On Friday, April 25th, the Book Industry Study Group (BISG) annual meeting took place at The New York Times Center. The theme of this year’s gathering was “Move Fast and Fix Things,” where different panels and networking opportunities focused on the idea that “It’s time to stop patching problems and start building smarter, faster, and more resilient systems—from metadata to supply chains, censorship to discovery.”
Four Pace University MS in Publishing Students were chosen to volunteer at the event, where besides helping behind the scenes, they were also able to attend some of the discussions and network with publishing professionals. These were their experiences:
Kianna: “I had such a great time volunteering at the BISG event this year. I learned so much about BISAC codes, AI, the supply chain, and so much more. My favorite part of the event was getting to discuss with publishing professionals about their roles. Getting to speak to people who have years of experience and awards was incredibly inspirational as they have the same goals as me of increasing diversity in books, fighting against book banning, and increasing sustainable practices in publishing. I am so honored I was able to participate in this event!”
Oriana: “I had an amazing experience volunteering for the BISG’s Annual Meeting. I had the chance to support the team with different tasks to help the programming run smoothly and attend different panels and networking opportunities. Throughout the day, I was able to learn more about AI, supply chain, metadata, BISAC codes, subrights, and so much more. My favorite part was the luncheon, where I was able to connect with different professionals specializing in subrights, rights management and international fairs and get to know more about their jobs and this side of the industry.
I am honored to have been part of this event and so grateful to the MS in Publishing program for this experience.”
Vidhi: “Volunteering at the BISG Annual Meeting of Members at the New York Times Center was such a great experience. It was exciting to be part of an event that brought together so many professionals from different areas of publishing. The panels were genuinely insightful—I especially enjoyed hearing about the future of digital distribution and how the industry is adapting to change.
What I loved most was the chance to network and have real conversations with people. Everyone was so open to sharing their experiences and advice. It really made me feel more connected to the industry and confirmed that I am on the right path.
Overall, it was an inspiring day, and I am grateful I got to be a part of it.”
Zetta: “I had an unforgettable experience volunteering for BISG’s Annual Meeting. My favorite part was the luncheon, where I was able to network with the co-creator of “We Are Stronger Than Censorship,” a national campaign that donates books in response to book bans. This event also gave me the opportunity to learn more about BISAC code merchandising, technology’s ever-changing impact on publishing, supply chain management, and more! I am honored to have been a part of this amazing and informative event.”
We are thrilled that our students enjoyed this experience and were able to learn about new aspects of the industry. We are also excited to see how the conversations that took place at this year’s BISG meeting will translate into real life action in the publishing industry.
A special thanks to the BISG team—Executive Director Brian O’Leary, Operations Manager Brooke Horn, and Marketing and Communications Manager Liz Bartek.