NYU School of Professional Studies Media Talk Series to Present Panel Discussion, “Book Lovers on the Internet: Connecting with Readers in Digital Ways”

NEW YORK, June 5, 2019—The NYU School of Professional Studies (NYUSPS) Center for Publishing will host the latest panel discussion in its NYU SPS Media Talk series on Wednesday, June 12, 6:30 – 8 p.m. Titled “Book Lovers on the Internet: Connecting with Readers in Digital Ways,” the panel will take place at the NYU Kimmel Center for University Life, Rosenthal Pavilion, 10th Floor, 60 Washington Square South (between LaGuardia Place & Thompson Street). A cocktail reception, from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., will follow.

Panelists from The New York Times, Books are Magic, Bustle, Epic Reads, and Electric Literature will talk about how they are creating a whole new narrative surrounding book coverage and literary communities online. The discussion will focus on the role of book clubs (digital and IRL), virtual author tours, innovative online events, and newsletters in enriching the discussion about great reads; the best way to harness the power of social media (especially Instagram) to connect with wider audiences and find new voices; and how bookstores can build engagement both off and online.

Moderating the discussion is M.J. Franklin, social editor at The New York Times who previously worked at Mashable as an assistant editor and host of the MashReads podcast.

About the panelists:

• Cristina Arreola is a senior books editor at Bustle.
• Jane K. Lee is a senior manager of content and community at Epic Reads, HarperCollins’s young adult reading community, where she manages brand activity, leads social media strategy, and develops content.
• Emma Straub is the New York Times bestselling author of Modern Lovers and The Vacationers, and with her husband, she owns Books Are Magic, an independent bookstore in Brooklyn, New York.
• Jess Zimmerman is the editor-in-chief of Electric Literature and a freelance writer. Her work has appeared in Hazlitt, The New Republic, The Guardian, The Washington Post, Eater, Slate, and The Cut. Her first book, Basic Witches, co-written with Jaya Saxena, was published in 2017. Her next book, an essay collection, is forthcoming from Beacon.

The NYUSPS Center for Publishing hosts the June 12^th Media Talk and Summer Publishing Institute Student and Alumni Party. This program also is part of the PubTechConnect series of events, co-hosted with Publishers Weekly, exploring the intersection of publishing and innovation.

If you are a member of the press who wishes to cover the event, please contact Alka Gupta at aag13@nyu.edu or Michael DeMeo at michael.demeo@nyu.edu.

About the NYUSPS Media Talk Series

The NYUSPS Media Talk series presents public conversations with media leaders about trends in business from an industry insider’s viewpoint. The February 2019 Media Talk, titled “From Book to Screen to Stage: New Audiences for Bestselling Fiction,” moderated by Pamela Paul of The New York Times, featured bestselling authors Harlan Coben, Val Emmich, and Adriana Trigiani who discussed their literary lives, and the challenges and opportunities of translating their works into new formats. Last year’s Media Talk, “Different Voices, Different Viewpoints,” highlighted a wide range of subjects. It featured leading editors and journalists from The New York Times, The Hollywood Reporter, Elle, and Vice News on the changing face of content in a world of 24-hour news cycles and the role of the editor in today’s digital landscape. Other NYU Media Talks have featured bestselling authors such as David Baldacci, Alice Hoffman, Jeff Kinney, Erik Larson, Lauren Oliver, Jodi Picoult, Jeffrey Toobin, and Colson Whitehead.

About the NYUSPS Center for Publishing: Digital and Print Media

The NYUSPS Center for Publishing: Digital and Print Media offers a range of innovative programs in publishing and digital media, including the MS in Publishing: Digital and Print Media, a 42-credit graduate program that prepares students for careers in books, digital and magazine media; the Summer Publishing Institute (SPI), a six-week intensive for recent college graduates, rising college seniors, and young professionals who are interested in entry-level careers in media; and executive education programs, both in New York and abroad. For more information about the Center for Publishing, visit sps.nyu.edu/publishing.

About the NYU School of Professional Studies

Established in 1934, the NYU School of Professional Studies (NYUSPS) is one of NYU’s several degree-granting schools and colleges—each with a unique academic profile. The reputation of NYUSPS arises from its place as the NYU home for industry-focused education and applied research that is related to key knowledge-based fields, in which the New York region leads globally. This is manifest in the School’s diverse graduate, undergraduate, and Professional Pathways programs that span a broad range of disciplines including: Accounting, Finance, and Law; Applied Health; Arts, Design, and Film, and TV; Economic and Urban Development; English Language Learning; Entrepreneurship; Fundraising and Grantmaking; Global Affairs; Global Security, Conflict, and Cybercrime; Event Management; Hospitality, Travel, and Tourism Management; Humanities; Human Capital Analytics and Technology; Human Resource Management and Development; Languages; Management and Systems; Marketing; Professional Writing; Project Management; Public Relations and Corporate Communication; Publishing; Real Estate, Real Estate Development, and Construction Management; Global Sport; Sports Business; and Translation.

More than 80 distinguished full-time faculty members collaborate with an exceptional cadre of practitioner/adjunct faculty members and lecturers to create a vibrant professional and academic environment that educates nearly 5,400 degree-seeking students from around the globe each year. In addition, the School fulfills the recurrent professional education needs of local, national, and international economies, as evidenced by over 18,000 Professional Pathways enrollments in Career Advancement Courses, Certificates, and Diploma Programs. The School’s community is enriched by nearly 25,000 degree-holding alumni worldwide, many of whom serve as mentors, guest speakers, and advisory board members. For more information about the NYU School of Professional Studies, visit sps.nyu.edu.