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Book Fairs 101
A How-to Handbook for Book Fair Exhibitors

By Susan Ravdin

Part 1
Supplies Box Basics

I was once told of a posting to the ABAA chatline from a member who was preparing for his or her first book fair. The question was, "What should I take for basic supplies?" The first answer was "Ask Sue Ravdin." You see, I carry almost everything ...

Not that you need to, of course - I just tend to do everything to the extreme. Still, there's nothing in my box that I haven't used at least a dozen times, in varied and sometimes bizarre ways. Few people would have drapery hangers around the house and fewer still would think of using them at a book fair, but they do have their uses. Thinking creatively and seeing multiple applications for simple items is a useful skill to develop (more on that in a later posting).

What are the basics? the must haves? the I can't do the fair withouts? Let's start with the obvious, while ignoring the larger items such as table cloths and folding bookcases (or their equivalents). I see these as:

Bookends At least a dozen, preferably two Scissors Pencil and pen Eraser Small pad of paper Or stack of light card - you never know when you'll need to take notes Tape Regular and/or packing Calculator Business cards And don't forget the card holder Receipt book plus spare, just in case Credit card machine and/or slips and/or cell phone with credit card ap ... if applicable Cash box, pouch or other container For money taken in and change given out ... we hope! With these I could operate, but only on a basic, and rather frustrating, level.

What do I really need, really want to have at hand? Oh, so many items ...

You see, I like to display things, open things, hang things, and show things off. To that end my box contains so many more things; some odd, some understandable, all useful. Choose what you might want to include from the following suggestions:

Hooks of various kinds

The most useful are the large S-hooks used to hang booth signs at many fairs (grab a few off the floor if they're going to be swept up and thrown away). Look around at hardware and decor stores for other kinds you might want to have available; simple ones aren't noticed, fancier ones can give your booth a dressier look.

Bulldog clips of varying sizes

Useful in so many ways, especially to provide an "eye" for hanging things from your hooks. Just don't use them directly on the item, instead clip them to mylar sleeves or sandwich the edge of the item with heavy card pieces before clipping

Small box with push pins, rubber bands, paper clips and other such office supplies

You'd be surprised how useful it is to have a few of each of these around; keep them in Altoids® or similar tins for convenience and ease of storage or access.

Wedges or shims

For stabilizing bookcases on uneven tables. The Wobble Wedges® we use are available commercially in several housewares stores.

Tools

I keep a hammer with graduated screwdrivers in the handle and a Swiss Army knife close at hand. You never know when you'll need to repair a bookcase or table. I have been asked for pliers, but have yet to carry them.

One or two clip, clamp, or screw-on lamps, with 12' extension cord

If you need extra light and you can reach an outlet, these can come in really handy. It's amazing how just a little extra light can make a huge difference to your display. Alternately, there are free-standing, battery operated lights and lamps that can be used as well, especially now that LEDs are brighter than they used to be.

Bungee cords

Great for strapping bookcases together (packing tape also works well for that), as well as so many other applications; I keep three of different lengths.

Box-cutter

Just don't pack it in the box you need to cut open! (It happened to a neighbour at a conference.)

White out and a fine-point marker

No matter how careful I am, typos creep into my labels; these make temporary, on the fly changes possible.

Dusting cloth and glass cleaner

For obvious reasons. Although not all display case providers include glass cleaner, some add a small spray bottle (3 or 4 oz.) with a stack of paper towels. A similar small bottle will fit nicely into your box and be at hand when you need it.

Mini stapler

For those fairs that require them for sealing bags.

Paintbrush

Good for dusting the tops of books. If your supplies box is small, look for a make-up brush that twists into a lipstick-like case or some similar craft brush.

Tape measure

You never know when you'll want to measure things! I once had to prove to an organizer that my allotted booth space was 4" too narrow, so my tables wouldn't fit as they were supposed to.

Magnifying glass

You'd be surprised how many times I've been asked for it!

Blu-Tac®

Good for sticking things up, like labels or shelf tags or Visa/MasterCard signs.

Paper and/or plastic bags

Keep a small stash handy in case you end up at show where they aren't supplied. Alternately, a small roll of grocery-style plastic bags will do in a pinch and are more compact to store.

A roll of drop cloths

Available in hardware departments and stores, these small rolls of large but thin plastic fit nicely in a supplies box and are crucial if you find yourself under a leaking roof. You might think such things are rare, but they've happened at major shows like New York and San Francisco - I once walked in for the second day of a show and saw someone carrying off a part of my booth that had spent the night under a leak - I wish I'd used a drop cloth that time!

Then come the luxuries that are nice to have. These are the things that add a little punch to a display and let you really dress things up. Some of these I use, some I've seen on other booths; they include:

Acid-free glue and archival tape

For those quick repairs like when the corner of a spine label comes loose

Book display stands and/or cradles

Our choice of style does both, the more versatile the better. These allow you to break up your visual space, show off your flashiest volumes, and call attention to that special piece.

Lengths of chain ...

... just long enough to reach from the top of the drapery to below the table height. Attach these to an S-hook and let them drop down. They're a great way to hang things at various levels, and add a decorative touch as well. Small hooks slipped into the links can hold framed items or plastic sleeves with a clip attached.

Command® hooks and strips

These temporary wall hooks make it easy to hang framed items on the exhibition hall walls or columns, the sides of display cases and bookcases, or anywhere you can't sink a pin or hang a hook. And they don't damage the paint or finishes!

Book clips

The small, not very strong clips you can use to hold a page open when displaying a book. I found mine at a dollar store after a long search for ones with fairly weak springs that didn't look like chip clips; if you keep your eyes open you may find ones you like as well. The traditional brass-hand style clips are really classy, and I've even seen some people use gaudy old clip-on earrings that looked really wonderful.

Archival polyethylene tape

Great for strapping open pages when displaying a book in a cradle, or for wrapping around a book that needs a little extra support to stand alone.

Book snakes or weights

Also used for holding a book open, they can be made simply by putting small pellets in a cloth tube and sewing down the ends, or you can use strings of beads - some of the commercially available styles are really unusual and beautiful. These can add a hit of colour to a display full of antiquarian title pages and brown leather bindings, while serving a practical purpose.

Smaller piece of contrasting fabric

This can really add punch to a plain table or display case. Some choose a book motif, some a colour contrast to their main drapery, and some just a bold stripe or geometric pattern - whatever goes with your taste and booth design. Among my favourites were a Navaho rug used by a dealer who specialized in Western Americana, and a piece of rich blue velvet used with a fine bindings display.

Place card holders

Designed to dress up a dining table, these look wonderful holding labels in a glass display case, especially the trophy style cases where you want your labels to stand up and face out rather than lie flat.

Small label maker, or pre-made shelf labels

For identifying your categories, making quick browsing easier for the customers with specific interests.

Small mirrors or pieces of mirrored glass

These look great in a case, where a well placed piece allows more than one view of an item, especially for fine bindings or books that you want to display both the title page and the covers.

I could go on, but this is a good start. As you do more and more shows, you'll develop your own must-haves, useful things, and luxuries. Be creative in how you use them and you'll find that something you put in the box for one purpose will serve as well for another.

As for the supplies box itself, whatever you use, pack it in an organized way. Some of the best ones I've seen are toolboxes with a divided upper tray and a deep lower space, and plastic bins with fishing tackle inserts. I never got that fancy and just use a copy-paper box, with several smaller containers holding all the fidgety loose items inside. But when I pack it up at the end of a fair, each item is in its place so that when I need to find it during my next set up I don't have to search. Set-up time is too precious to waste having to scramble through a disorganized box searching for some small thing you know is there but just can't find.

My final advice? Keep you eyes open when you're out shopping. The oddest things might catch your eye, and they might just turn out to be exactly what you've been hunting for. Serendipity!

Next up "Planning your footprint"

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Last updated: 04/02/2017
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