The joint Publishing Scotland and Booksellers Association annual Scottish Book Trade Conference 2019  #scotbookconf  takes place on Tuesday 26 February at the Surgeons Quarter, Edinburgh. The conference is the biggest get-together of publishers and booksellers in Scotland.

The programme features a wide range of speakers from the book trade, pitching sessions with booksellers and breakout sessions. The conference will be followed by a drinks reception.

ABOUT BOOKING

Online booking is now closed. To enquire about a place at the Conference, please contact Publishing Scotland direct on 0131 228 6866.

• When booking, please select your ticket type and then you will be directed to select the workshop you wish to attend (if any).
• There are a limited number of places at the Fever Pitch session. If you wish to be considered for a slot, please choose this option after you have selected your ticket type and we will contact you to confirm if you have a slot.
• Please also confirm whether you wish to attend the drinks reception.

PROGRAMME

Conference Chair – Jenny Brown, Jenny Brown Associates
09.00: Registration and refreshments sponsored by Nielsen
09.30: Welcome from Publishing Scotland, the Booksellers Association and Conference Chair
09.40: Keynote speech sponsored by Bertrams - James Daunt, Waterstones
10.15: The Key Retail Market Trends 2017/18 – Steve Bohme, UK Research Director, Nielsen Book

11.00: Morning refreshments sponsored by Gardners

11.20: Separate sessions for publishers and booksellers

For publishers
1.  Juliet Mabey, co-founder and Publisher of Oneworld Publications – The Challenges and Joys of Independence
2. Gavin Smith, Commissioning Executive for Comedy Drama and Entertainment BBC Scotland and Stuart Cosgrove television executive – Opportunities to go from Page to Screen

For booksellers - Bookseller Brains Trust
The Batch App | The Retail Trust | Green Bookselling | Building a Team | The Power of Helpfulness

13.00: Lunch sponsored by Bertrams

14.00: Fever Pitch - publishers pitching to booksellers (pre-booked slots) sponsored by Gardners (FULLY BOOKED)
OR workshop sessions for publishers:
1.  Society of Authors in Scotland with Merryn Glover and Caroline Dunford - Good stories or high sales?
2.  Student session with Maria Vassilopoulos - The Secret History of Books - researching archives in publishing (FULLY BOOKED)
3.  Nielsen Book with Jo Shaw - Digital Marketing with Book2Look
4.  Scottish Book Trust with Philippa Cochrane - Book Week Scotland and You - how and why to join the Conversation

15.00: Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland

15.45: Afternoon refreshments sponsored by PLS

16.15: Bringing Communities Together Through Literacy -  HarperCollins diversity project with Sheena Barclay, MD Geo & Deputy MD Collins; Ben Hurd, Trade Marketing Director; Katie Fulford, Special Projects Director (all HarperCollins); and Ruth Howells, Publishers Association

16.45: Closing Keynote Gina Miller, Canongate author, businesswoman and transparency activist

17.15: Conference ends

Drinks reception sponsored by Batch LTD

Overall conference sponsorship by Ingram

EXHIBITORS
There will exhibitors stands to visit during the day. They are:
Batch | Bertram Books | Booksellers Association | Gardners | Ingram | Nielsen | Publishers Licensing Services | The Bookseller.

Drinks reception sponsored by Batch LTD

Overall conference sponsorship by Ingram

EXHIBITORS
There will exhibitors stands to visit during the day. They are:
Batch | Bertram Books | Booksellers Association | Gardners | Ingram | Nielsen | Publishers Licensing Services | The Bookseller.