BEA Preview 2006: Capital Gains

Following 2005’s smash success in New York City, BookExpo America (BEA) detours south to the nation’s capital (it bounces back to Manhattan in 2007). Those who attended last year will recall that the show drew a crushing 35,000 attendees, including a record 2,242 librarians, an increase of 300 over the 2004 figure. That number may jump again as more librarians find BEA a far more rewarding experience than the American Library Association (ALA) gatherings when it comes to books (there’s really no comparison—if you’re interested in books, you go to BEA, it’s that simple). With those increases, librarians are poised to become a solid presence at BEA, a fact not overlooked by publishers.

Organizers have kept the three-day pass for librarians to $75 for those registering before May 8 (it rises to $105 after, so don’t wait). And that $75 goes a long way, baby. As veteran BEA-goers know, librarians can easily multiply their registration fee tenfold in the value of books they can pick up free from publishers, so it’s money very well spent. Even if you only come for a day ($90), it’s still a great deal. If you’re planning to ship the books to your library, longtime BEA-goer and young adult services consultant Susan Raboy suggets you bring self-addressed labels, packing tape, and markers along to save time when mailing.

With its DC locale, the conference’s focus is decidedly political. Meet the Press moderator Tim Russert (Wisdom of Our Fathers: Lessons and Letters from Daughters and Sons, Random) will deliver the opening keynote Thursday evening (5–6:30 p.m.) before the show shifts into high gear Friday morning. Saturday has been dubbed “current affairs day,” which is reflected both in the book and author breakfast and lunch (see below).

Along with a show floor brimming with books, ARCs (advance reading copies), posters, and more put forth by more than 2000 exhibitors representing 1200 publishers great and small, BEA offers more then 80 conference sessions featuring authors, publishers, booksellers, librarians, and others related to the book biz. And if you like authors there’ll be more than 500 on hand, ranging from literary gods to genre royalty to the stars of tomorrow. There are also special pavilions for graphic novels, children’s books, Spanish books (sponsored by Críticas), African American books, a New Title Showcase, an Audio Publishers Pavilion, and more. This show is very rich.

LJ again will be both exhibiting (Booth #2002) and sponsoring and hosting the Librarians Lounge (Booth #4265). Come by to see us, rest your aching feet, and have a snack and a drink. The lounge also serves as a de facto librarian meeting place. See you there!

THURSDAY, MAY 18

9 a.m.–5 p.m.
A Day of Dialog for Publishers, Vendors, and Librarians (The Grosvenor Auditorium, National Geographic Society Headquarters, 1600 M Street NW); registration required

Come to Library Journal’s annual, free, day-long program, held this year in collaboration with the District of Columbia Public Library. It’s the perfect way to start your BEA. The day begins with breakfast and zooms right into programming, starting with a panel on the latest literary phenomenon, street lit, followed by top editors from Ecco, Knopf, Little, Brown, and Morrow talking hot books for fall. After lunch, hear about the latest incarnations of reading groups in libraries and the emerging technologies that are connecting authors and readers from Chesterfield County PL’s Neal Wyatt, HarperPerennial’s Amy Baker, and others. Then meditate on the new genre LJ has dubbed spiritual living with Thomas Nelson Christian Trade Book Group’s Greg Stielstra, HarperSanFrancisco’s Mark Tauber, Zondervan’s Scott Bolinder, and others before winding down and networking at the cocktail reception. Owing to space limits, we will only accept registration from librarians, wholesalers, and publishers. To register, go to www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6307450.html. Once you register, a confirmation email will be sent within 48 hours.

9:30–10:30 a.m.
Are You Ready for ISBN-13? Only Six Months To Go… (Rm. 204B)

ISBN-13 goes live in six months (there’s a scary thought). Moderator Sally Decker (Sally Decker Enterprises) leads Robert Bollick (McGraw-Hill Education), Tom Clarkson (Barnes & Noble), and Wendell Lotz (Ingram) in detailing the initiatives their companies are taking to ensure that ISBN-13 turns out to be nothing more than the Y2K of the book world. The speakers no doubt would be interested in hearing how librarians are dealing with or plan to deal with the change. First read Ann-Marie Breaux and Laura Dawson’s “Striking Thirteen” (LJ 3/1/06) and be ready to ask questions.

8 a.m.–6:15 p.m.
Audio Publishers Association Conference

Audio heads making the jaunt to DC can get a day-long earful before following the paper trail at BEA. The Audio Publishers Association Conference (APAC) sports sessions on Children’s Audio, Publisher’s Tools for New Technology, Content Beyond the Books, Satellite Radio, and Big Thinking for the Future of Audio and is capped with a networking reception. APAC is a great way to meet both audio publishers and fellow librarians and pick up useful info.

FRIDAY, MAY 19

7:30–9 a.m.
Random House/LJ Author Breakfast for Collection Development Librarians

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so start your BEA with cold chow and hot chatter. On hand this year are Rita Mae Brown (Sour Puss, Bantam), Da Chen (Brothers, Shaye Areheart), Julia Glass (The Whole World Over, Pantheon), and Adriana Trigiani, (Return to Big Stone Gap, Random). Adult collection development librarians, please contact Ann Kim (akim@reedbusiness.com) if you have not already signed up.

10–11 a.m.
Blog 2.0: How Blogs Continue To Redefine Author, Publisher, and Reader Dynamics (Rm. 202B)

Book buffs have taken to blogging in droves. It seems like everyone from top authors and critics (check out LJ’s In the Bookroom blog at libraryjournal.com/bookroom) to anonymous readers is blogging about books—and publishers are paying attention. Moderator David Wilk (Resolution, Inc.) is joined by Michael Cader (Publishers Marketplace), blogger, author, and critic Anna Marie Cox, Shawn Gold (Weblogs, Inc.), and others to discuss how blogging is changing the publishing dynamic on many levels.

11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Syndicating Litblog Book Reviews (Rm. 202B)

If you can’t get enough of blogs, keep your seat and listen to Sarah Weinman (Baltimore Sun) share her thoughts on how reviews on lit blogs are affecting publishing.

1–2 p.m.
Latino Publishing 2.0: Where the Market Is Headed (Rm. 202B)

Latino publishing has entered a new stage, with Spanish-language houses releasing more translations of U.S. best sellers and breaking into new genres, formats, and price points to be more attractive for the Wal-Marts and Targets. Críticas’s senior editor Carmen Ospina leads an all-star panel consisting of Adriana Dominguez (HarperCollins Children’s Books and Rayo), Erik Riesenberg (Random House Spanish), Silvia Matute (Santillana USA), Marla Norman (Planeta Publishing), and Larry Downs (Grupo Nelson) in a discussion on the new endeavors.

Book Industry Trends 2006 (Rm. 202A)

Hear the results of the latest Book Industry Study Group (BISG) survey, which polled more than 100,000 U.S. publishing personnel. Albert Greco and Robert Wharton of the Institute for Publishing Research join BISG execs for industry projections through 2010.

1–2:15 p.m.
Emerging Voices (Rm. 204B)

The annual Emerging Voices session gives librarians a prime opportunity to meet rising stars and get their books on library shelves—these authors also no doubt are hungry to do library readings, which can only help them find an audience, so invite ’em. This year’s session spotlights Elisa Albert (How This Night Is Different, Free Pr.), David Campbell (Venetian Holiday,St. Martin’s), Rae Meadows (Calling Out, MacAdam Cage), Paul Neilan (Apathy and Other Small Victories, St. Martin’s), and Sam Savage (Firmin, Coffee House Pr.).

2:30–3:30 p.m.
State of the Thriller (Rm. 201)

Moderator David Morell (Creepers, CDS Bks.) leads best-selling author James Patterson, Margaret O’Neil Marbury (Mira Bks.), and Chicago Sun-Times critic David J. Montgomery in a multitiered discussion of what makes thrillers popular, who are the authors to watch, and where is the genre going? This should be a hot one.

SATURDAY, MAY 20

8–9:30 a.m.
Saturday Book & Author Breakfast (Ballroom A)

On a definite political tack, Saturday morning’s breakfast features Barack Obama (The Audacity of Hope, Crown), Amy Sedaris (I Like You, Warner), and the one and only John Updike (Terrorist, Knopf). The Washington Post’s Marie Arana (Cellophane, Dial) hosts. Admission $30 (meeting Updike is worth that alone).

10–11 a.m.
The Big Read Is Coming to Your Town: Are You Ready? (Rm. 201).

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is unveiling a nationwide reading initiative to get all the fatheads glued to their TVs to drop their remotes and grab books. NEA is partnering with publishers, booksellers, and librarians to get the plan underway. NEA chair Dana Gioia provides the 411 on what role you can play. Be there for this one.

1–2 p.m.
Your Library on Steroids: How Public Libraries Are Transforming Their Communities (Rm. 202B)

No one knows better than librarians the impact of the Internet and the digital revolution. Princeton Public Library director—and ALA president-elect—Leslie Burger provides a primer on how savvy librarians are employing new tools to revamp services to deal with the digital deluge. Librarians both from facilities that have successfully managed the change and those still struggling are encouraged to come and share ideas with booksellers on retaining market share.

2–4 p.m.
Authors@your library (Rm. 202B)

This FOLUSA-sponsored program gathers publishing expert Talia Ross, Holtzbrinck; Tina Jordan, Association of American Publishers; and librarian Kathie Weinberg, Montgomery County Public Library, MD, who’ll trade notes on luring authors into libraries, including tips on finding an author, marketing the program, and even using it as a fundraiser. Moderator Sally Reed, FOLUSA’s executive director, knows a thing or two about this as well. Hosting author talks can raise a library’s profile immeasurably and make it an active part of the publishing and literacy communities, so come and take notes.

3–4 p.m.
Brave New Worlds: A Spirited Conversation on Fiction Under 40 and the Future of the Novel (Rm. 203AB)

The once young Turks like David Fister Walla, Jonathan Lethem, and Jonathan Franzen are graying, so who are the top novelists under 40 and where are they taking literature? This National Book Critics Circle–sponsored session features Laura Miller (Salon), Jennifer Reese (Entertainment Weekly), freelance critic Jonathan Freeman, and Oscar Villalon (San Francisco Chronicle), with Time’s Lev Grossman moderating.

3:30–4:30 p.m.
The Frontline Booksellers’ Summer Picks (Rm. 201)

Robert Gray, Fresh Eyes Now founder, hosts a discussion on handselling books to readers and the excitement of discovering promising authors, with front-line booksellers Mark LaFramboise, Politics & Prose Bookstore, Washington, DC; Laura Grey, Shaman Drum Bookshop, Ann Arbor, MI; Kari Patch, Harvard Bookstore, Cambridge, MA; and Jessica Stockton, Labyrinth Books, New York. They also will share marketing and promotion tips. Libraries play a major role in helping build the readership of unknown authors from small houses by stocking their work, so get some inside pointers from the retail perspective.

4–5 p.m.
Demystifying the Comics Distribution Playing Field (Rm. 202B)

Comics, well, aren’t just comics anymore. As the recent inaugural NY Comic-Con (35,000! attendees, thank you very much) proved, the interest in comics/graphic novels/manga is, well —WHIZ!, POW!, BAM! Dark Horse Comics’ Michael Martens; John Shebleski, Graphics Novel Newsletter; and Kuo-Yu Liang, Diamond Book Distributors, dig into the distribution issues involved in getting this red-hot genre into your library and, ultimately, patrons’ itchy hands.

SUNDAY, MAY 21

8–9:30 a.m.
Sunday Book & Author Breakfast (Ballroom A)

This final-day affair features Richard Ford (The Lay of the Land, Knopf), Monica Ali (Alentejo Blue, Scribner), and Anderson Cooper (Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disasters and Survival,HarperCollins), with Andy Borowitz (The Republican Playbook: Dirty Tricks, Distortions, and Other Keys to Victory, Hyperion) playing host. Admission $30.