Steven Rosato

NEW YORK (AP) - Three years ago, guest speaker Mindy Kaling joked that publishing's annual national convention, BookExpo America, resembled "a high school reunion where all the jocks were killed in a plane crash, and all the minorities, too."

Little seems to have changed.

From Wednesday to Saturday, tens of thousands of publishers, authors, agents and librarians will meet at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York for a convention predominantly organized by whites, spotlighting books predominantly written, edited and published by whites.

After decades of decline, independent bookselling has become a growth industry.

For the fourth year in a row, membership has increased in the American Bookseller Association, the independent stores' trade group. According to CEO Oren Teicher, the association now includes 1,632 members — some operating in multiple locations — up 65 from last year. In 2009, there were 1,401 members and strong pessimism in the face of superstore chains, the online power of Amazon.com and the recent financial crisis.

(Press Release) Norwalk, Conn., March 30, 2010 — Barbra Streisand, the legendary actress, singer, and director, will appear at this year's BookExpo America (BEA) at the Opening Night Keynote Reception on Tuesday, May 25th.  She will be interviewed before thousands of booksellers and book industry professionals about "My Passion for Design", to be published by Viking on November 16, 2010. It will be Ms. Streisand's first appearance on behalf of the book.

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