Home | Conditions of sale, and orders
Home | Conditions of
sale, and orders
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One of the biggest frustrations in preparing to do a fair is figuring out what equipment you need to order, and where to place it. By this I mean the "big stuff": tables, display cases, free standing bookcases, book boxes and the like; essentially the footprint of your booth.
At some fairs there is little choice. You are assigned a space marked out by its standard equipment; for example, three six-foot tables in a U-shape, or two eight foot tables in a straight line, or an eight foot and a six foot in an L-shape. Depends on the fair. Most difficult of all are some of the UK fairs where all you get is a space wide enough for three bays of standard folding bookcases stacked two high - what you do with the space (and how you stabilize those bookcases) is completely up to you!
Others mark out your space (say 10 x 10 or 9 x 12) and tell you that you have so much equipment (say two six foot tables) included, but you can rent a glass counter case, a trophy case, or an extra table if you want them.
Still other book fairs, most notably the ILAB fairs, give you a draped space (perhaps 10 x 12, or 10 x 15, or half either of those - again, depends on the fair). At these, minimal equipment - maybe a table, 2 chairs, perhaps 2 bookcases and, sometimes, a wastebasket - is provided and you rent everything else you might need.
Question is, how do you decide what to do with your space? Especially if you have to order extra equipment in advance? This takes careful thought about the stock you plan to take, how you intend to display it, what needs to be kept secured or out of easy reach, how you'll keep an eye out for thieves (and yes, there is the very occasional book thief to consider), whether you'll be alone or have a partner or assistant, and what kind of an environment you're comfortable in. These are variables only you can assess.
What I can do is give you the pros and cons of the different decisions you might make. What do I mean by that? Well, here's an example: not all 10 x 10 booths are alike. Yes, they're all square and they all measure the same, but a booth with half-height draped sides cannot fit 10 feet of equipment across the back. You see, the drapes' hardware is two inches wide, so your actual booth width is 9 feet 10 inches, which can be maddening when you've ordered equipment to completely span the 10 foot space; you may be able to squeeze those tables under the bar, but you'll loose the back of the table, and may end up encroaching on your neighbor's booth.
So, here are a few things to consider:
The number of tables you use in your booth can greatly affect the feel of the display. Tables around the entire perimeter tightens the space in which customers can move, making the space seem smaller, but maximizes the available display space. Booths with one or no tables, but with display cases or stacked bookcases instead, look bright, clean and spacious, but limit the way the stock can be displayed. Careful consideration of the number and types of books you are bringing, and the space and equipment provided, will help you find the balance that works best for you.
Consider alternative uses for the space. If the booth is defined by the tables provided (three in a "U", two in an "L" or in a straight line), would you be better served by replacing one table with stacked bookcases or boxes? or perhaps you have print stands that might go there? The trade-off is the loss of the area of the table where things can be laid flat, or books can be placed for handling and examination.
I would recommend that every booth have at least one 6' table or counter space. This gives you a place to write receipts, to open fragile volumes you're showing to customers, to bag purchases, for customers to put things down, and to have the flexibility that only a flat surface offers your display.
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Free-Standing Bookcase StacksMany of the folding bookcases most people use at book fairs are designed to stack two high. This is a useful idea, and can pack a lot of books into a relatively small foot print. Two caveats, however:
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Think you might want to use a glass case? Should you choose trophy case or a counter case? Both are great at attracting attention, both make people regard the books therein differently than if they're loose on your table, and both protect valuable and fragile items. So, what are their relative merits? Watch a customer's body language and the way he approaches a booth and you'll find out a lot about these cases.
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Trophy cases are designed to be looked at straight on: some items are at eye level, some below. Very visual items that call attention to themselves are well suited to these cases, whether they're plate books with spectacular engravings, gorgeous fine bindings, colourful dust jackets, or unusual artist's books. So they're a good choice if you want things to be seen from across the way and to draw customers into your booth; don't be surprised, though, if the casual visitor stands back and takes it all in at first, and then zeroes in closely on one or two items. |
Counter cases, on the other hand, encourage a different kind of viewing. Being below eye level, they rely on catching the attention of a passerby. Customers who examine the items in these have to lean in and look closely to see what's there. For this reason, they're a good choice if you have a mixture of visual items and more ordinary looking things; the visual catches the eye, and the closeness of the approach ensures the customer sees the plainer pieces. Counter cases are also easier to talk over and can double as writing surfaces. |
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Oh, and there is a third option, one many dealers choose, especially at fairs that don't offer the option of rented cases, and that's portable table-top cases. There are two main kinds of these, flat cases that have a hinged lid that can prop open at an angle, and tiered two- or three-shelf units that fold up. These influence your footprint because they take up table space that might otherwise have held a bookcase, and whichever table you put them on, they have to be visually accessible, including adequate lighting, to make them worth having.
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In short, how you choose to arrange your footprint within the basic booth space is entirely up to you. Look at what others do, think about the options relative to your stock and taste, and experiment. You won't get it right your first time out, but soon you'll begin to zero in on what works for you, your books, and your customers
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Last updated: 04/02/2017
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