London Book Fair

No Brits going? I suppose it isn't the place for readers but I was hoping to meet someone from LT.
It's my fault for refusing to use facebook. I guess one day I'll have to give in.
I'll check out the stands and have a picnic and then report back if I see anything of interest to LTers.

I used to go when I was still working but haven't been for several years. Increasingly I found it was a jolly for publishers, while lowly librarians didn't get much of a look-in...literally, I remember being shouldered out of the way on several stands because I was daring to actually look at the books.

As an author/publisher hoping to get more exposure, I did find it got rather too big and global so I stopped going- but this year the emphasis seems to have changed - more for self publishers, I believe. As for libraries - I'm well supported in Sussex but have little hope of getting into other areas.At least I do distribute copies when I travel - and there are copies in the States!

LBF was great when it first started, back in the early 80s in the Barbican Centre, publishers of all kinds were happy to talk to anybody who showed an interest. Then it moved to Olympia and became the International LBF and as you say became big and global - huge corporate stands, publishers and agents quaffing bubbly and posing for photo opportunities.
There were the odd moments of levity e.g the year Edwina Currie opened the fair, and every stand had a book on eggs prominently displayed...

My favourite area was the independent publishers zone, as their stands were small but interesting and they're usually desperate for people to take notice of them...and they have interesting books too :)

Enjoyed my day at the Book Fair. Gave one stall a book to review and had a useful interview with a representative from Nielsen.
While I was there I had a call from the local radio station to arrange another interview next week.
The author section looked busy and they had a photographer there taking pictures of people for websites.
I couldn't find the large print or audiobook sections - I think they were upstairs and I ran out of time.
Still, it was worth going.