Tag Archives: DOMBOLOGNA

DU SOIS in Bologna: The Bologna Children’s Book Fair and Beyond

by

Are you a student in the Dominican University School of Information Studies? Interested in international literature for young people? Love to travel? You may have missed the 2024 trip, but there’s always next year. Check out some of what you missed and help inspire your Spring 2025 course selections (hint: registering for LIS 796!).

Exploring Bologna: Gorgeous Bologna is capital of the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and home to the oldest university in the world (University of Bologna was founded in 1088!). Known as the Fat City (for the mouthwatering food), the Red City (for the red-tiled roofs and leftist politics), and the Learned City (for the university), Bologna has something for everyone’s tastes. Explore the endless list of restaurants and markets, but be sure to try the tortellini or Bolognese the region is known for. Wander the very-walkable city for amazing architectural sites spanning from the Etruscans to modern times. The stunning Biblioteca Salborsa (main library) and associated city government buildings are a personal favorite spot to explore. Or spend your first day in one or many of the free museums that dot the city—occupying your mind and belly is a great way to fight the first day jet lag!

The library steps are the cool place to hangout
Biblioteca Salaborsa entry floor
The main gallery of the library

Excursion to Ravenna: Bologna is a great jumping off point to explore the region. DU students have ventured to Modena, Verona, Florence, Ravenna, and more. This year, a 70 minute train ride took us to Ravenna to admire the stunning mosaic work for which the city is known. A complex of Roman and Byzantine religious buildings have been designated a UNECSO World Heritage site and provide a great deep dive into the history and art of the city. There are even locations to watch modern mosaic artists at work.

Liz at Museo Archivescovile e Cappella di Sant’Andrea
Basilica di San Vitale
San Vitale interior

BCBF Day 1: Then to the main event—book fair day. The class joins thousands of book industry professionals in a celebration and exploration of kid lit from around the world (over 31,000 attendees this year!). The scope and scale of the event are massive, spanning five halls of the sprawling Bologna Fiere conference center complex. Day one highlights include: The lovely (and well-catered) opening ceremony, Stories Across Media: a celebration of the winners of the BolognaRagazzi CrossMedia award, Reading for a Healthy Planet: Inspiring Children’s Books to Help Achieve a Sustainable Future, and a delightful and delicious class dinner.   

Thousands of people excited to start the conference
Keri is ready to explore BCBF

BCBF Day 2: More to see and do with the global community of book lovers! The fair includes awards, programming, author and illustrator presentations, visual showcases, and publisher booths (for showing off and the buying/selling of international book rights). Today was our day for book-celebrity sightings: Mac Barnett (Spy Kid series), Oliver Jeffers (The Incredible Book Eating Boy), Lincoln Pierce (Big Nate books), and book publisher Neal Porter (Neal Porter Books). And, of course, a stop at one of the conference floor gelato stands!

Mac Barnett’s new book will publish in Italian only until someone buys the US rights–for sale at BCBF.

Individual travel: SOIS students branched out on their own this year too, exploring in Rome, Florence and Venice on their free day and before/after the official class travel. If you’re already headed to Italy, you should definitely check some things off the bucket list.

Sneak Peek at 2025: Keep an eye out for an official Information Session in Fall 2024 to discuss the Spring 2025 course, including coursework, itinerary, associated costs, and more. And save the date for travel—BCBF 2025 will take place March 31-April 3, 2025. Slovenia will serve as next year’s guest of honor country and Brazilian illustrator Bruno DeAlmeida provides the bicycle-themed visual identity.

Not an SOIS student? Contact the Butler Center at butler@dom.edu for ways you can participate in 2025.

Arrivederci!

Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2020—Online Special Edition

by

 

BCBF 2019 Jen entry

Butler Center Curator (that’s me!) at BCBF 2019

Since the decisions were made to first postpone, then cancel, the in-person BCBF event this spring, organizers have been hard at work transitioning all possible events and content to online activities. And from the opening session to awards presentations, digital exhibits to discussion panels they have made quite a pivot in the last few weeks. So if you have always wanted to attend the Fair, but haven’t gotten the opportunity, well here’s your chance to get a taste of Bologna (then head to Italy next year to taste the tortellini and gelato as well!).

 

The Details:

When: May 4-7, 2020

Where: Bologna Children’s Book Fair (this should take you to the English language site, but if not there is an option for English at the top right of the page)

Who: While BCBF is essentially a rights fair, there is a wide variety of content for books lovers of all sorts.

Why: Books—of course!

Get a sneak peek of what to expect on the Live Events preview page.

BCBF Opening Session 2019
DU Students (and Thom!) at BCBF 2019

Some of what I’m most excited about:

OPENING SESSION: NEW NORMAL: HOW CHILDREN’S PUBLISHERS ARE ADAPTING TO A POST-PANDEMIC WORLD—Monday, May 4th at 11 am (*Central European Summer Time or 7 hours ahead of Chicago’s Central Daylight Time)—Focusing on children’s publishing during the worldwide lockdown and the perspectives of the industry in a world redesigned by this global experience.

IBBY VIRTUAL PRESS CONFERENCE 2020—Monday, May 4th at 2:30pm (Central European Summer Time)—Announcements and awards presentations.

BCBF GALLERIES—Artwork and Book Exhibitions 

*Unless you’re a very early riser, you‘ll be checking these out after the fact, like me.

Check out the Digital Kit for hashtags, fun filters, and social channels for finding BCBF events.

After you’ve seen just some of the wonderful fair content and amazing new books, and dreamed about attending, save the date for next year’s fair April 12-15, 2021. And stay tuned for how you might join the Dominican SOIS course next spring!