PubU 2025 – What You Need to Know

(This post will be updated as new information about the conference becomes available.)

IBPA’s Publishing University is an annual 3-day education and networking conference for independent publishers—from self-publishing authors to established independent presses—which takes place this year in Saint Paul, Minnesota, May 15–17, 2025.

Why Attend PubU?

• Learn and grow: Choose from 20+ sessions, including Deep Dives, Ask the Expert consultations, and executive workshops.
• Build connections: Meet publishing professionals, vendors, authors, and collaborators from across the industry.
• Transform your business: Walk away with new strategies, actionable ideas, and partnerships to take your publishing projects to the next level.
• Industry Trends: Three Keynotes offer insider insights:
  • AAP’s Maria A. Pallante will discuss the current threats to indie publishers’ copyright and freedom of expression in the “Pillars of Publishing.”
  • A panel moderated by Keith Riegert (President of the Stable Book Group and CEO of Perfect Bound), will address the various opportunities, challenges, and transformations happening as “AI impacts the publishing landscape.” 
  • A panel of four successful nontraditional publishers discuss the alternate paths they’ve taken to create thriving publishing businesses—and how business models can be (or have to be) re-thought in “Rethinking Business Models.”
• Multiple Tracks: You can choose from programming categorized in multiple “tracks”: author publishers, start strong, and established Indies. Your registration (and post-event recordings) allow you access to all programs, so consider the tracks more of a guideline than a rule.
• Testimonials perhaps say it even better.

New to PubU?

Because the 2025 event is here in the Midwest, this offers a unique opportunity to connect with regional and national publishers, which is why MiPA is so excited about this year’s event!

Navigating Registration

IBPA has done a great job of creating an event that can meet everyone’s interest level and budget. But navigating the myriad of choices can be intimidating to newcomers. So, we’ll break down the event structure so you can decide how to best approach this event:

• Thursday Deep-dives: the three-day event starts with one day of workshops; you can choose from:
  • Four different afternoon workshops ($99*) aimed at new and emerging publishers are available: Company building, grant writing, Amazon, or business management.
  • Think Tank ($120*): publisher peer-to-peer discussions intended for staff of established publishers, including executives, editorial/production key staff, and marketing/sales key staff. This is a separate event, with a separate registration, being held in conjunction with PubU, albeit at a different location.
• Welcome Reception (free): Thursday Night is the annual “Literature and Libations” event—a free event (cash bar) open to conference attendees and all MiPA and MBPR members. Come and make some new friends as we talk about books (what else?!)
• Small Group Breakfast ($65*): Friday morning starts with another optional add-on event, the breakfast meet-ups. Pick three different topics, and meet like-minded folks.
• Main Conference (bundled, or $645/$322.50*): Friday and/or Saturday. Each day includes keynote speakers, breakout sessions, “Ask the Expert” one-on-one networking, as well as lunch and an afternoon snack. Registration is available for either or both days.
  • Sponsor/vendor tables are also staffed and available for viewing and discussions throughout the conference.
• Awards Dinner (reception is free, dinner $90): viewing and announcement of the IBPA Book Award winners Friday night.

Registration options

• Full package (Workshop + 2 conference days),
  • Or à la carte (Thursday workshop, Friday + Saturday conference, or just Friday or Saturday)
• The Thursday Think Tank, Friday Small Group Breakfast, and IBPA Book Awards dinner are all separate items.
• Post-event digital access is provided to all conference attendees, and is also available à la carte.
• Discounts are available for IBPA and MiPA membership (see below)

*) Registration Discounts

IBPA members and MiPA members: as a member of MiPA, you are entitled to MiPA’s 20% member discount, on top of the IBPA member discount. Please see MiPA’s member resources page for discount codes.

Discount applies to:

• IBPA Full Package Registration (includes a Thursday afternoon workshop.)
• IBPA Two-Day Conference Package Registration
• IBPA One-Day Conference Registration
• Thursday Afternoon Workshops
• Friday Morning Small Group Breakfasts

Note: There is no extra discount for the Thursday Think Tank since that event already offers quantity discounts based on the number of attendees from your organization.