<p>When we meet for the first time in the JFK airport, excitement drowns out our exhaustion from such an early flight. As NYU students, none of us have ever participated in something like the London Book Fair. In fact, before this program, I’d never heard of it. When our boarding group is finally called, we follow our chaperon, Andrea Chambers, Associate Dean, NYU Center for Publishing, Writing, and Media, onto the plane, not knowing what to expect.&nbsp;</p> <p>On our first full (and free) day in London, we chose an activity fitting for a group of publishing students – a walking tour of London’s most famous bookshops. Walking through Mayfair, we soaked in London’s energy — the busy streets, the old architecture, the history seeping out of every corner of the city. Black taxi cabs rushed by, racing the double-decker buses along the cobblestone roads as we walked to our first bookshop.&nbsp;</p> <p>Hatchards is London’s oldest bookseller, and immediately it’s clear why it managed to stand the test of time. Beautiful books are carefully displayed in lines across the shelves, perfectly organized by genre. The dark wooden spiral staircase sits right in the middle of the shop, allowing you to move between floors, always surrounded by a circle of books. We rush in and start looking around, eager to see how the British have re-imagined the covers of our favorite books. As we check out, the cashier beams as she looks over our picks. “This was such a beautiful book, you’re going to love it” she exclaims as she puts my books in their classic deep green shopping bag.&nbsp;</p> <p>After we finish our book tour, we hit some of London’s classic tourist spots including Buckingham palace, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and along the Thames. To round off the morning, we pop into a classic London pub for lunch before heading to our first official walk-through of the fair.&nbsp;</p> <p>As volunteers, we get a behind-the-scenes look into the London Book Fair’s operations at London Olympia, a celebrated exhibition center and conference space.&nbsp; When we take our first steps into the venue, we’re immediately struck by the sheer size. As we walk through the halls, we’re getting a world tour of international publishing without leaving London Olympia. The main hall contains every publisher you can think of, from powerhouses like Penguin Random House to small presses you’ve never heard of, with their booths organized in perfect rows filling the massive space. The national hall is where children’s publishing takes over, with large colorful booths showing off a combination of children’s toys mixed in with the newest books. Scattered among children’s publishing are academic presses from many major universities in the world, leaving no corner of the industry unexplored.&nbsp;</p> <p>Tuesday marks the opening day of the conference, and we’re ready bright and early for our 8:15AM rendezvous time. The NYU, Pace, and Oxford Brooks student volunteers all huddle in a tiny greenroom, patiently waiting for further instructions.&nbsp;</p> <p>At 9AM, we flood onto the floor wearing our Ask Me t-shirts and start trying to corral the chaos. Immediately, the venue fills with people and we spend our day watching professionals rush between meetings, stopping only to ask us—the volunteers—to kindly point them in the direction of their next appointment. Hundreds of agents, crammed shoulder to shoulder in the International Rights Centre, spend their days negotiating book rights, while publishers browse through their international counterparts’ catalogues for gems they could bring to their own markets.&nbsp;</p> <p>The fair’s attendance is also fueled by speaker panels, which we help facilitate. Ticket holders crowd outside packed conference rooms to hear their favorite authors discuss their creative process or high-ranking professionals debate the use of AI. The CEO of Audible, Bob Carrigan, makes a rare appearance, sharing how excited he is to celebrate Harry Potter’s 25th anniversary with an exclusive book narration from the original cast, available exclusively on Audible.&nbsp;</p> <p>At the grace of our chaperon Andrea Chambers, we got to sit down with not one, but two incredible publishing professionals. Judith Curr, President and Publisher of the HarprOne Group at Harper Collins, proudly showed off her imprint’s latest translated titles, a Japanese mystery book from a masked author that’s had great sales in the international market.&nbsp; Then, she walked us through their latest format experiment – the nomad, a book no bigger than the size of your phone, for the ultimate travel convenience. After Judith, we met Mary McAvery, the President and CEO of Abrams Books, who helped us understand the changing trends of publishing and how she plans to embrace technology to push Abram’s forward. By the time these meetings ended, any nervous feelings were replaced with the excitement of knowing we were given a brief glimpse into the future of publishing.&nbsp;</p> <p>By the end of the conference, we leave with an idea of what our professional futures could be. Maybe next time it’ll be us invited by an important company, trusted to scout international talent or go treasure-hunting through publisher catalogues. As a student, the London Book Fair really shows you the industry is bigger than you could ever have imagined. You leave knowing you’re at the bottom rung of the ladder looking up, but you’re still excited for the climb to the top.&nbsp;</p> <p>On the plane home, exhausted but elated, we unpack our experiences at the fair: who we met, our favorite events, favorite speakers, and gush over London and its charm.&nbsp;</p> <p>“If I could go back, I don’t think I’d change a single thing”&nbsp;</p> <p>- Laura Wilson</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The Student Experience:&nbsp;</p> <p>“If you ever wanted to feel the true pulse of the global book trade, look no further than being an NYU student volunteer at the London Book Fair. This year at Olympia was an absolute whirlwind of energy, caffeine, and big book energy. As a volunteer, I was right in the thick of it—navigating the maze of beautiful stands, catching glimpses of “Author or the Day” interviews, and rushing past the literal architects of the bestsellers we see on BookTok. My favorite part? Realizing just how massive the behind-the-scenes world is, from literary translation to the rise of AI in storytelling. It’s exhausting, exhilarating, and easily the most prestigious way to spend 4 days in London. When my colleagues and I weren’t working at the fair, we were seeing the history and architecture of London, exploring the bookstores that have been standing tall since 1797, and experiencing the London theatre for a heart-wrenching performance of Les Misérables. If you get the chance to apply for this opportunity next year, don’t walk—run! It’s the ultimate way to turn your passion for the publishing industry into a massive world of opportunities. I might just move to London if the right opportunity presents itself to me!”</p> <p>- Monica Calderon&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>“The London Book Fair was an unforgettable experience from start to finish. Our trip began with a lively bookstore crawl through Mayfair, which set the tone perfectly. Along the way, we took in some of London’s most iconic landmarks—Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey. Evenings were spent wandering through Soho, where we squeezed in some shopping and found our way to historic pubs and restaurants. At the fair itself, I learned an incredible amount while helping and attending a wide range of engaging talks. One highlight was a fascinating discussion on Japanese literature and translation, featuring the author of Diary of a Void. We wrapped up the trip with a group outing to see Les Misérables, which felt like the perfect ending. Overall, it was an amazing experience filled with learning, exploration, and memories I’ll always treasure.”&nbsp;</p> <p>- Cali Hall</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>“Choosing a favorite aspect of the fair is actually much harder than one would think. As student volunteers, we had so many amazing opportunities to meet industry professionals, network, sit in on panels, and so much more. If I had to choose one part of the fair as my favorite, it would be getting to listen to the panels at the Author HQ stage. We heard from agents, authors, indie publishers, and others about the current and future publishing landscape. There was so much to learn at this stage, and each panel was so interesting, I could have stayed there all day!”</p> <p>- Alexandra Kleinmann</p>