Skylight to Be Official Bookseller for TED Conference

From February 25 to March 1, Los Angeles’ Skylight Books will be operating two offsite stores as part of the spring 2013 TED Conference entitled “The Young. The Wise. The Undiscovered.” Since their start in 1984, the TED conferences have become famous for bringing together many of the world’s most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives (in 18 minutes or less). More than 1,000 attendees are expected to gather at this month’s events in California to hear 70-plus speakers, chosen in a worldwide talent search, talk about some of the biggest issues facing the world.

Skylight Books was asked to be the official bookseller for the event and will be setting up stores in Long Beach, where the main TED Talks Conference will take place, and at La Quinta Resort and Club in Palm Springs, the venue of the parallel TEDActive Conference, where the TED2013 talks will be streamed live and attendees will share experiences that inspire immediate action.

Skylight will be offering 400 to 500 titles at each location — a mix of speaker’s books, recommendations from the TED community,  and selections from the store’s regular inventory.

“They’re very interested in what we can provide,” said Mary Williams, the bookstore’s event’s manager. Since TED’s slogan is “ideas worth spreading,” Skylight is focusing on new nonfiction titles that attendees may not have heard about. Williams is also including art books and zines that Skylight imports from other countries, in addition to well-designed graphic novels from the store’s large comic section.

Skylight is sending five staff members to run the store in Long Beach, and two to Palm Springs.

The entire staff is looking forward to serving such a creative group of people, said Williams.

“I think everyone’s really excited to be part of this community we’ve heard so much about. It’s really difficult to get to go to TED, people have to apply and get accepted. It’s really going to be a thrill to be a part of it. The TED people have been very welcoming, and this is such a great opportunity for us.”