The annual Booksellers Conference is the premier book industry event of the year. It’s a unique opportunity to come together as a community and hear from industry leaders; a chance to celebrate the highs and tackle the lows of the bookselling business together.
Bookselling in Aotearoa is a story of resilience, creativity, and community; and this year’s Conference is our chance to celebrate exactly that, while looking boldly at what comes next.
Join us on Friday 24 July in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland for a full day designed to inform, inspire, and connect!
We’ve brought together an exceptional line-up of speakers, thinkers, and doers. Expect the latest market insights from Nielsen Book Data, a do-not-miss keynote from Te Awhi Rito New Zealand Reading Ambassador and beloved author Kate De Goldi, and a deep dive into romance with a panel of genre experts. Practical workshops will give you tools to take straight back to your shop from celebrating Children’s Book Week, to levelling up your email marketing, to what modern succession planning really looks like. We’ll also hear from bookselling scholars returning from around the world, and witness the unveiling of this year’s Bookshop Day artist.
The day closes with our Community Forum and AGM because this organisation belongs to all of us, and your voice matters.
Come together. Share ideas. Be inspired.
Register now → HERE
A huge thank you to our generous Conference sponsors: HarperCollins Publishers Aotearoa New Zealand, Narseys Distribution, Libro.fm, and Te Papa Press. We couldn’t do it without you.
Date & Time
Friday 24 July, 8am–5.30pm
Venue
AUT Events Centre – WG Building
74 Governor Fitzroy Place, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010
FULL PROGRAMME
8AM — Arrive
- Market Insights with Nevena Nikolic, Territory Manager NZ for NielsenIQ BookData
- Children’s Book Week with Juliette Blyth, Chief Executive of Read NZ Te Pou Muramura
- Children’s Book Week — The Workshop
Morning Tea
- The Keynote with Kate De Goldi, Te Awhi Rito New Zealand Reading Ambassador
- Bookselling Scholars Report with Māia Te Whetū and Anna Hedley
- Email Marketing Masterclass with Glenn Edgley, Mailchimp & Spikemail
Lunch
- Bookshop Day 2026 artist & artwork unveiling
- Q&A with Gavin Williams, ABA President and owner of Matilda Bookshop
- Exit Strategy: Looking at modern bookshop succession with Link Business Brokers
Afternoon Tea
- Is the romance genre a bookselling bubble or bedrock? A panel discussion between publisher Kate Stephenson, author Jackie Ashenden and specialist bookseller Ruby Wallace from Enamoured Books.
- Community Forum (45m)
- AGM
From 6PM — Cocktails & Catch-Ups
Sunset Rooftop Bar in the Sudima Hotel
10th Floor/63-67 Nelson Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010
REGISTRATION DETAILS
General registration is now open for:
Booksellers Conference + AKL Trade Day
Single delegate (non-transferable)
$400 (+GST)
OR
AKL Trade Day Only
Single delegate (non-transferable)
$100 (+GST)
Terms & Conditions
Each registration is for a single delegate only and is non-transferable. After submitting this registration form, you will be invoiced for payment. Please note, this is NOT A TICKET TO THE BOOK INDUSTRY AWARDS. The Book Industry Awards will be held on the evening of Saturday 25 July and are ticketed separately.
Refund Policy
If you cancel your registration before 30 May 2026, you will receive a 100% refund. If you cancel your registration between 1 June–15 June 2026, you will receive a 50% refund. After 15 June 2026 we will not issue any refunds.
AUCKLAND TRADE DAY
At Auckland Trade Day, attendees can connect face-to-face with publishers and distributors, build lasting relationships, and secure orders for the season ahead. MORE ABOUT AKL TRADE DAY
Date & Time
Saturday 25 July, 9am–5pm
Venue
AUT Events Centre – WG Building
74 Governor Fitzroy Place, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010
Thank you again to our generous sponsors:
Event Accommodation
We’re so pleased to be partnering with SkyCity Hotel again this year to offer our delegates a discounted accommodation rate.