Library Conferences and Book Fairs
Useful for both publishers and librarians, the events below are great places for the two groups to connect. The conferences listed below include exhibition halls where vendors, book distributors, and publishers can display their wares and meet directly with librarians. Similarly, attendance at book fairs is a way for librarians to discover many independent publishers in one location. Because libraries tend to pay bills via invoice, it is advisable for sellers to be prepared to handle such payments and for librarians to bring along invoices to the book fairs.
- ALA (American Library Association) (Summer/Midwinter conference)
http://www.ala.org/conferencesevents/ala-upcoming-annual-conferences-midwinter-meetings
Conference and Expo for publishers and vendors
- ACRL (Association of College and Research Libraries, a division of the ALA
http://www.ala.org/acrl/conferences
- ARLIS/NA, Art Libraries Society of North America (May)
http://www.arlisna.org/news/conferences/conf_index.html
ARLIS/NA is a dynamic organization of more than 1,000 individuals devoted to fostering excellence in art and design librarianship and image management.
- Association of Writers & Writing Programs
https://www.awpwriter.org/awp_conference/bookfair_overview
An annual showcase of more than 650 exhibitors, AWP’s bookfair is the nation’s largest marketplace for independent literary presses and journals, creative writing programs, writing conferences and centers, and literary arts organizations.
- Baltimore Book Festival (September)
http://www.baltimorebookfestival.com/
Hundreds of author appearances and book signings, 100+ exhibitors and booksellers
- BEA, Book Expo America, NYC (May)
http://www.bookexpoamerica.com/
The largest publishing event in North America
- Brooklyn Book Festival (September)
http://www.brooklynbookfestival.org/
“The Brooklyn Book Festival is the largest free literary event in New York City, presenting an array of national and international literary stars and emerging authors.”
- Brooklyn Zinefest (April 2013)
http://brooklynzinefest.com/
An estimated 2,200 attendees. Exhibitors create zines to showcase illustration, photography, interviews, cooking, and more.
- Camera Club of New York Zine Fair (July-August)
The Second Annual Zine and Self-Published Photo Book Fair
http://www.cameraclubny.org/conversations_zine011_call.html
“The zine and self-published photo book is a contemporary approach to photography in its published form, celebrating the book as well as offering artists a vehicle to spread their art and ideas.”
- CODEX International Book Fair
http://www.codexfoundation.org/2013/2013.html
Contemporary artist books, typographic prints, and fine printing are on display.
- College Art Association (February)
http://www.collegeart.org/conference/
Annual conference for artists, art historians, students, and art librarians
- CUNY Chapbook Fair
http://centerforthehumanities.org/events/The-2013-Chapbook-Festival
Chapbook Festival celebrates the chapbook as a work of art and as a medium for alternative and emerging writers and publishers.
- Decatur Book Festival, (August -September 1)
http://www.decaturbookfestival.com/2013/index.php
Largest Independent book festival in the US
- Digital Book World Conference (January)
http://digitalbookworld.com/
- Frankfurt Book Fair (October)
http://www.buchmesse.de/en/fbf/
- Guadalajara International Book Fair (November-December)
http://www.fil.com.mx/ingles/i_default.asp
- Harlem Book Fair (July)
http://www.qbr.com/
15th annual Harlem Book Fair is the nation's largest African-American book festival. Located at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Langston Hughes Auditorium
- International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (April)
http://www.ilab.org/
- LIBER International Book Fair, Barcelona (October)
http://www.liber.es/
- Los Angeles Art Book Fair (January-February)
http://laartbookfair.net/
The LA Art Book Fair is a unique event for artists’ books, art catalogs, monographs, periodicals, and zines presented by 220 international presses, booksellers, antiquarians, artists, and independent publishers from 21countries.
- L.A. Times Festival of Books (April)
http://events.latimes.com/festivalofbooks/
The largest and most prestigious public literary event in North America held at the University of Southern California is free-to-the-public and features more than 400 award-winning and celebrity authors and chefs, local musicians, political experts, and entertainers.
- Medical Library Association (May)
http://www.mlanet.org
Annual Meeting and Exhibition of the Medical Library Association
- MISS Read: The Berlin Art Book Fair (September)
http://www.missread.net/
100 international exhibitors, a series of talks, panel discussions, and presentations explores the cutting edge of art book publishing today.
- Miami Book Fair (November)
http://www.miamibookfair.com/
Miami Book Fair International is an eight-day literary party. Comics and graphic novels are featured with presentations by renowned graphic novelists and illustrators. More than 250 publishers and booksellers exhibit and sell books, with special features like the antiquarians, who showcase signed first editions, original manuscripts, and other collectibles.
- MLA, Modern Language Association (January)
http://www.mla.org/convention
Annual convention for MLA members and others involved in the study or teaching of language and literature.
- MLA, Music Library Association (February-March)
http://www.musiclibraryassoc.org/about.aspx?id=58
Each year MLA holds an annual national meeting to discuss issues, promote new ideas, and share information in the field of music librarianship.
- New York Art Book Fair (September)
http://nyartbookfair.com/
- New York Comic Con (October)
http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/
- New York Antiquarian Book Fair
http://nyantiquarianbookfair.com/
- Ontario Library Association / Super Conference http://www.accessola.org/Documents/OLA/Super%20Conference/2013/prospectus/Expo%20Space%20Application.pdf
The most significant conference in Canada, Northeast accessible, large vendor expo
- PEN World Voices Festival Book Fair (April-May)
http://worldvoices.pen.org/
Festival of International Literature
- PePcon, the Print + ePublishing conference (June)
http://pepconference.com/
- PLA, Public Library Association (March)
http://placonference.org/
- Printers Row Lit Festival (June)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/books/printersrowlitfest/
- Small Press Expo, SPX (September)
http://www.spxpo.com/
North America's Premiere Independent Cartooning and Comic Arts Festival.
- Vancouver Art Book Fair (October)
http://vancouverartbookfair.com/
- Society of Architecture Historians (April)
http://www.sah.org/
- Texas Book Festival (October)
http://www.texasbookfestival.org/