Press Release: BookExpo America (BEA) Content & Digital Conference Programming Announced for 2016 with Focus on New Partnership with the American Library Association (ALA)

NORWALK, Conn.—January 20, 2016—BookExpo America (BEA), North America’s premiere event for the publishing industry today revealed its Content & Digital Conference programming plans designed to engage and educate booksellers, librarians, agents, authors, and industry insiders by delivering insights on the latest trends and unparalleled networking opportunities.

The new conference tracks developed for this year’s show tap into two red-hot segments for the industry today. The children’s publishing track will address one  of the strongest areas of the publishing and bookselling industry, utilizing industry experts to provide insight and direction on current trends and a take a look ahead at what consumers and booksellers can expect. Within the self-publishing track authors and service providers will explore the opportunities to reach readers, build sales, and establish a social presence with readers.

The Library Insight track will be bolstered with sessions by Libraries Transform: ALA@BEA which is sponsored by Libraries Transform, the American Library Association’s national public awareness campaign, and Overdrive, Inc. These Sessions will draw hundreds of additional librarians to BEA and cover new terrain in Readers Advisory, nurturing local writers, and working with Marketing teams from the Big Five publishers to help patrons.

Other conference tracks slated for this year’s BEA Content & Digital Conference include:

• Marketing & Engagement—Learn everything about digital, social, and print marketing so you can attract new customers, connect with readers, capitalize on consumer-facing websites and have strong ongoing conversations that can be measured by data.
• ABA Education—Designed for independent booksellers by the American Booksellers Association and BEA, but open to everyone! You will learn how bookstores can differentiate themselves, maximize business, and thrive in today’s challenging world of books and reading.
• Analytics, Tech & Mobile—Time to get techy! Learn about all things tech, mobile, industry standards, analytics, mixed with innovations and platforms that are trending. Sessions are designed to cater to all levels of learners.
• Business of Publishing—Discover new directions, opportunities, business models and research that can be applied to the challenges you are experiencing with the electronic and print publishing products in today’s global marketplace.
• Content: Readers & Authors—What’s buzzing in books?! Do not miss seeing and learning about books, books and more books for Fall/Winter 2016, including BEA Editors’ Buzz!
• Global Market Forum: Poland—This is a unique and rare opportunity to learn all about the exciting and growing Polish book market highlighted by networking opportunities with key players from Poland’s leading publishers.
• Children’s Publishing—One of the strongest areas of the publishing and bookselling industry – children’s books will be explored with industry experts providing insight and direction and a look into the future.
• Self-Publishing—Authors and service providers will have the unique opportunity to explore the opportunities, success stories and business models that are making waves in the world of self-publishing. Discover the best practices that are allowing authors to reach readers, build sales and establish a social presence with readers.

“This year’s programming will tackle the issues critical to the growth of the publishing industry and provide practical education that impacts their day to day businesses results,” said Steve Rosato, Event Director. “BEA’s Content & Digital Conference provides a significant added value for every participant and we look forward to adding more content in the weeks to come.”

In addition to conference tracks BEA is also revealing a selection of sessions tapped to engage conversation and educate attendees. These are some of the most-attended events at the show and include: Marketing: What it Takes to Get It Right; Maximizing Metadata (Workshop) and Improving the Bottom Line; Facebook 201: Advanced Book Marketing to Drive Sales; BEA Editors' Buzz; Great Book Club Titles for Fall/Winter 2015 – Speed Dating For Booksellers, Librarians & Book Group Leaders; and AAP’s 7th Annual Shout N Share. BEA’s Content & Digital Conference features the industry’s leading figures and thinkers, delivering insights with a real world perspective and actionable solutions.

"We always recommend BEA's Content & Digital Conference to our over 3,000 indie publisher members," said Angela Bole, CEO & Executive Director of the Independent Book Publishers Association. "There's no better way to learn about the latest book industry trends than through face-to-face interaction with colleagues from across verticals. BEA's Content & Digital Conference provides a unique opportunity, highly recommended."

All registered attendees and exhibitors have free access to the BEA Content & Digital Conference sessions. To register or for more information, go to www.bookexpoamerica.com

As with every BEA, the event will appeal to the industry on multiple levels. Booksellers will be given opportunities to meet with publishers, connect with authors and network with other retailers, and share ideas on best practices. Librarians will take center stage with programming that is being developed by fellow librarians who are on the pulse of activities in the field. Agents and authors will get the inside track with discussions on rights, options for publishing, formats and more while publishers will dissect analytics and case studies, and hold discussions on tools, workflow, social media success stories, and more.

“BookExpo America’s Content & Digital Conference is one of Ingram Content Group’s must-attend events,” said Phil Ollila, Chief Content Officer, Ingram Content Group. “Through the conference, our exposure to new ideas and trends helps us grow our services and distribution businesses in the Trade, STM and Education publishing segments.

BookExpo America (BEA), North America’s largest gathering of book industry professionals from around the globe, and BookCon, the consumer extension of the show, combine to make the ultimate event destination for the publishing industry and booklovers worldwide. BEA is widely known as the leading business event for publishers, booksellers, digital content creators, traditional and self-published authors, media, rights professionals, and movie and television executives who attend to discover new voices, learn about trends shaping the book industry, and network with those who have a passion for books and reading. BookCon is the ultimate fan event where storytelling and pop culture collide – offering fans unprecedented access to authors, publishers, celebrities and creators of content that influence everything we read, hear and see.

About BEA
BookExpo America (BEA) is North America’s largest gathering of book trade professionals attracting an international audience. The event is widely known as an ideal place for content creators, media, booksellers, rights professionals, and movie and television executives to meet new authors, discover new books, learn about trends shaping the book industry, and network with those who have a passion for books and reading. BEA is foremost a gathering place for creative writers and thinkers and the commerce they create. It is recognized for the media attention it brings to upcoming books as well as for the notable authors it attracts to the convention itself. BEA is organized with the support of association partners including the Association of American Publishers (AAP) and the American Booksellers Association (ABA).
For more information please visit www.bookexpoamerica.com.