacing them.
How LLMs and AI discovery are reshaping how readers find and evaluate books (and how to make this work in your favor).
Making the new Ecosystem Framework work for you.

You’ll leave with a roadmap to evolve your author platform for the post-funnel era and create a world where content is surfaced by algorithms, not ad campaigns.

The audio file is attached. Note the attached transcript was generated by AI and has not been reviewed by a smart human. If you’d like to volunteer to review and make corrections, please reach out to [email protected] – thanks!

Large-print books are one of the fastest-growing opportunities in publishing, yet many authors and publishers are still unsure how to approach them. In this session, attendees will learn why large-print editions matter, who relies on them, and why librarians are actively seeking to add more large-print titles to their collections. You may be surprised by the range of readers who benefit from this accessible format.
We will walk through the research that shaped our production process and discuss where large-print books are currently selling, both in libraries and the trade market. Participants will gain an understanding of key design specifications, pricing structures, and best practices for creating metadata that improves discoverability and supports library acquisition.
Although this session is designed with publishers in mind—especially those exploring how to broaden their catalogs and increase library placement—individual authors will also find valuable, practical guidance. We will cover how authors can independently produce high-quality large-print editions of their books through platforms such as IngramSpark or KDP, ensuring these formats can be offered alongside standard editions.
Attendees will leave with a clear sense of why large-print publishing is worth the investment, along with the tools and knowledge needed to begin producing professional, library-standard editions that meet reader needs and expand market reach.

Please note we had a technical hiccup with the audio recording for this session. We apologize for the lower quality of the recording after the first 15 minutes. The attached transcript was generated by AI and has not been reviewed by a smart human. If you’d like to volunteer to review and make corrections, please reach out to [email protected] – thanks!

In today’s rapidly evolving publishing landscape—shaped by AI, new distribution models, and shifting industry norms—understanding contracts isn’t optional. It’s essential.

Whether you’re an author or an independent publisher, this interactive session will equip you with the foundational knowledge you need to protect your intellectual property and confidently navigate agreements of all kinds. Our expert panel will break down the essentials of copyright and walk through the most common contracts you’re likely to encounter—from author and publisher agreements to distribution, licensing, and service provider contracts.

Designed for a wide range of experience levels and business models, this session goes beyond theory. After a brief overview, the conversation will turn to real-world questions and scenarios, with ample time for audience Q&A. 

You’ll leave with a clearer understanding of how to craft agreements that safeguard your rights and practical strategies for negotiating terms that work in your favor.


The audio file is attached. Transcript will be added in early June.

The environment for diverse books has grown hostile and sales to schools and libraries are down. But the audience for diverse books is larger than ever—and the need is greater than ever, too.  
How can we innovate to advance equity across publishing – from who works in our industry to who and what gets published and promoted? 
This interactive session will start with brief presentations about:
•The BLK Bestsellers list, presented by Troy Johnson (President, African American Literature Book Club)
•The work to expand diverse BISAC codes, in particular for books about Indigenous subjects and communities, presented by Wiley Barnes (Director, Chickasaw Press)
•And a new grant program for independent publishers to help them publish children’s books with Jewish themes and characters.
The session attendees and our faculty will then engage in a group sharing and brainstorm about further innovations that currently exist and/or that we might create.  
IBPA believes in the power of diverse books, and in the importance of mission-driven independent publishers to publish those books so that every reader can find themselves—and learn about others—in the books they read. 

The audio file is attached. Note the attached transcript was generated by AI and has not been reviewed by a smart human. If you’d like to volunteer to review and make corrections, please reach out to [email protected] – thanks!

If you're planning to attend, please take our brief pre-conference session survey here: https://wkf.ms/4lXen6K

Sometimes publishers have too much inventory on a title, and warehousing is too expensive, so they sell those titles at a high discount to specialized wholesalers (“remainders”).  
Sometimes publishers receive unsold titles back from bookstores (“returns”). Some of those may be slightly damaged (“hurts”). 
A few options for what to do with those extra copies are scary (pulping/destroying.) Others are logistically complex (donating). And what about sustainability? 
Join our session faculty Elly Blue (Vice President, Microcosm Publishing), Maria Dismondy (Publisher, Cardinal Rule Press and Founder, Making Spirits Bright) and Ben Tider (Chief Commercial Officer, World of Books Group) for a pros-and-cons, ins-and-outs exploration of how you can best navigate the most dignified end-of-title-life for your publishing program. 

The audio file is attached. Note the attached transcript was generated by AI and has not been reviewed by a smart human. If you’d like to volunteer to review and make corrections, please reach out to [email protected] – thanks!