BookExp America (owned by PW parent Reed Exhibitions) is hosting a panel discussion featuring a number of American booksellers and librarians at the upcoming Beijing Book Fair. Eight Americans are being brought to the Fair, which is set for January 8 - 11, where they will host the panel on bookselling that deals with, among other topics, conducting business in a digital marketplace.

Event director for BookExpo America, Lance Festerman, said the exchange points to "the ties BEA has worked hard to strengthen...within the Chinese publishing community." Festerman added that another result of strong relationships between BEA and the Chinese publishing community is evidenced in the fact there will be a more significant presence of Chinese publishers at BEA in 2008.

Among the booksellers attending the Fair are: Karl Pohrt, founder and owner of Shaman Drum Bookstore in Ann Arbor; Rick Simonson of Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle; Sarah McNally of McNally Robinson in New York; Alison Hill of Vroman's in Los Angeles; and Paul Yamazaki of City Lights in San Francisco.