November 12, 1999, Norwalk, CT. BookExpo America, the largest book publishing trade exhibition in North America, has enlisted the support of industry representatives from the Latin American and Spanish speaking book publishing world at its 2000 event scheduled for May 31 – June 4, 2000 at Chicago’s McCormick Place Complex in Chicago, IL.

BookExpo America will feature a number of Latin American/Spanish Language book publishing collectives offering Spanish Language titles at its upcoming event – including Camará Argentina Del-Libro (Argentina); Camará Chilena Del Libro (Chile);p the Colombian Government Trade Bureau (Columbia); CEPROMEX (Mexico) and Federación de Gremios de Editores de España (Spain) – at BEA’s Spanish Language Pavilion, to be prominently located near the entrance on the west side of the exhibition floor. Collectives are expected to host up to 30 international publishers from their representative countries. U.S.-based publishing houses Llewellyn and Santiana will also feature Spanish Language titles at the upcoming BEA.

"Recognizing the significance of the Latin American and Spanish language book publishing community both state-side and globally, BEA felt it necessary to offer the exclusivity of a Spanish Language Pavilion, where booksellers can find Spanish language titles for the rising Spanish speaking consumer market in one convenient location," notes Courtney Muller, Industry Vice President and Show Manager at BookExpo America.

"A heightened level of consciousness has emerged among publishers in recent years on the need to expand the number of Spanish language titles offered based on market need," notes Maria Bloomberg at Llewellyn. "As a U.S.-based publisher with a well rounded list of Spanish language titles, we’re looking forward to participating in BEA’s Spanish Language Pavilion, and speaking with the growing number of booksellers who want to reach the rising Spanish speaking and reading population." Complementing their participation in BEA’s Spanish Language Pavilion, Llewellyn will also introduce at BEA next year a "Start-Up" Kit designed exclusively for booksellers interested in developing Spanish language sections in their stores and marketing to Spanish language customers.

Western Publications Research Studies the Hispanic Reading Market

The 1999 National Hispanic Readership Study, organized by Western Publication Research recently studied the reading habits of Latinos by surveying readers of 81 Hispanic publications in 44 markets nationwide. The study found that 56% of Latinos prefer to read only Spanish language titles, versus 10% who prefer to read English. The study also noted that 88% read Spanish ‘very well’ or ‘well’ and that 50% of Latinos do not read an English language newspaper. In particular, the study found that purchases of Spanish books increased by 11%, primarily due to the increased availability of Spanish books.

The general buying power of Latinos across all markets has also risen. According to The Economist, the buying power of Latinos has risen 65% to total of $348 billion dollars, a sum greater than the entire gross national product of Mexico.

"With heightened focus on Spanish Language in the book publishing industry, our Latin American and U.S.-based publishers have already indicated their plans to introduce numerous Spanish language titles to general as well as Latin-specific booksellers and media attending the show," adds Muller. In addition, BEA will also complement the Spanish Language titles featured at the exhibit with special events and educational offerings which speak directly to the Spanish-speaking segments of the industry."

Mexican Novelist Silvia Molina Featured at BEA’s Annual Literary Luncheon/Traditional BEA Autographing Expands to include Spanish Authors

BEA welcomes Spanish Mexican Novelist Silvia Molina, recent winner of the 1999 Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz Prize for fiction, as a featured speaker at this year’s BEA Annual Literary Luncheon on Sunday, June 4^th, with an autographing at the Curbstone Press Booth immediately following. Ms. Molina, who was awarded the Prize based on her work on the novel El Amor Qué Me Juraste (The Love You Promised Me), is scheduled to conduct a reading from that book. Her book will be published in English by Curbstone Press and in Spanish by Fondo de Cultura Económica Press in Mexico. The Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz Prize is open to women writers who have published a novel in Spanish since 1995.

 In addition to holding a series of roundtable sessions for the Spanish market (Topics TBA) The Cervantes Institute -- a Madrid-based public institution founded by the Spanish Government in 1991 to promote Spanish language teaching and culture -- is scheduled to host a number of Spanish authors who will autograph their Spanish Language titles at the Federación de Gremios de Editores de España booth during BEA’s Sunday autographing program (Authors TBA). The Cervantes Institute also organizes the National and International Congresses on the Spanish Language, attended by the most prestigious linguists and hispanists worldwide.

BEA Educational Program and Latin American Book Summit Address Latin-Specific Concerns

BEA convention organizers are also developing educational programming specifically for the Latin American market. Two sessions currently slated include Selling Books to the Latino Market to be chaired by representatives from Cinco Punto Press; and Selling Spanish Language Books in the U.S., a speaker session featuring Karin Kiser, of Kiser and Associates, a consulting firm specializing in marketing services for the Spanish book industry. (Dates/times/full speaker roster TBA).

Additionally, BEA continues to work closely with Latin American Book Summit, also being held at Chicago’s McCormick Place Complex, Thursday, June 1, 2000, one day prior to the opening of BEA’s show floor. Scheduled sessions include: A Profile of Latinos in the U.S.; What’s New in Book Publishing in Latin America and Spain; Latino Literary Hall of Fame Luncheon; What’s New in book publishing for Latinos in the U.S.; Marketing to the U.S. Latino Community; How Publishers Work Closer with Distributors and Bookstores; and Roundtable discussion on the Future of books for Latinos. (Dates/Times/full speaker roster TBA).

"With the support we’ve already enlisted from Latin American book publishing collectives and other exhibitors featuring Spanish Language titles -- as well incorporating Latin-specific events and conference programming to the show -- we fully expect BEA’s Latin American and Spanish speaking offerings to provide additional value to both U.S. and internationally-based booksellers targeting the Latin American market and the expanding Spanish speaking market in the U.S., as well as to the Latin American book publishers interested in expanding their global customer base," adds Muller. "We look forward to welcoming all members that make up the Spanish language book publishing world to Chicago next year."

BookExpo America is owned and operated by Association Expositions & Services, a division of Reed Exhibition Companies. It is co-sponsored by the American Booksellers Association (ABA) and the Association of American Publishers (AAP). The ABA, founded in 1900 is a not for profit trade organization whose mission include protecting the well being of retail bookstores and promoting the availability of books. The AAP, the national trade association of the U.S. book publishing industry, has approximately 200 members who publish hardcover and paperback books in every field and range of educational materials for the elementary, secondary, postsecondary and professional markets.

 Reed Exhibition Companies (REC) is a world leader in creating high profile, targeted industry events where buyers and suppliers come together to do business. Every year, REC events bring together some 100,000 suppliers and over 5.5 million buyers from around the world. Today, REC events are held in 27 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia/Pacific, and are organized by 24 fully staffed offices. REC’s portfolio of over 350 events serves 45 industries in 11 key sectors.