Indie Authors, Showcase Your Literary Gems to Librarians at NELA!)
New England Library Association
Conference (no book sales)
October 26-28, 2025. Newport, RI
Connect with more than 600+ library professionals.
The NELA conference offers a unique opportunity to showcase your books, build relationships, and reach a wider audience. Another benefit of being an IPNE member.
The NELA conference is the one show where you will find the most regional librarians, staff, and trustees gathered in one place. They delight in finding uncommon and regional books from indie publishers and small presses to meet the needs and interests of their patrons..
What is NELA:
The New England Library Association (NELA) advocates for New England libraries and library workers. More than 600 librarians and library professionals gather at their annual meeting held October 26-28. More info about NELA at nelib.org.
IPNE at NELA: IPNE will have a booth in the exhibit hall of the convention. You can exhibit book(s), attend and mix with librarians and library professionals that attend the convention, or have your book placed in the IPNE catalog which will be distributed to attendees.
Benefits of exhibiting at the IPNE booth:
- Directly interact with librarians who can add your book(s) to their collections.
- Forge meaningful connections with library book buyers
- Reach a wider audience by getting your books in front of people who can champion them.
- Put your books into the hands of eager librarians
- Get your book(s) featured in the conference catalog to reach even more librarians
- Networking & Fun: Enjoy receptions, cocktail hours, and the camaraderie of fellow authors and book enthusiasts
Event details
Date: Oct 26-28,2025. The event begins on Sunday Oct 26 with a reception and awards banquet. Vendor hours for IPNE exhibitors and volunteers are Oct 27 and 28.
Where: Newport Marriott Hotel & Spa, 25 America’s Cup Avenue, Newport, RI 02840
Take a look at last year: View photos of our 2024 booth and exhibitors, video of the exhibit hall and last year’s IPNE catalog below and at the bottom of page.
Options for IPNE members
- Exhibit one title for $75
- Exhibit two titles for $110
- Exhibit three titles for $145
- Catalog placement only – $45
NELA event upgrade option:
We tried something new last year at the last minute which was popular (sold out in three days.) When you exhibit, your book is included in the IPNE catalog which is available at our booth. We also distribute it by walking around and giving it to the 600+ librarians and library professionals attending the NELA convention.
This year we also have a full-page ad in the NELA event booklet, which contains the schedule of events and other conference information and is constantly referred to by attendees through the conference.
You can place your book cover in our full-page ad in the NELA event booklet. See last year’s ad below. This gives your book additional visibility to the librarians and helps get them to our booth to view your book. Last year we did a half-page ad with two large book cover spots ($95) and four smaller book cover spots ($50.) These spots sold out in three days and some exhibitors were disappointed when we ran out. Due to the popularity of this option, this year we are placing a full-page ad and offering six larger book cover spots (currently $95) and twelve smaller spots (currently $50.)
This upgrade option is offered on a first come first served basis. Those who register early have the first opportunity to reserve these spots until they run out. These spots are currently offered at 2024 pricing, but we may increase it a bit, so reserve your spot before we do.
If you wish to reserve one of these book cover spots please register as an exhibitor. We will bill you directly to reserve an upgrade option. If you have questions or wish to check on availability, use our contact us form or call 781-214-0980.
Eligibility: Open to IPNE members. Books to be exhibited are curated. Click here for curation guidelines. (Any IPNE member book that meets minimum standards of production and quality can be exhibited.)
Materials: You may include up to 50 4×9” rack cards. We cannot accommodate other types of promo materials or displays. We will have banners and other display materials.
Training session: There will be a training session in early September as to how to best interact with attendees, make connections and how to best follow-up after the conference.
What you need to do to register and participate:
Register now if you wish an upgrade option (This is offered on a first-come-first-serve basis): You must register and submit all necessary information and graphics by October 6.
Book Details and Image: You will need a high-resolution image of your company logo or book image. You will also need to provide information about you and your book to be included in the IPNE catalog/flyer.
You will receive all necessary instructions as to the above, booth etiquette, where to ship your book(s) to us (Note: They cannot be returned,) and other details well in advance.
Questions: Use our contact us form or call 781-214-0980.
