London Book Fair Wrap-Up 2026

It was with a mixture of nostalgia and anticipation that the publishing world met at Olympia for the last London Book Fair before its move to ExCel in 2027. Described by some in the media as “high energy” and “really busy”, despite the absence of a number of Middle East based companies, it certainly felt that way for NetGalley. Here are our takeaways:

The book world is cautiously upbeat…

Despite economic pressures, the fair felt energised. Publishers, agents, and booksellers reported steady deal‑making, but to me, it was more the sense of people being relaxed with one another, smiling in the sunshine. Kathleen Farrar, managing director of sales and marketing at Bloomsbury said that “books are a place where people have refuge”, against a “scary” global landscape and that sentiment I think you could see all over the fair.

But the reading ‘crisis’ needs addressing

The UK’s National Year of Reading was woven through the entire fair, with literacy charities and publishers stressing that declining reading rates pose a bigger long‑term threat than AI. Pan Macmillan CEO Joanna Prior warned that the industry must treat reading engagement as a structural priority, not a marketing campaign. It will be interesting to see whether this is something that is still at the forefront next year.

AI can still draw a crowd

Outside of our meetings, the highlight of the fair for me was the brilliant Firebrand Group panel: How Metadata, SEO and GEO Can Help Sell More Books Worldwide. Joshua Tallent (Firebrand Technologies), Kristina Radke (NetGalley), Sarah Arbuthnot (Supadu), and moderated by Mary McAveney, CEO of Abrams, talked to a standing-room only International Stage and gave an absolutely fascinating and informative discussion. You can watch it here. Plus, take a look at the one-sheet attendees received during this talk, with articles from Firebrand Technologies, NetGalley, and Supadu on this topic!

Click to watch the panel:

Mary McAveney, CEO of Abrams, with the Firebrand Group: Joshua Tallent (Director of Sales & Education, Firebrand Technologies), Sarah Arbuthnot (President, Supadu), and Kristina Radke (SVP, Business Growth & Engagement)

As at the IPG Conference (our wrap-up here), the conversation around AI has subtly shifted from existential fear to practical integration: rights management, workflow automation, and ethical boundaries. It underscores the fact that we are still learning as an industry where we are headed.

The conversation around AI has subtly shifted from existential fear to practical integration: rights management, workflow automation, and ethical boundaries.

And rights are increasingly a battleground

The big Rights news of the fair was Bonnie “Lessons in Chemistry” Garmus moving from PRH to Bonnier. Any massive move like this is likely to cause gossip, but it was the reason for the switch that had people talking. Tom Weldon, CEO of PRH UK, refused to purchase the new book as the author’s agents had already sold exclusive English-Language rights to the German publisher. This he considered to be a red line. Increasingly, UK and US publishers are hugely improving their revenues with their English-Language edition being sold into countries with a high density of (usually young) readers who want to read in English. This is one to watch!

Nonfiction is far from a spent force

Despite talk of fiction’s dominance, nonfiction is proving to be resilient, and there were strong showings in this genre in the rights centre. Narrative nonfiction, wellness, and politics/current affairs were the subjects gaining the most amount of traction.

Leaving Olympia is bittersweet

It’s cold when it’s cold and steaming when it’s hot; you can do a deal in the time it takes to get to the front of the queue for coffee (this actually happened). The WiFi is appalling; the bag search can take an eternity, but I couldn’t help but feel a touch of sadness leaving the Fair for the last time. We’ve had a lot of good times there, and it will be missed. As will our annual dinner at Ffiona’s Restaurant. But onwards and upwards. We can’t wait for 2027 at ExCel.

*Members of the Firebrand Technologies and NetGalley teams: Rob Stevens, Kristina Radke, Angela Bole, Sidney Thompson, Joshua Tallent, & Stuart Evers.*

ABA Winter Institute Wrap-Up 2026

The 21st annual ABA Winter Institute (Wi2026), held in Pittsburgh from February 23–26, 2026, served as an essential gathering for a literary community navigating both creative celebrations and sociopolitical turbulence. Against the backdrop of the “City of Bridges,” nearly 1,000 attendees addressed the industry’s most pressing questions, from the rise of AI to the defense of free expression.

The Bookseller Perspective: Resilience and Resistance

For booksellers, the atmosphere was a blend of professional development and concern for health and safety in bookselling. While keynotes from icons like LeVar Burton provided inspiration and relevance, the educational tracks shifted toward necessary cultural tools for survival. Sessions like “Bookstores in the Time of Fascism” reflected a new reality where shops face book bans and threats of violence.

The Publisher Perspective: Strategy and Representation

Publishers came to Wi26 to launch their most important books of the year. The “Past Is Alive” panel featured heavyweights like Colson Whitehead and Min Jin Lee, signaling a major industry bet on deeply researched historical fiction. For publishing professionals, the goal was to reinforce the supply chain and marketing support for independent stores, which remain the industry’s most vital “handsellers” in an increasingly automated world.

The Vendor Perspective: Systems and Sustainability

For the technology and bookstore merchandise vendors on the floor, Wi2026 was about providing the solutions to the challenges discussed in the main halls.

NetGalley occupied its now-essential role as the digital bridge between publishers’ marketing goals and booksellers’ curation needs.

One of NetGalley’s most critical functions for the ABA community remains the Indie Next List nomination process. NetGalley emphasized that booksellers who link their ABA store number to their profile receive higher “priority” in the publisher’s request queue.

NetGalley continues to power the ABA’s Digital Box Newsletter, a curated, monthly “white-glove” service where select publishers offer pre-approved digital access to high-priority titles, ensuring indie booksellers have early access to priority books and time to both nominate these titles and make buying decisions.

In a time where carbon footprint is of paramount importance, NetGalley continued to position itself as the sustainable alternative to the “Galley Room” excess. Our platform is an easy way to expand access to review copies using QR Code displays, and reduce the monetary and environmental costs of physical books. Our all-digital option allows attendees to instantly add titles to their digital shelves, saving on shipping costs and paper waste—a major talking point for the environmentally-conscious Pittsburgh cohort.

Reflecting a 25% year-over-year increase in member interest in audio, NetGalley’s 2026 role is also to promote audiobooks. The NetGalley Shelf app meets booksellers where they are, allowing them to move expediently through their TBR list.

Winter Institute remains the best opportunity for ABA booksellers, publishers and the partners who serve the industry to come together in a shared space. With challenges to free speech, book bans, and bookstores on the front lines of culture and community, Wi created a supportive and deeply informative environment.

Darcy Piedmonte (Director, Customer Acquisition & Success) and Tarah Theoret (Vice President, Community Growth & Engagement) at the NetGalley table during ABA Midwinter 2026

A More Sustainable (and Affordable) Strategy for Event-Ready Marketing

As publishers look for ways to tighten conference budgets while also prioritizing sustainability, NetGalley and Booktrovert offer solutions. With smart, streamlined alternatives to traditional print giveaways, we have the tools and data to measure success. Taking your digital catalog to industry events is practical, cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and surprisingly simple.

Increasingly, teams are rethinking stacks of ARCs that require weeks of printing, expensive shipping costs, and a gamble on estimated demand. Digital access can replace or supplement physical galleys, ensuring that every interested attendee walks away with a way to read your book, even if your last print copy has already left the booth. Here’s how!

Bringing NetGalley to Trade Conferences & Consumer Conventions

How to Share NetGalley on the Show Floor

A simple printed QR code can sit beside your remaining ARCs or replace them entirely. Scanning the QR code can send attendees to:

Request
Read Now
A Widget Link

The CTA you choose depends on your goals, and you should also consider the type of event. For example:

At a trade conference like Winter Institute, where booksellers are the primary audience, a Widget Link gives these attendees instant access, a benefit when you need the broadest reach exclusive to attendees of the event.
At consumer-facing shows like BookCon, use Booktrovert instead to offer a public, large-scale digital giveaway or sweepstakes instead (more on that below).

TIP: While some publishers link to a single priority title, you could also point attendees to your NetGalley Publisher Profile to showcase your full catalog. Or, if you want a single hub for multiple links, a LinkTree QR code works beautifully. When using Booktrovert, consider a multi-book campaign to promote up to 10 titles all on one landing page.

Post-Event Follow Up

A digital approach is perfect for after-event follow-up. If you’re scanning badges or gathering business cards while meeting librarians, booksellers, or reviewers at the booth, follow up after the show with a NetGalley widget. It’s an easy, professional way to ensure attendees can immediately dive into your digital review copy (DRC) or advanced listening copies (ALCs)!

TIP: Make NetGalley part of your booth design! Postcards, bookmarks, and other creative handouts are perfect to customize with your logo, cover art, and a QR code. Download a template here.

Bringing Booktrovert to BookCon (and Beyond)

Where NetGalley shines for industry outreach, Booktrovert is tailor-made for consumer shows— especially high-demand events like BookCon, where print copies disappear fast and shipping budgets disappear faster.

With Booktrovert, you can set up:

Limited-Time digital giveaways (claim a copy), or
Limited-Quantity sweepstakes (enter to win)

…all created and scheduled from within your existing NetGalley account. It takes only a few minutes to set up, and can be finalized 24 hours before your campaign launches.

Booktrovert is a BookCon Sponsor in April 2025, and will be cross-promoting campaigns at the event, giving your titles an even bigger push. Reach out if you’d like to participate in Booktrovert’s show plans, including in-booth digital giveaways, and more!

REAL LIFE EXAMPLE: Ashey Kronsberg at Boom! Studios launched a Booktrovert campaign to reach New York ComicCon attendees with a combination of outreach to their own newsletter mailing list and a QR code at the show to help direct traffic.

As Ashley told us, digital tactics are “becoming more of a need when it comes to B2B shows as not all retailers/librarians can bring physical copies back with them; so I anticipate it will become more unique for consumers as well.” This is where Booktrovert can fill in the gaps!

Built-In Event Insights

With Booktrovert’s Detailed Analytics, you’ll be able to use the email addresses of everyone who entered your Sweepstakes or Giveaway to make post-event follow-up both thoughtful and targeted since they are already opted-in to hear from you. It’s an efficient way to keep the momentum going long after the event ends.

Plus, learn more about demographics and who your book appeals most to, giving you actionable data to put more informed strategy behind your marketing tactics.

Why Digital Makes Sense

Beyond convenience, bringing NetGalley and Booktrovert to events significantly reduces printing and shipping waste, making your conference presence more sustainable. It also lowers costs: no unexpected shipping charges, no last-minute reprints, no guessing how many copies to bring. Instead, every attendee can reliably access your titles in a format that’s immediate, accessible, and aligned with their reading preferences.

Digital doesn’t necessarily need to replace print copies, but it does complement it in powerful ways, ensuring you never miss an opportunity to connect a reader with a book.

If you’d like help planning your strategy for an upcoming conference, or want support choosing links, QR code destinations, or Booktrovert campaign options, we’re here to help.

London Book Fair Wrap-Up 2025

The London Book Fair 2025 was busy – both for NetGalley and for the book trade in general. Publishing Perspectives reports around 300,000 attendees and a 10% increase in activity in the International Rights center. It was certainly noticeable how busy all the halls at Olympia were, especially on the first two days of the fair. It felt like old times, even as we ushered in the new with our Firebrand Group stand moving to a bigger, better and more spacious area.

With more room in our stand, we were able to conduct even more meetings than usual and make the most of our whole Firebrand Group – NetGalley, Firebrand Technologies, Supadu, and Media Do International – being in the same place at the same time.

*Clients & colleagues of the Firebrand Group at London Book Fair*

While there are uncertainties out there for global publishing, this year’s theme, “Defining the Future of Creative Content”, hinted at the number of conversations surrounding AI. There was an energy and a spark across the fair as businesses weighed the threats and opportunities throughout the industry.

The announcement of Booktrovert – a brand new, standalone consumer marketing platform powered by NetGalley – was timed to coincide with the fair. Booktrovert will be launched in Q2 2025, as a destination website where readers can celebrate their love of books by participating in digital giveaways, special promotions, and fun bookish activities. Publishers and authors looking to reach U.S. readers will be able to start scheduling campaigns very soon!

Aside from the meetings and the long queues for coffee, London Book Fair is all about connections. The opportunity to discuss ideas in person with both clients and colleagues is always a pleasure. The energy of this year’s London Book Fair was welcome to see, and promises much for the rest of the year!

Stuart Evers (Director, NetGalley UK) and Kristina Radke (SVP, Business Growth & Engagement) at the Firebrand Group stand during LBF

ABA Winter Institute Wrap-Up 2025

The 2025 Winter Institute, presented by the American Booksellers Association, was one of the most high-energy, collaborative, and emotionally charged events we’ve attended. While we acknowledge the reports of a contentious community forum, the personal experience of the NetGalley team members who attended was one of optimism and hope. From booksellers eager to get started or learn how to utilize NetGalley even more to publishers discussing evolving industry trends, we found the gathering to be dynamic and insightful overall.

Booksellers: Learning, Listening, and Looking for Audiobooks

*Tarah Theoret (VP, Community Engagement) and Darcy Piedmonte (Director of Customer Acquisition & Success)*

Winter Institute remains an incredible opportunity to connect with booksellers at all stages of their careers. This year, we met many new booksellers who were excited to learn how to utilize new tools available on NetGalley (like the NetGalley Reader) and confirm that their staff could sign up for their own NetGalley accounts and use the ABA store number. Education was a key theme for us, ensuring that booksellers understand widget invites, auto-approvals, feedback expectations, and how NetGalley can help streamline their workflows.

One persistent misconception we addressed was the belief that booksellers are required to maintain an 80% Feedback Ratio on NetGalley. While it is recommended that all member types submit Feedback, we recognize that writing a review may not be a priority for booksellers in the same way it is for a journalist or consumer reviewer. As NetGalley continues to evolve, we are exploring ways to further customize the Feedback process for booksellers and other member types.

A recurring theme in our conversations? Booksellers want more audiobooks! Several expressed that audiobooks help them keep up with their TBR lists and allow them to be more effective handsellers. Our response? “Tell your sales reps how important audiobooks are to you and your staff,” because booksellers really care about reading books before including them in their inventory and selling them. In other words, hand-selling is alive and well and distinguishes the indies from other retail spaces.

Publishers: Digital Expansion and Strategic Conversations

A notable question from many publishers was, “Can you tell us more about NetGalley’s reach?” While the focus at Winter Institute remains the bookseller community, publishers are keen to hear how NetGalley connects them to independent booksellers, and also other member groups like librarians and journalists. They were interested in stats, reporting, and facilitation of communication with those who’ve interacted with their books, particularly when comp books, or additional titles by a given author are published. To learn more about NetGalley’s reach, check out our 2025 Community Update and Community Spotlight on Children’s and Middle Grade activity!

An additional trend in the Galley Room was the increasing use of QR codes for digital access. We were happy to show how easy and sustainable QR codes can be right at our table. A partnership with Patagonia Books allowed us to exclusively offer their book, Tools to Save Our Home Planet, via QR code. A number of other publishers incorporated QR codes alongside physical galleys in the Galley Room and we were thrilled by this interest in a growing digital shift. We encourage publishers to further streamline their processes by linking straight to NetGalley and ensure a seamless experience for booksellers. To that end, we also shared a QR code of our own Sustainability in Publishing post.

We also planted seeds for NetGalley’s upcoming consumer marketing opportunity, Booktrovert, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. Publishers have long wanted to target both book trade professionals and consumers, but not necessarily in the same space. When they heard that “it’s coming,” excitement was palpable.

Looking Ahead: Opportunities & Next Steps

Overall, Winter Institute 2025 was an energizing reminder of the passion, dedication, and resilience of the book industry. As booksellers, publishers, and industry professionals continue to adapt and innovate, NetGalley remains committed to supporting the connections that bring books into the hands of readers everywhere.

Audio Publishers Association Conference 2025 Wrap-Up: Key Takeaways and Trends

This year’s Audio Publishers Association Conference (APAC) reaffirmed what industry professionals have long suspected: the audiobook market is not just healthy—it’s thriving. With digital audio surpassing e-book unit sales in 2025 and maintaining double-digit annual growth, the format’s dominance is clearer than ever. Industry leaders, including Simon & Schuster CEO, Jonathan Karp, underscored the importance of audio in expanding readership and accessibility, particularly for audiences who might not otherwise buy a book.

Audio’s Expanding Role in Publishing

One of the biggest themes of APAC 2025 was how audiobook sales augment rather than cannibalize book sales. In every business track session, publishers emphasized access to new audiences. In fact, audio is driving book acquisitions, according to Chris Lynch (President & Publisher for S&S Audio) in conversation with Karp. Many bestsellers today originated as self-published audiobooks, proving that the format is an entry point for new voices. Publishers are paying close attention to indie creators and original projects designed specifically for audio. Karp noted that “audio is integral to our growth strategy,” with major publishers actively seeking to acquire audio publishers and strengthen their foothold in this growing sector.

Short-form audio also emerged as a key opportunity, with speakers emphasizing that some projects are better suited to spoken-word formats than print. While economic challenges exist—listeners often associate longer audiobooks with greater value—there is enthusiasm for exploring more flexible pricing models to accommodate shorter content.

The AI Debate: Balancing Technology and Human Artistry

A collective groan rippled through the audience when AI narration came up. The tension is clear: while AI offers potential for cost-effective solutions, especially for backlist titles that might not otherwise be produced, it also raises concerns about diminishing the human artistry at the heart of audiobooks. Chris Lynch noted that AI could help bring audiobooks to underserved markets where traditional production wouldn’t be financially viable, but Karp reminded attendees: “You are artisans… essential to the success of audiobooks.”

For international markets, AI-assisted translation and narration could help expand access, but industry leaders emphasized the importance of local voices. Listeners often prefer narrators who match their regional accents and cultural contexts. The balance between AI’s efficiency and human performance remains a crucial industry challenge.

Marketing Like You Mean It

A standout session from the conference was Seizing the Rise of Audiobooks, Marketing Like You Mean It, moderated by NetGalley’s own Darcy Piedmonte, Director of Customer Acquisition & Success. Piedmonte led a dynamic conversation on how publishers can move beyond the fear that audiobooks cannibalize print sales and instead embrace the rapid expansion of audio into new and diverse markets.

Panelists included:

David Walter, Executive Director of Client Development – Books for Circana
Agustina Casal, Director of Digital Sales & Marketing for Ingram Content Group
Samantha Edelson, Vice President of Marketing for Macmillan Audio
Mark Pearson, Co-Founder & CEO of Libro.fm
Jess Kessler, Head of Brand & Content Marketing of Audible, North America

The discussion covered key strategies for innovative and creative audio marketing, including how audiobook marketing continues to evolve alongside digital media consumption. Some of the biggest trends discussed included:

All Boats Rise: When audiobooks do well, all books do well. While print stays remarkably stable over time, new formats add to publishers’ overall sales.
Podcasts & Audiobooks: The impact of podcasts on audiobook sales remains a topic of debate. While some see competition, others view it as an opportunity to inspire nonfiction authors to craft compelling, high-quality content.
Younger Audiences & Genre Growth: The 18-25 demographic is rapidly growing, particularly in nonfiction (well-being) and genre fiction (romance, thriller). The increase in kids’ audiobook consumption also presents a major opportunity, especially through screen-free speaker devices like Yoto and Toniebox.
Fandom Mentality: Readers increasingly engage with books like fans of TV series or movies, wanting content across multiple formats. The success of multicast productions, such as 1984 featuring Cynthia Erivo and Andrew Garfield, exemplifies how casting choices can draw in new audiences.
Gaming Crossovers: Creative marketing strategies are reaching new audiences, for instance the Red Dead Redemption gaming community, with projects like Red Dead’s History: A Video Game, an Obsession, and America’s Violent Past (narrated by Roger Clark, the iconic and award-winning full performance-capture actor) that connect books to their interests.
Discoverability & Metadata: Ensuring accurate and refreshed metadata remains critical. Publishers are investing in tools to optimize audiobook discoverability across platforms.
Opportunities for Marketing: Audiobooks offer a multitude of ways for booksellers, narrators, educators, and influencers to bring stories to life through listening.

Global Audiobook Market: What’s Next?

The international audiobook market is evolving rapidly. Emerging markets like France and Brazil are set to accelerate their growth, learning from the U.S. experience.

France is on the verge of becoming a mature market, aided by a booming graphic novel-to-audio pipeline.
The Nordic region remains a leader, with 60% of books consumed in audio format, driving authors to write with audio-first storytelling in mind.
Spain and Latin America are key areas of investment, with publishers focused on translating backlist titles and creating original Spanish-language content.
Local accents matter—listeners in Portugal prefer European Portuguese over Brazilian, and Spanish-speaking listeners are divided among regional dialect preferences.
The German children’s audiobook market is flourishing, bolstered by speaker boxes that have become the third-largest seller of children’s books.

Looking Forward: Challenges & Opportunities

Despite its rapid growth, the audiobook industry faces several challenges:

Marketing & Publicity Struggles: Simply releasing an audiobook isn’t enough—publishers need strong hooks tied to cultural moments to break through the noise. Digital marketing tools, including NetGalley, are making early audiobook promotions easier than ever, allowing for pre-pub reviews and cross-format marketing efforts. As mentioned above, the success of one format is a win for all!
Balancing Format & Content: Publishers must assess whether a story is best suited for an audiobook, a documentary, or another medium. In the case of audiobooks based on graphic novels or manga, producers are closely considering whether the concepts depicted in the art will translate to the audio format and, if so, diving in to create the audiobook.
The First Listen Matters: If a listener’s first audiobook experience is poor—whether due to AI narration or low production quality—they may abandon the format entirely.
Piracy on YouTube: Publishers voiced concerns about unauthorized audiobook uploads that fail to compensate rights holders.

Final Thoughts

Audiobooks are not just surviving—they’re thriving, expanding, and reshaping the publishing landscape. Whether it’s embracing indie voices, exploring new markets, or refining marketing strategies, the industry is adapting to ensure that audio continues to be a powerful storytelling force.

As Karp put it, “A great book is a great book.” The challenge ahead is ensuring that audiences can find, access, and engage with these books—no matter how they choose to read or listen.