As the annual trade show for the book publishing industry, BookExpo America serves many constituencies: large and small publishers; large and small booksellers; wholesalers and distributors; authors; and the media. With so many different parties in the mix, it's no surprise that there is little consensus on how the trade show can be improved. Despite complaints from some quarters, BEA 2009 was seen by most as a success, but most also agree that change is needed for the convention to keep pace with a new publishing landscape.

Interviews with a range of publishers and book buyers found agreement in a few areas on how to best move forward, but there was a split verdict on many others. Ways to control costs and more networking opportunities were the two top areas of agreement, while there was division on such plans as moving the show to midweek next year and on remaining in New York, at least until 2013, when the convention is scheduled to go to Chicago.

View from Exhibitors

The New York houses firmly support the idea of keeping the show permanently in their hometown, while outlanders are considerably less excited about the prospect. For Mark Suchomel, president of Independent Publishers Group, the best way to improve BEA is to attract more exhibitors by keeping costs low, and the best way to do that is to “get out of New York City.” “A convention that focuses more on business with an eye to minimizing costs is what we need now,” says Josh Marwell, president of sales for HarperCollins. Jon Malinowski, president of Combined Book Exhibit, one of the largest convention exhibitors, reflects the ambivalence many feel about the New York location. He likes the idea of keeping BEA in one city, but remains concerned about the cost of doing business in New York. Malinowski, based in a New York suburb, says he can fly to Chicago for what it costs to park in New York City. Still, a New York show draws the biggest crowds and the most international visitors, which is key for Malinowski. Ruth Liebmann, Random House v-p and director of retail field marketing and merchandising, says that Random is “comfortable” with having the show in New York, but wouldn't necessarily be opposed if the show rotated from time to time to keep things fresh.

Exhibitors are open-minded about the move to a Tuesday—Thursday schedule next year, although, again, costs are a concern. The move to mid-week in 2010 is likely to drive up expenses since hotels are usually cheaper on the weekends and labor costs for setup may go higher. Dick Heffernan, president of hardcover sales for Penguin, believes condensing the 2010 show into three days will help save money. Dan Simon of Seven Stories is afraid the move will lead to more publisher defections, while Eric Obenauf of Two-Dollar Radio believes that, judging by the past lack of attendance on Sundays, more people will come during the week. Simon & Schuster executive v-p, sales and marketing, Michael Selleck says having the show during the week will make it easier for people to participate, while Liz Perl, S&S senior v-p, director of marketing for the adult group, notes that a weekday event will make it easier to take care of last-minute details that might be problematic to handle on the weekend.

While publishers hope that BEA can help negotiate better deals for exhibit setup and other costs, they are taking more steps on their own to reduce expenses. Simon & Schuster will rent its booth for the 2010 show, saving money on storage costs and giving the house the opportunity to change the booth from year to year. S&S is taking the same size space next year as it did in 2009. Random House spokesperson Stuart Applebaum notes that the publisher saved “hundreds of thousands” of dollars this year by dramatically reducing the size of its stand and moving meetings to meeting rooms, an approach it will take again in 2010. Continuing to upgrade the education panels (and making sure they don't conflict with exhibit hours) is another area that has widespread support. “There is so much new information churning out there, and it is incumbent upon us to keep up with it,” says Dan Simon. “BEA seems to be emerging as the place where the new and the old models can converse.” Adds Random's Liebmann: “The panels and industry programming at the 2009 show were exceptionally relevant, provocative and well attended. This can really energize the show and generate a lot of lively and productive conversation on the floor and meeting rooms.”

View from Book Buyers

Despite economic challenges, for buyers BEA is clearly still an important event. “BEA remains the kind of one-stop shopping where booksellers get to meet with virtually every vendor they do business with under one roof,” says Oren Teicher, CEO of the American Booksellers Association. “Our members tell us that in addition to meeting with publishers and vendors, they want gatherings where there are lots of opportunities for peer-to-peer interaction. Despite all the forms of communication available, face-to-face is important and continues to have value.”

Virtually all booksellers agree that the networking and education components of BEA remain a core strength. Lanora Hurley, owner of the new Next Chapter Bookshop (formerly a Harry W. Schwartz Bookshop) in Mequon, Wis., wasn't planning to attend BEA 2009 because of costs. But when a customer gave her frequent flyer miles for four plane tickets, she attended with three staff members—despite her store's grand opening that same weekend. “BEA was even more valuable to me as a new owner, as I had specific goals in mind,” she says. “I hope publishers never underestimate the power of being able to touch and talk about the books. We know as booksellers that we are more likely to sell a book if we can physically put that book in our customer's hands and talk about it.”

“For us, the primary value of BEA is in networking, relationship development and educational programming,” says Praveen Madan, co-owner of The Booksmith in San Francisco. “The conference enables us to stay current with the broader forces shaping the present and future of books, as well as share what we're doing at The Booksmith.”

Like publishers, booksellers have mixed feelings about New York and the shift to midweek. “I love to visit New York every several years, but feel the focus shifts even further away from booksellers when the show is in New York, as so many publishers, agents and international rights people attend,” observes this year's PW Bookseller of the Year Carol Besse, cofounder of Carmichael's Bookstore, which has two locations in Louisville, Ky. For some, the midweek schedule represents a cost shift to attendees, since airfares and hotel prices are generally higher without a weekend stay. But for others, midweek isn't a make-or-break issue. “We are still going to travel,” says Valerie Koehler, owner of Blue Willow Bookshop in Houston, Tex. “I think it's too bad we're going to be stuck in the same location,” says Carla Jimenez, co-owner with Leslie Reiner of 18-year-old Inkwood Books in Tampa, Fla. “But I understand that. Being together with other booksellers and publishers is something you can't put a price on.”

While revenue may take a hit if the show gets smaller, for booksellers, a smaller show isn't necessarily a bad thing—in fact, many booksellers say that a smaller, more focused BEA would be an improvement. “Scale it back from the circus it has become and find a way to focus on how the different aspects of the industry can work together to accomplish the common goal of selling books and increasing readership,” suggests Besse. “Going to the show floor has begun to feel like an exercise in futility,” she adds, noting that it gets so crowded that it's impossible to even see the displays publishers spend so much money on.

“I thought that the smaller show this year was actually an asset,” says Hurley. “We are a small store and, in years past, I doubt we would have had much success meeting with and talking to the people that we did. Having a smaller show allows us little guys to interact.” Once again, balance is the key. “I have to say Macmillan's setup this year—a single room in the bowels of the convention center—is too far in the opposite direction,” Besse adds. “But a happy medium would be worth a try.”

“Have a smaller BEA in New York focused on networking and education,” Madan suggests. “I think BEA can benefit from some reimagination, given all the changes that have happened in the industry and the emergence of new technologies. It seems that a large part of BEA is designed for small bookstores that don't have regular access to publishers in the normal course of business. And, frankly, it's designed for an industry from 20 or 30 years ago. If I were a publisher, I would try to find better ways of reaching small bookstores than trucking volumes of books to Javits and handing them out to whoever comes by.”

While many at the show wondered where all the free books and galleys were, booksellers PW spoke to seemed to agree: less is actually better. “Each year my goal is to leave BEA with less baggage,” says Besse. “I think the people who fill up suitcases are crazy.”

Utilizing digital technologies and cutting down on giveaways could be an important and responsible way to control costs, Hurley says. “Having a 12-foot banner advertising the new Dan Brown book is unnecessary,” she notes. “The ability to have a private appointment with each publisher, even for 15 minutes, would accomplish much more. I know the giveaways are incredibly expensive for publishers and most of the time they're not necessary. I would encourage publishers to greatly reduce the number of galleys they bring. I would rather see them put the money into bringing more staff.”

In fact, notes Shayera Tangri, senior librarian at the Porter Ranch branch of the Los Angeles Public Library, the cost savings from more digital giveaways would benefit everyone. “I wish more publishers would be open to handing out e-galleys,” Tangri says. “Shipping things back is really expensive, and I'd love to be able to put a number of e-galleys in my suitcase and go.”

This year's BEA drew about 2,100 librarians—more than the 1,800 at the 2008 show in Los Angeles, but a somewhat disappointing turnout due to the recession. However, the blockbuster show in New York in 2007 drew a whopping 3,832 librarians, illustrating a great opportunity for organizers: librarians love BEA. They love the events, they love the educational sessions, but most of all they love the books. While publishers welcome librarians with open arms, more BEA programming for librarians could help the show.

“I've attended for the last seven years,” LAPL's Tangri says. “I use BEA to learn what publishers and colleagues are excited about for the next year. I like to see what trends are coming. And I use what I learn at BEA to inform my patrons about what's coming.” Tangri says BEA has gotten much better about welcoming librarians and integrating them into the show—but it could do even better. “My first BEA was 2001, when it was here in Los Angeles, and many a publisher would do the 'scan the nametag' thing, see the tag said 'librarian' and skip speaking with us. That has changed a lot. These days, most publishers are really happy to speak to librarians.”

Library budgets are, of course, constantly stressed—and in bad years, like this one, even more so, directly affecting both travel and collections budgets. The flipside of that equation is that libraries spend millions of dollars on books and resources every year—and if events like PW sister publication Library Journal's wildly popular Day of Dialog at BEA are any indication, librarians are eager to engage with BEA.

View from the Inside

BEA v-p and general manager Lance Fensterman says the organization is just beginning to plan for 2010 and is considering a number of new features. To facilitate more networking between buyers and sellers, BEA is weighing the possibility of scheduling a series of quick meetings between booksellers and publishers, as well as having “pitch” sessions as the regional shows do. To help booksellers make more connections with colleagues and publishers, BEA is considering bringing back evening receptions, which would be at publishers' offices instead of the convention center or the BEA hotel. Fensterman is aware of complaints about labor costs in New York; BEA has already developed a program to lower drayage costs. Plans are also in the works to avoid publishers needing to pay overtime: “Having people move in and pay double-time is clearly unacceptable,” Fensterman acknowledges.

BEA can only control so many costs, Fensterman notes, explaining that BEA receives 25¢ to 30¢ of every dollar spent by exhibitors. He understands that publishers may need to downsize their booths. “I think the market will dictate that the physical size of the show [exhibit-wise] may change,” Fensterman says.

One thing that will grow in 2010 is the author stages. Introduced this year, the stages will expand from two to four, including one for young adult authors. Fensterman would also like to attract more “book-buying influencers” who are not part of the traditional media. Bloggers were aggressively courted in 2009 and BEA will do so again in 2010, along with online reviewers and the leaders of major book clubs. But Fensterman is also determined to make sure that those who attend the show can make a worthwhile contribution. “We will continue to very strictly enforce our credential requirements to attend, as we did with success this year,” Fensterman promises.