bookbliss

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are a state-led effort to create shared high standards to make sure all American students are ready for college and work. Through reading a diverse array of classic and contemporary literature as well as challenging informational texts in a range of subjects, students are expected to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspectives. I this podcast episodes professionals from every part of the book industry – bookseller, publisher, collection development and school library – offer insights into how to present the material we offer for most effective use in schools and library to achieve these standards. Speakers dispel some myths; explain how material is used in different ways, and how publishers are responding and what we can all improve to respond to this new golden age of reading and writing. This panel featured Becky Anderson, Co-owner, Anderson’s Bookshops and Anderson’s Bookfair Company; Cheryl Dickemper, Director of Purchasing and Collection Development, The Booksource; Kenny Brechner, Owner, DDG Booksellers; Melissa Jacobs-Israel, Coordinator in the Office of Library Service, New York City Department of Education; Phoebe Yeh, Editorial Director, HarperCollins Children’s Books; Victoria Stapleton, Director, School & Library Marketing; and Richard Buthod, National Sales Manager, Turtleback Books.

In October 2012, the Metropolitan Museum of Art launched MetPublications, a major online resource that offers in-depth access to the Museum’s renowned publishing program, covering close to 700 titles from 1964 to the present day and including robust searching, downloading, previewing, and print-on-demand capabilities, as well as connections to existing Met online features. How did they do it? MetPublications represents intensive collaboration among Met staff and vendors; processing and producing digital resources; extensive digital rights management; and essential elements considered critical to the many people with a stake in the program, from curators and researchers to publishers. Key staff members discuss the year-long planning, operations and process that continue even after the launch. Their experience and insights provide lessons to publishers and institutions of all sizes about what to expect when bringing an image-heavy print backlist—as well as an ongoing publishing program—to digital life. Anne Kostick, Partner, Foxpath IND, moderated this session. Kostick was joined by Amy Liebster, Assistant Coordinator for Online Publications, Department of Digital Media, Metropolitan Museum of Art; Gwen Roginsky, Associate Publisher and General Manager Editorial Department, Metropolitan Museum of Art; and Robert Weisberg, Senior Project Manager Editorial Department, Metropolitan Museum of Art.

For the non-IT publishing professional, SEARCH in book retailing and publishing is explained and put into context. Learn how search technology can make you more effective, without changing your role or swamping you in technical details. Whether as publisher or editor, in retailing, marketing or sales, you’ll understand the tools you can use without having to become a techno-geek. Explore the power of digital search and how it can enhance; the editorial process, book sales, marketing and retailing and it’s effect on book creation and discoverability, from the sorting through manuscripts to selling books on-line. Learn how search tools are working to get more book choices in front of more readers in many more ways. Progressive publishing IT professionals and forward thinking retailers discuss the future use of the tools they seek to provide to their non-technical publishing colleagues. They examine the power and limitations of this technology and how it can affect the traditional operations of our publishing industry, far into the future. Moderated by Seth Gershel, Principal, SDG LLC, this panel featured Dan Vidra, Vice President, Americas, TXTR; Phil Madans, Director of Publishing Standards and Practices, Hachette Book Group USA; Jeff Bierach, VP Sales, Sophia; and Michael McGinniss, SVP of Digital Technology Services, HarperCollins Publishers.

Andrew Grey is interviewed at BookExpo America (BEA) 2013 and shares more about his new book “The Fight Within.”

Dorie Clark is interviewed at BookExpo America (BEA) 2013 and shares more about her new book “Reinventing You. “

Autism Inspires! – Hope as a Parent’s Savior is written by Lena McCalla Njee, a teacher of children with autism, who shares her inspiring stories from her day-to-day experiences about the many children she has taught over the years. Parents will find humor, comfort and solace in these stories so that they can look beyond the disability. Included in the book are also a wealth of information and references about autism. Minna Press, April 2012, 978-0982963081

In A Government of Wolves: The Emerging American Police State, constitutional attorney John W. Whitehead charts America’s transition from a society governed by “we the people” to a police state governed by the strong arm of the law. The simple fact is that the Constitution – and in particular the Bill of Rights – is being undermined on virtually every front. The openness and freedom that were once the hallmarks of our nation are now in great peril. A Government of Wolves not only explains these acute problems, but is a call to action offering timely and practical initiatives for Americans to take charge of our present course, and stop the growing police state. SelectBooks, June 2013, 1590799755

During a late winter evening in Siberia, a girl freezes in a broken car on the empty road. She recalls her past and all of the mistakes she made. Suddenly she realizes that something eerie and dangerous dwells in the dark forest. The only thing that lasts for her is the struggle with terrible memories and her own fears.

More libraries are branching out beyond the now “traditional” forms of web-based social media (Facebook, Twitter, emails, etc.) and are using new tools like Tumblr to help their readers discover their next great read. Learn how publishers, authors, and libraries can collaborate on this exciting platform to better connect readers and writers! Molly McArdle, Assistant Book Review Editor, Library Journal, led this lively discussion. McArdle was joined by Angela Montefinise, Media Relations, New York Public Library; Erin Shea, Head of Adult Programming, Darien Library, Kate Tkacik, Information Specialist, Bank of Montreal Business Research Group; and Rachel Fershleiser, Literary Outreach, Tumblr.

Once, we watched television episodes one-by-one. Now, we devour an entire season at once. The same phenomenon is occurring in book publishing. Out-of-Print books have become a legend today when many readers can access an author’s entire set of works with one easy click. Learn why some publishers are releasing an author’s collection of titles and why eBook companies are buying up backlists. Find out how digital technology has transformed the landscape for publishers and how it’s affecting the business of the publishing industry as a whole. This lively discussion covers the benefits of straddling the choices of print verses eBook and what having both in circulation at the same time means. Discover if the industry has created a new market or if it’s changed the one it had! This panel featured Laura Lippman, author; Lizzie Skurnick, Editor-in-Chief, Lizzie Skurnick Books; Philippa Brophy, President, Sterling Lord Literistic; and Rachel Chou, Chief Marketing Officer, Open Road Integrated Media. Bill Tipper, Managing Editor, Barnes & Noble Review, moderated.

ABA Director of Member Technology Neil Strandberg and a panel of industry experts discuss Kobo best practices for independent booksellers.

Multi-media futures for publishing include Interactive 3D, Annotated 3D, Augmented Reality and other New Dimensions to publishing and content dissemination. An in-depth review of the multi-media future for books as EPUB3, HTML5 and platforms like Inkling offer content creators an ever greater number of options for expressing content in digital formats. This discussion by experts looks over not just technological opportunities, but the practical realities of both creating a clearing content for use in a multi-media product that also needs to be used on a variety of different platforms. Robert J. Kasher, Director of Sales and Marketing, Imagineering Arts, moderated this event. Kasher was joined by Dan Jost, Institutional Marketing Manager, Inkling; Devon Harris, CEO, Ochre; and Dr. Adeena Karasick, Professor of Media and Communications, Fordham University.

Twitter is a news source, communications tool and an emergency alert system. Twitter is the first place people turn in a crisis when they need information from people on the ground. Twitter is also the fastest, most effective advertising tool for sharing; author tours, and promoting new book launches and relevant front and backlists, author-experts in a breaking news situation, and building a fan base for a brand new concept. Specifically targeted for publishing professionals, this podcast covers how to optimize your Twitter metadata, create trackable promotional links for your bio and your tweets, and use free or low-cost tools to monitor and analyze your stream to find readers who can help you promote your books. Cindy Ratzlaff, President, Brand New Brand You Inc., introduces you to hot Twitter integrated apps designed to help you stand out from the crowd and position your company as cutting edge and on trend to a new generation of readers who consume the majority of their information on mobile devices. Learn how to filter the Twitter stream to find, connect to and engage with the press, book buyers and passionate fans who can’t get enough romance, politics, current events, history, crafts or literature.

Lena McCalla Njee is interviewed at BookExpo America (BEA) 2013 and shares more about her new book “Autism Inspires!”

Angie Smith is interviewed at BookExpo America (BEA) 2013 and shares more about her new book “Audrey Bunny.”