Book Expo America

I've mentioned Book Expo America (BEA) a couple of times already; in this post I will share a little more information about it.

 

According to its website, BEA is the “#1 Book and Author Event in the U.S.” It’s the annual gathering of the American Booksellers Association and includes over 2,000 exhibitors, more than a thousand authors, over 80 educational sessions, and more than 30,000 attendees. Its audience is intended to be independent booksellers, publishers, librarians, educators, authors, agents, and rights professionals.  If you like books, then this is the convention for you!

The convention is usually scheduled in May or June of each year, and has been held in New York City for the past several years. Previously it had been held in larger cities around the country such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. In 2014 and 2015 it will continue to be in New York; in 2016 it will be going back to Chicago.

 

The convention usually runs for four days with the first being reserved for educational programs, although they can also be found scattered throughout the following days as well. The next three days are the highlights of the convention: when the exhibits are open. There are also many special events scheduled throughout the convention, some of which cost extra; others of which are free to all attendees.

I published an article in the PaLA Bulletin a few years ago that was called "Book Expo America: Tips and Tricks to Make the Most of Your Experience" in which I shared ten tips for getting the most out of the meeting. As I update that article, I will post the tips here. I would encourage all librarians, authors, or other book industry professionals to take advantage of BEA and give it a shot!