New Voices New Rooms

New Voices New Rooms is an innovative annual conference designed to provide booksellers access to education, peer interactions, author meet-ups, and publisher/vendor networking.

The 2026 New Voices New Rooms (NVNR) conference will take place in Baltimore, August 2-5, at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront. Baltimore, known as the “Charm City,” boasts a long, vibrant literary tradition, and approximately two dozen independent bookstores are located in the greater Baltimore area. The conference hotel is located on the waterfront, in close proximity to area restaurants and local points of interest. 

The NVNR conference brings together hundreds of booksellers from the South and Mid-Atlantic regions, from Louisiana to New York, Arkansas to Washington, DC. Produced in partnership between the New Atlantic Booksellers Association (NAIBA) and the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA), NVNR has a reputation for innovative programming, title discovery, and bookseller/publisher networking opportunities.

• Apply for a travel grant by April 3rd (booksellers only)
• Suggest an education topic by April 17th (industry and booksellers)
• Reserve your hotel room by July 10th (Room rate is $185/night)

Exhibitor details can be found here.

From Executive Director, EILEEN DENGLER: (photo credit Ryan Grover)

"I cannot wait to greet you at New Voices New Rooms on Sunday, August 2 in Baltimore.

And then, on Wednesday, August 5, I will say my final goodbye.

New Voices New Rooms will be my last book industry event. The last time I get to create an experience for you. The last time I sweat about food guarantees and room blocks and session evaluations.

This is a great life. Working with booksellers for the past 42 years has been a privilege, an honor, and so much fun.

It would mean the world to me to see all the booksellers together at New Voices New Rooms. To share, collectively, the joy we feel in our work. To know that work is also appreciated by those we serve. To harness the energy and enthusiasm of the group to carry us forward.

Come and celebrate! We all deserve it."

All NVNR attendees are bound by the NVNR Code of Conduct & Antitrust Guidelines.

About NVNR / Contact Info

New Voices New Rooms is the programming partnership and platform of the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association (NAIBA) and the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA) and represents independent bookstores in 18 states in the South and Mid Atlantic.

Eileen Dengler, eileen@naiba.com | Programming and Education

Liz Hottel, liz@naiba.com | Programming and Education and Author Placement

Linda-Marie Barrett, lindamarie@sibaweb.com | Programming and Author Placement

Kit Little, kit@naiba.com | Exhibits, Sponsorships, and Sales

Nicki Leone, nicki@sibaweb.com | Communications, Registration and Tech Support

SP Rankin, sp@sibaweb.com | Website, App Development

Elliott batTzedek, elliott@naiba.com | Registration, Accessibility Coordinator, Front Desk

Candice Huber, candice@sibaweb.com | Social Media, Social Coordinator, Accessibility Coordinator

Leah Grover, leah@naiba.com | Social Media, Social Coordinator

For more information about the conference, visit newvoicesnewrooms.org or subscribe to NVNR.