The book fair that was

Welcome to the fair.

Frankfurt 2012.

Day 1: October 8
At a fast clip it was a 20-minute hike from the entance of the Messe to Hall 8, home of English language countries and international organizations. Or as one blogger put it, so far that it deserved its own time zone. The moving walkways are not-- and when they later do, they move at a geriatric pace

Set up day was obvioulsy not for small players like IDRC, with a 2x2 m booth and two boxes of display stuff. The hall was crawling with high loaders shuffling huge black plastic wrapped packages. Booths the size of homes were being erected.Some have enough furniture for a banquet hall.

The scene at booth N910 was dismal. Pieces of lumber on the plastic-covered floor, the table and chairs shrink wrapped, the shelves as dusty as some at home. Clearly no one from the Commonwealth Secretariat, right in front of me, has come. The OECD stand next door is being erected and plastic flowers planted. The World Bank's domain is wrapped in yellow tape like a crime scene. At least we're in good company.

I unwrap the table, mount the shelves and decide that tomorrow will be soon enough to open the boxes. Maybe someone will have swept the floor.

Day 2: October 9
Nope, the floor has not been swept but there are fewer impassable aisles and the highloaders are retreating. More boxes and packages are being brought in through huge bays-- unbelievable what some publishers ship. I open my two boxes and set up our modest display. After all, I'm not here to sell books, but to meet with our copublishers and distributors. And my dance card for the next 3 days is very full.

IDRC's home: N910, Hall 8