Off the Shelf’s Wi11 Backlist Book Swap Video Now Online

A video compilation of bookseller interviews shot by Off the Shelf at Winter Institute 11’s Backlist Book Swap is now available online.

On Saturday, January 23, hundreds of booksellers and publishers gathered in the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel’s Plaza Foyer to share their favorite backlist titles at the Winter Institute’s first-ever Book Swap event. Guests were videotaped doing quick “bookseller-on-the-street” spots as they tried their “hand” at hand-selling titles to the camera.

“One of the things that I was very excited about was that these books are from all genres; they are from multiple publishers and are being recommended by booksellers from all across the country,” said Wendy Sheanin, vice president, director of marketing for Simon & Schuster’s Adult Trade Group, who conducted more than 30 bookseller interviews for Off the Shelf during the event. “It really highlighted the breadth of great publishing.”

The Backlist Book Swap video is posted on Simon & Schuster’s YouTube channel associated with OfftheShelf.com. Featuring reviews and thematic lists, the platform is devoted to the discovery and rediscovery of backlist books. 

“I think it’s easy for these terrific backlist titles to sometimes to fall into the background a little bit because we, as publishers, are always looking for the next big thing,” said Sheanin, who heads the team that produces Off the Shelf. She spends a lot of her time and energy thinking about older books and how to bring them to readers’ attention.

Off the Shelf publishes new posts five days a week and includes a Revisit & Rediscover category highlighting reviews written by ABA member booksellers for the Indie Next List’s Revisit & Rediscover feature. Subscribers have the option to receive daily or weekly e-mails.

“We also let our colleagues at other publishing houses know when their books are featured on the site,” added Sheanin. “They, in turn, share the news with their authors and on social media, amplifying the passion for these great books.”

Booksellers are invited to share Off the Shelf’s Backlist Book Swap video on their store websites and social media channels and to visit OfftheShelf.com for more backlist recommendations. Off the Shelf is also on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and The List app.

For a complete list of booksellers’ Wi11 Backlist Book Swap picks, visit BookWeb.org. To see photos from the Backlist Book Swap Photo Booth, check out ABA’s Facebook album.