BOOK FAIR LIVELY FOR BDS

The BDS stand was busy throughout the three days of the recent London Book Fair. The theme of the BDS stand was “The Power of Metadata”.

The BDS Publisher Liaison Team had a full agenda of meetings. Newly appointed Publisher Liaison Officer, Jack Jamieson, met many BDS customers for the first time face to face.

“The London Book Fair is such an exciting event to be part of, “ said Jack. “This was my first Fair and nothing prepares you for the scale, intensity and friendliness you encounter.”

Since it started in 1971, The London Book Fair has grown to become a global platform for the publishing industry. Alongside doing business, the fair hosts seminars, workshops, awards and networking opportunities. BDS has attended the Fair since its foundation in 1995. It took its first stand in 2017 as the company grew into one of the industry’s most significant providers of metadata to the whole book supply chain.

Return to Pre-Pandemic Numbers

This year’s attendance was over 30,000, representing a return to pre-pandemic levels. One new area of focus saw a newly launched Sustainability Lounge. It opened with Sherri Aldis, Director of the United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe, discussing Sustainability Development Goals (see our article Go Green with BDS).

The BDSDigital team were also present on stand to meet with publishers. BDS provides websites to the publishing industry. As online search and discovery plays such an important role in today’s commercial environment, a company that understands the role of metadata is vital when designing and building a web presence.

A Chance to Meet Face to Face

“We met with both current and prospective customers,” says Eric Green Managing Director, Digital. “The Book Fair gives my team the chance to sit down across a table and listen to what publishers and the book trade want from websites designed by us. It is an invaluable opportunity.”

The theme for this year’s BDS stand highlighted the vital yet often invisible role that metadata plays in every stage of the book supply chain.

“Without accurate and consistent metadata the book industry becomes a Tower of Babel,” says Lesley Whyte, Managing Director of BDS. “The interest and activity on our stand proves how vital our services are to publishers, booksellers, and libraries around the world.”

See BDS at the Book Fair on YouTube: https://youtu.be/EGzaDVnNPfQ.