Want to leave your library for an island break as spring heats into summer after Memorial Day? Come to Manhattan at the beginning of June and let BookExpo America (BEA) reinvigorate you with its mix of author buzz, new discoveries, and contact with bookies from near and far.

BEA will be held again at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, Monday–Thursday, June 4–7. Again, exhibits are all on one floor, 9 a.m.–5 p.m on June 5–6, and from 9 a.m.–3 p.m. on June 7. For the first time, BEA will be open to the public on Thursday, June 7, and will stream author events widely on the web.

There’s a brand new app for this year’s conference: BEA Mobile 2012, available for Android as well. You’ll find the full exhibitor list there, autographing schedules, program listings, updates and alerts, and an interactive map.

This year’s education programming moves along eight tracks that include “Library Info,” “Bookstores Today,” “Everything Digital,” and “Getting Social with Social ­Media.”

Colocated conferences

The Book Blogger Convention of the last two years is reborn this year as the BEA Bloggers Conference (BBC). There’ll be an opening keynote address by Jennifer Weiner (The Next Best Thing). Both editorial and noneditorial media may register.

IDPF also sponsors BEA’s Digital Discovery Zone (D2Z), which now features networking happy hours on June 5–6 at 4 p.m.

BlogWorld & New Media Expo 2012 will be at Javits, June 5–7, for its second year in New York.

Also see the Audio Publishers Association Conference (APAC) below.

Over 500 authors will be autographing, either in-booth or during the show’s autograph sessions. This year’s Downtown Author Stages is placed in the Digital Discovery Zone (DZ2000), meaning a vital zone will be even more vital. The Uptown Author Stage is at #4576.

Once again, New York Book Week takes place during the same period as BEA. (This year it’s called New York Book & Media Week.) Libraries, bookstores, and museums will be hosting literary events around the city, most of them free.

We hope we’ll see you! We are cohosting the LJ, School Library Journal, and Horn Book Librarians’ Lounge (#2148), where you can take a break with colleagues; meet the “Unshelved” folks, who’ll be signing; and talk to our magazines’ staff.

Go here  to stay current on BEA events, including Day of Dialog (for which you must register separately at LJ) and author or librarian programs that may interest you. Please also confirm room assignments for programs.

MONDAY, JUNE 4

8 a.m.–6 p.m.

School Library Journal Day of Dialog (Javits Convention Center, Rm. 1A21–1A22; registration required)

Once again SLJ will host a full day of useful, fun programs for librarians and educators, including panels on Keeping Middle School Readers Engaged, Dynamic Nonfiction for Kids and Teens, Pushing the Picture Book Envelope, and Stellar Debut Authors. Walter Dean Myers, National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, will be the keynote speaker. Plus enjoy YA author Libba Bray at lunch! Register here.

9 a.m.–6 p.m.

LJ Day of Dialog for Publishers, Vendors, and Librarians (McGraw-Hill Conference Center; registration required)

This year’s program will include the ever-popular Editors’ Picks with buzz from the Big Six and beyond, a panel on the spy fiction renaissance, and a group of first-time genre fiction authors. Also, hear from the New York Times’s Gail Collins, who’ll have copies of her new book, As Texas Goes.... Top it all off with a lively discussion of current technology issues. Register here.

8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Audio Publishers Association Conference (APAC) (Rm. TBA)

This daylong conference, again colocated with BEA, includes a session on “Navigating the Wild West Library Territory,” with EarlyWord’s Nora Rawlinson, LJ’s Barbara Genco, and Random House’s Ruth Liebmann. Registration must be through APA.

9:30–10:20 a.m.

A Guide to Goodreads for Booksellers, Librarians, and Publishers: Making the Connection to Readers (Rm. TBA)

Aimed to appeal to all book constituents from authors to readers, this will offer insider secrets on mobilizing a community of book fans to create robust communities of readers.

6:30 p.m.

Annual BEA Librarians Dinner (Yale Club, 52 Vanderbilt Ave., Grand Ballroom)

Presented by AAP and LJ, this invitation-only event, with limited seating, boasts the following authors: Francine du Plessix Gray (The Queen’s Lover), Alan Furst (Mission to Paris), Rhoda Janzen (Does This Church Make Me Look Fat?), Ruth Rendell (The St. Zita Society), and Mark Shriver (A Good Man: Rediscovering My Father, Sargent Shriver). LJ’s Barbara Hoffert will welcome you. For invitation requests, contact Becca Worthington: bworthington@publishers.org.

TUESDAY, JUNE 5

8–9:30 a.m.

Adult Book & Author Breakfast (Special Events Hall)

Stephen Colbert (America Again: Re-becoming the Greatness We Never Weren’t) hosts Junot Diaz (This Is How You Lose Her), Barbara Kingsolver (Flight Behavior), and Jo Nesbø (Phantom). (Purchase ticket while registering for BEA.)

10 a.m.–10:50 a.m.

What Librarians Wish Publishers Knew (AAP) (Rm. 1E11)

Nora Rawlinson, editor in chief, EarlyWord hosts this session.

11 a.m.–11:50 a.m.

Enter the Library Market & Drive Sales with Lessons from Patron Profiles! (AAP/LJ) (Rm. 1E11)

Ian Singer, publisher of LJ, SLJ, and The Horn Book, moderates this program, which shows how library industry leaders are using information from LJ’s premier library survey, Patron Profiles, to reach library markets. Speakers are SLJ’s editor in chief Rebecca T. Miller, Baker & Taylor’s George Coe, Kelly Gallagher of Bowker, and Skip Dye of Random House.

12:15–1:45 p.m.

BEA Librarians Author Lunch, cohosted by AAP & EarlyWord (Rm. 1E14-1E15)

Join EarlyWord’s Nora Rawlinson, with Delia Ephron, Jonathan Evison, Joseph Kanon, and Dennis Lehane. Contact Becca Worthington: bworthington@­publishers.org to request an invitation.

12:30–1:20 p.m.

Pack the House: How To Host Great Author Events (Rm. 1E11)

Get advice from the experts: Gretchen Crary and Dee Dee De Bartlo of February Partners are publicists who have organized hundreds of top-notch author events. Stephanie Anderson, manager of Word Bookstore in Brooklyn, will discuss community outreach and social media, with tips also from Rainy Day Books (Fairway, KS) owner Vivien Jennings, who hosts over 300 events a year, and Andrew Kahan, program director at the Free Library of Philadelphia, where he has hosted notables and celebrities, from Barack Obama to Tina Fey.

2–3:20 p.m.

AAP Annual Librarians Book Buzz— Part 1 (Rm. 1E16)

Yes, there’s a second part on Wednesday! A great chance to get in on the buzz for the coming season, hear about in-house favorites, and more! Publishers slated to share their choices include Consortium Book Group, Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, Harlequin, John Wiley & Sons, Macmillan, and McGraw-Hill.

4–4:50 p.m.

Selling Trade Ebooks to Libraries (Rm. 1E16)

Josh Hadro, executive editor, digital products, at LJ, SLJ, and The Horn Book, moderates a panel with Stephanie Chase from Multnomah County Library, Alene Moroni from King County Library, WA; Brooklyn PL’s Michael Santangelo; and Jordana Vincent from Douglas County Libraries, CO. They will discuss the ramifications of trade ebook distribution policies for public libraries and advise on building public library ebook collections; useful for both librarians and publishers.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6

10:30–11:20 a.m.

Building a Social Library (Rm. 1E09)

Take a look deep inside the New York Public Library (NYPL) to find out how it has built its extensive community and serves its readers—with a focus on the secrets of ­NYPL’s social media success. Panelists include Angela Montefinise, director of public relations & marketing; Ben Vershbow, manager of NYPL Labs; and Michael Lascarides, senior manager of web ­initiatives.

12–12:50 p.m.

Journey of a Book: Writer to Reader (ALTAFF) (Rm. 1E11)

Algonquin Books novelist Robert Goolrick (Heading Out to Wonderful) will talk about the road from writing to publishing success with his Algonquin editor, Chuck Adams, and publicity director, Kelly Bowen, as well as his agent, Lynn Nesbit of Janklow & Nesbit.

12 p.m.

A Conversation with Neil Young (Special Events Hall)

In an interview format (interviewer TBA), Young will discuss his forthcoming memoir, Waging Heavy Peace. Free and open to all attendees with their BEA badge. Bring lunch, relax, and listen.

12:30–1:20 p.m.

Hot Graphic Novels (Rm. TBA)

No details yet, but a panel of librarians and retailers will recommend the graphic novels to watch out for.

2–3:30 p.m.

AAP Annual Librarians Book Buzz— Part 2 (Rm. 1E11)

More buzz! Learn what these publishers are excited about and why: W.W. Norton, Penguin Group (USA), Perseus Books Group, Random House, Simon & Schuster, Sterling, and Workman.

3:30–5 p.m.

Fourth Annual Librarian Shout & Share (AAP/LJ) (Rm. 1E11)

After a couple of days on the BEA show floor, we bet you’ve discovered some favorite galleys! Barbara Genco, LJ’s manager, special projects, hosts Cuyahoga County PL’s Wendy Bartlett, Robin Beerbower, Salem PL, OR, LJ’s Books for Dudes columnist Douglas Lord, King County Library’s Alene Moroni, Kaite Stover, Kansas City PL, MO, and NYPL’s Miriam Tuliao. There may be time for audience members to shout & share as well.

4–5 p.m.

Audio Publishers Association (APA) Author Tea (Rm. 1A21–1A22; ticket required)

THURSDAY, JUNE 7

8–9:30 a.m.

Adult Book & Author Breakfast (Special Events Hall)

Kirstie Alley (Untitled) hosts Michael Chabon (Telegraph Avenue), Zadie Smith (NW), and J.R. Moehringer (Sutton). (Purchase ticket while registering for BEA.)

Stephanie Chase Systemwide and Virtual Information Services Administrator  Multnomah County Library