Librarians were well represented at the 2011 BookExpo America (BEA) in New York City, held May 24–26, in autographing lines, workshops, and publisher parties that lasted late into the evening. Although traditionally aimed at retail book buyers, BEA has been adding more and more programming for librarians each year; for 2011, Library Journal and School Library Journal each offered a Day of Dialog on May 23, the day before the expo officially began. The events that offer a full day of speakers focusing on topics that affect libraries attracted over 400 librarians. John Lithgow was a featured speaker at the Library Journal event and Katherine Paterson and Daniel Handler both made appearances at School Library Journal’s program.
“Librarian’s Book Buzz,” “Hot Graphic Novels for Libraries,” and “Librarians Shout ’n Share” were among the workshops tailored to the profession. “Shout ’n Share” featured a panel composed of six librarians who work in publishing or collection development: Barbara Hoffert, editor of Library Journal’s “PrePub Alert”; Douglas Lord of Connecticut State Library; Robin Nesbitt, director of technical services at Columbus (Ohio) Metropolitan Library; Nora Rawlinson, cofounder and editor of EarlyWord.com; and Alene Moroni, manager of selection and order for King County (Wash.) Library; and Barbara A. Genco, who recently retired from Brooklyn (N.Y.) Public Library. Among the topics discussed were panel members’ favorite titles from the exhibits. They included Rin Tin Tin; The Life and the Legend by Susan Orlean (Simon and Schuster) and The Louvre: All the Painting by Erich Lessing (Workman). Doug Lord singled out Crafting with Cat Hair by Kaori Tsutaya and Amy Hirschman (Quirk) as the most unusual title he found at the exhibits.
The Librarian Lounge, a seating area that Library Journal sponsors each year on the exhibit floor, gave librarians an opportunity to network, enjoy refreshments, and share insights about their BEA experiences with American Libraries.
- Judy Sasges, district manager for the Sno-Isle Libraries in Maryville, Washington, is a BEA veteran who enjoys coming to New York City for the event—and the bagels. “I come to BEA because it’s such an energizing environment. I love walking the floor because I never know who I’ll see or what I’ll discover. Everyone talks to everyone at this show!” Active in ALA, Sasges said she is usually tightly scheduled with meetings and programs at ALA conference, so BEA is her chance to chat with publishers, booksellers, and librarians. “I find it especially beneficial because the focus is on books and reading—I always come back with a ‘to-read’ list of books as well as a stack of galleys to promote.”
- Margaret Bruch, school librarian of the Florence Giaquinto Memorial Library at Bangor (Pa.) Area High School, has been attending the event since 2004 and enjoys getting to preview all the children’s books. She is among the Pennsylvania librarians able to take advantage of the free bus BEA provides to practitioners from the Keystone State.
- Etta Gold, director of the Temple Beth Am Library in Pinecrest Florida, brought three of her library volunteers to experience BEA. Her library not only serves her congregation but the surrounding community and she comes to recruit authors to be part of her library programming.
- Ruth Nisenshal, director of the Carmel Clay (Ind.) Library Foundation, comes to arrange her annual Guilded Leaf author event, which has raised more than $50,000.
- Ann Theis, collection management administrator at Chesterfield County (Va.) Public Library, was a BEA newbie. “This was the first year in 23 years I haven’t been able to attend ALA, so I thought I’d try BEA. I enjoyed the Day of Dialog and other panels geared towards librarians,” she said. From a collection management perspective, Theis said she appreciated the opportunity to check out the book buzz and visit with publishers.
No matter what their background, that book buzz is the lure for many attendees.
ROCCO STAINO, retired director of the North Salem (N.Y.) Middle/High School’s Keefe Library, is chair of the Empire State Center for the Book.
