As promised, here’s my bulleted(!) list of tips and tricks for planning a good BEA experience:

• Share a room. Our hotel was pricey, but among 4 people was just over $100 for two nights (that’s total, not each night). Not only are costs reduced, but everyone was good at communicating what we were bringing in order to avoid over packing.
• Map and price your hotel rooms well in advance. We pulled out the lower priced hotels early on when we were talking of attending BEA, and then we mapped the distance. We decided a little extra money (to the tune of probably $20 more or so per night) was worth walking less.
• For bloggers: REGISTER AS PRESS. We found out too late that bloggers are considered press at BEA, and we paid the $95 librarian registration fee. Rather than miss out on the press room perks, we chose to reregister and were still out $95. That would have almost covered the cost of our hotel.
• Bring business cards! All of us had those handy. Abby was smart and included her Twitter name, which I may go back and add on my future cards. Always have your blog name if you have one and if you have any corresponding images, that helps, too. I passed out more business cards at BEA than I ever did at a library conference.
• Be chill. I cannot stress enough that you shouldn’t have a set plan for the exhibits or autographs. We went in with things we knew we wanted to do and things we’d like to do. It was nice to be relaxed and just go with the flow — we didn’t hit everything and we hit some surprises (like the Rick Riordan audiobook signing).
• For things you’re really interested in, get in line early. If you’re at a book expo, it’s not like waiting in line for 30-45 minutes will be boring. You can read.
• Do NOT believe everything you read prior to attending. We all read a few articles about the galleys to be at BEA, and guess what? Not all of them were there. The articles were misleading and disappointing.
• When the crowds get crazy, go to lesser trafficked areas. When we were overwhelmed in areas, we went to the back of the exhibit hall, where we got the opportunity to talk with publicists from Bloomsbury and Egmont for a long time — totally worth it. Sure, we may have missed out on some of the “hot” galleys, but guess what? You can request them from the publishers later. Making the contacts and hearing about the publicist’s favorite titles is worth it.
• Speak up! I asked at Little, Brown when they’d have certain titles out. She gave me exact times and places. Then, she told me I could always email them, too, if I couldn’t get it. If I didn’t ask, I wouldn’t have known, right?
• Speak up, part two! When you see someone you recognize, talk to them. It was cool talking with authors who were signing, but it was just as cool to bump into them on the floor. Same with bloggers who you chat with all the time.
• Eat and do it smartly. If you’re traveling on a tight budget, scope out your options. A diet coke at the convention center set me back $4 each time. The diet coke from the gas station cost much less. We found one of the vendor carts in the pavilion, while expensive, was a less expensive option and we ate all of our meals there, except for the one at Burgers & Cupcakes.
• This is the most important thing you will hear: FIND THE SHIPPING ROOM. The shipping room was in the basement of the convention center and a total haven from the madness in the expo hall. You can pick up a box or two, write your name on it, and deposit all of your books any time the exhibit hall is open. It is cool down there, and people will NOT steal your stuff. When you fill a box, you can mail it right there, as well. Likewise, you can use the coat check area to store a rolling bag, if you want to. That costs $3 a day, but it is worth it. Kim fit all of her books into carry on baggage this way.
• This is the second most important thing you will hear: there are bathrooms in the basement that never have lines. Don’t waste your time in line in the expo hall. Take the stairs down two flights for a line-free time.
• Plan to spend about $1000. I know I spent a bit less than that, but that’s because I managed to get my airfare for $150 round trip. Food, lodging, shipping costs, and the unexpected expenses will add up.
• Don’t take a cab from the airport to your hotel. Take super shuttle. At $13 each way, it is a steal. Caveat: when you plan on being picked up to go back to the airport, give yourself 4 to 4.5 hours prior to your flight’s departure. I scheduled my shuttle for three hours before my flight, and he was 35 minutes late. Not a big deal, except that he had four more stops to make and traffic was a nightmare. I got to the airport an hour and a half before my take off, and security at La Guardia was not quick.
• Pack lightly and bring something nice. We ended up going to a dinner our first night and were glad we could dress up a little bit.
• If you are a librarian, attend the LJ dinner on the Tuesday night prior to BEA. Free food, free entertainment, and free books. Just, you know, have snacks in your room for eating.
• Be nice. If people have been waiting in line, don’t cut. I nicely told more than one person to get to the back of the line when they tried to jump, and this was when *I* wasn’t the first person. You will likely still get your book and meet your authors. Playing nice makes it an enjoyable experience for all.

I think that’s about all I have. BEA is a great experience, and I really look forward to going back next year with a better sense of what I’m doing.

If you attended BEA this year or in years past, what are your tips and tricks?

Stay tuned for Kim’s highlights and tips coming up soon!