BookExpo America Thinks Global

BookExpo America (BEA) announced this week that this year's BEA, which will run from June 1 - 3 at the Javits Convention Center in New York City, will focus on, among other topics, the growing influence and spread of English language books in the global market. BEA will offer a new BEA Global Market Forum, which will explore the expansion of English reading worldwide. Among the more than 80 educational conference sessions offered will be "Digital Issues and Opportunities," "The Changing Role of Publishers and Industry Channel Behavior," and "Global Export and Sales Trends of English Language Titles."

"The international community is very influential in BEA's overall convention planning and strategy," said Lance Fensterman, event director for BEA. "The global market has arrived on the shores of the U.S.A., and it is here to stay."

The new BEA Global Market Forum will explore the expansion of English reading worldwide and will cover global markets with facts, figures, and best practice reports with industry voices commenting on their experiences and perspectives. As an adjunct to the Global Market Forum, BEA will offer a venue to increase U.S. and Chinese publishing cooperation, the China Business Round Table. The Round Table will allow Chinese importers and exporters to meet with international sales representatives from U.S. publishers. "This is a dynamic way to connect the largest publishing market in the world with one of the fastest growing publishing markets in the world in a concentrated and meaningful way," said Fensterman.

Convention officials noted that BEA is also introducing a new digital networking platform called "My BEA," an online social networking platform offering attendees, exhibitors, speakers, and press an opportunity to create a personalized show experience (available to all pre-registered BEA attendees the first week of April). More detailed information and direct registration online are available at www.BookExpoAmerica.com.

ABA member booksellers who register for BEA before April 1 will receive $10 off the three-day pass registration price when they enter the special promotion code sent to them on a flier in a recent Book Sense mailing, also available here. (Members will also need their ABA ID number to register.)

Reservations for Hotel ABA, the exclusive hotel for ABA member booksellers at this year's event, is via ABA's trade website, BookWeb.org only. Reservations will be handled on a first-come, first-served basis.