As announced in November, the Independent Book Publishers Association is set to merge with PubWest’s membership into their organization. The merger should be completed by July 2025 and will also combine the staff and boards of the organizations. Until then, organizations plan to continue their previously scheduled events as usual. PubWest 2025 will take place in New Orleans, February 11–13, and IBPA’s Publishing University, also known as PubU, will meet in St. Paul, May 15–17.

The 2025 PubWest conference features the theme of “Innovative Ways to Finance” and will be held in conjunction with BMI (Book Manufacturers Institute) at Caesars New Orleans Hotel. Further information is available at https://pubwest.org/PubWest-Conference.

Established in 1977, PubWest represents about 150 publishers while IBPA has more than 3,000 members. IBPA has been championing indie authors and publishers since 1983. In their joint press release, both organizations stressed that the 2025 merger is being designed to be beneficial for all sizes of independent publishers.

“The combination of IBPA and PubWest will unite our strengths and provide even greater opportunities for independent publishers to thrive. This allows us to better support our members through expanded resources, stronger advocacy, and a unified voice that champions the vital role of independent publishers,” said IBPA Board Chair Tieshena Davis in November.

IBPA is hosting multiple “Get to Know Your IBPA Member Benefits” webinars over the next few months designed to introduce new and current members to the organization’s popular discount programs. These include:

• February 18 – Learn Expert Tips about the Importance of Selling Books to the International Market with StreetLib
• March 20 – Revolutionize Your Title Management, Royalty Calculations & More with WorkingLit
• April 22 – Best Practices to Partner with Printers & Distributors through Perfect Bound

To find out more about IBPA and PubU, visit https://www.ibpa-online.org/.