Celebrating 50 Years of Industry Leadership
Book Industry Study Group to Celebrate 50 Years of Industry Leadership in 2026
The Book Industry Study Group (BISG), the leading trade association dedicated to collaboration, standards, and solutions across the book publishing supply chain, today announced more details about its plans to celebrate BISG’s 50th anniversary in 2026.
The milestone year will culminate in a special Book Publishing Next event and anniversary celebration on WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2026, to be held at The New York Historical in Manhattan.
Founded in the mid-1970s to help the industry better understand itself through shared data, research, and standards, BISG has spent five decades bringing together publishers, manufacturers, distributors, retailers, libraries, and industry partners to solve shared challenges.
Developing industry resources that include Book Industry Trends, BISAC subject codes, ONIX metadata standards, the 13-digit ISBN, and more, BISG’s work has helped modernize how books are described, discovered, distributed, and sold.
The 50th anniversary celebration will honor BISG’s legacy while looking ahead to the future through Book Publishing Next, the organization’s forward-looking initiative focused on transforming supply chain communications and addressing emerging industry needs.
The September 16, 2026 event will convene industry leaders, innovators, and long-time contributors for an evening that blends reflection and foresight.
At the anniversary event, attendees can expect a BISG retrospective highlighting five decades of impact, along with keynote remarks from some of publishing’s most recognizable and influential voices, offering perspectives on where the industry has been—and where it must go next.
The celebration will also include a silent auction, with proceeds supporting the BISG Incubator Fund, a new funding initiative designed to help BISG test, pilot, and advance new strategies and ideas aligned with Book Publishing Next. The Incubator Fund will enable BISG to explore innovative, cross-segment solutions that strengthen industry infrastructure, improve communication, and support long-term sustainability.
In addition to the New York celebration, BISG@50 programming throughout 2026 will include BISG@50 Meet-Ups in cities across the country, bringing together members of the publishing community “in a city near you.” These informal gatherings will foster conversation, connection, and shared reflection—creating space for the industry to learn from its past while preparing collectively for the future.
“BISG was created because the industry recognized that supply-chain challenges are best solved together,” said Brian O'Leary, Executive Director of BISG. “We’re celebrating not just what BISG has accomplished, but the collaborative spirit behind it—and channeling that spirit into new ideas and experiments that will help publishing move forward.”
“BISG’s strength has always come from its members and volunteers, representing every part of the supply chain,” said Matt Kennell, Chair of the BISG Board of Directors. “This anniversary is both a moment of gratitude and a call to action—to invest in the future of the industry by supporting the standards, relationships, and innovation that BISG uniquely enables.”
Organizations and individuals interested in sponsoring the anniversary celebration, contributing to the silent auction, hosting a BISG@50 Meet-Up, or participating in BISG@50 programming are encouraged to contact Liz Bartek, Marketing and Communications Manager, at liz@bisg.org.
Additional details about the Book Publishing Next Forum, keynote speakers, BISG@50 Meet-Ups, and anniversary programming will be announced in the coming months.
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