Emphasizing our expertise and community at London Book Fair 2026

Last week, we attended the London Book Fair to celebrate the vital role that publishing plays in our society, emphasize our support for authors, and come together with fellow publishers to mark the National Year of Reading.

London Book Fair is an international trade fair that brings together the publishing community in one place, providing the opportunity for us to connect with contributors and partners, share our insights as a leading voice in the industry, and celebrate the power of publishing.

During the three days of the fair, colleagues from across OUP met with customers and partners from around the world, exploring new opportunities and strengthening relationships during wide-ranging discussions.

Standing with authors and fellow publishers

We are proud to support the Don’t Steal This Book campaign, which launched on the opening day of the fair.

Nearly 10,000 authors added their names to a book titled Don’t Steal This Book, protesting against mass copyright infringement by tech companies to train AI models. 1,000 copies of the book were published and appeared across publisher stands throughout the fair to raise awareness and visibility.

The initiative delivers a clear message: the UK government must not legalize book theft to benefit AI companies.

We stand with the publishing community in urging the government to reconsider their position of copyright exception. We need to harness the power of AI in a way that supports and sustains the researchers and educators whose work we publish and disseminate—something that can be achieved effectively and fairly through negotiated licensing arrangements.

 

Moving knowledge and learning forward with our communities

Across the three days of the fair, our exhibition stand was a hive of activity and showcased the breadth and depth of our publishing across academic, research, education, English language teaching, and assessment. Colleagues across OUP—from Sales, Marketing, Rights, Translation, and Editorial teams—hosted hundreds of meetings with contributors and potential partners, many of whom had travelled from abroad to experience the fair.

Jurgen Verhaegen, Director – Core Markets in our English Language Teaching division, shared his takeaway from the fair:

“It was great to reconnect with several of our key existing partners, strengthening our ongoing collaborations and aligning on priorities for the coming year. The level of interest and the quality of conversations were encouraging.”

We presented a selection of exciting new Oxford Children’s titles to a room of independent booksellers, including a range of picture books and two exciting new fiction titles: Gordon Saves the Day by Alex Latimer and The Diary of Wiska Wildflower: The Crystal Cave by Harriet Muncaster. We also unveiled the first books in our new Isadora Moon TV tie-in series, publishing in May and inspired by the Sky Kids TV show.

Eleonora Cavalli, Key Account Manager in our Education division, reflected on the presentation: “It is always quite energizing to be in a room full of booksellers ready to champion reading and excited to know what is publishing next!”

Celebrating the National Year of Reading

London Book Fair was also a major opportunity to come together with the publishing community to discuss and celebrate the National Year of Reading in the UK.

Donna David, author of The Awesomely Adventurous Librarians, joined a panel discussion on the Main Stage on Championing books locally: The role of libraries and bookshops in the National Year of Reading. The panel explored how libraries and bookshops help to inspire a lifelong love of reading among children within local communities. At a time when screens and digital distractions increasingly compete for attention, the panel emphasized the importance of reading for pleasure in building empathy, confidence, language skills, and imagination.

Grace Carruthers, Senior News and PR Manager, joined booksellers, publishers, and reading-focused organizations and charities for a celebratory reception, marking a key moment in the National Year of Reading. It was a great opportunity to connect with partners and reaffirm our shared commitment to encouraging reading across all communities.

“It was amazing to hear the organizers reflect on everything that the National Year of Reading has already achieved in just three months and get a glimpse of the exciting milestones that are yet to come.  

As a proud partner of the campaign, OUP has some fantastic plans lined up to champion the power of reading throughout the year. I left the reception feeling more inspired than ever to shine a light on all the wonderful work we already do in this area and keep amplifying why reading matters so much!”

Joining key discussions and sharing our expertise

John Campbell, Product Strategy Director in our Academic division, joined a session at the Academic Conference confronting the core challenge facing scholarly communication: how to successfully transition to new models in an environment of shrinking library budgets, shifting institutional priorities, and technological change.

John shared some of the key trends and opportunities we’re seeing and responding to as AI impacts content delivery channels and traditional business models, as well as how changing researcher discovery and consumption habits are shaping our strategies.

“It was great to be back at London Book Fair representing OUP for a second year at the Academic & Professional Conference discussing fast-moving change in our industry. The conversation focused on the need for dynamic solutions that meet user need wherever research is happening with scholarly publishing values at the forefront; how we support the role of educational institutions and librarians as trust enablers; and business models where value and outcomes converge for human or machine. The sessions were well-attended and well-covered, and the conference organizers delivered an insightful programme.”

Karen Sambrook, Senior HR Business Partner, joined a session organized by the Society of Young Publishers aimed at sharing advice for those looking to move roles or at the start of their careers. In addition to her own experience, Karen shared what an employer like OUP can offer for early-career applicants to succeed and thrive.

We thank our colleagues, partners, and customers who travelled to join us for another productive and energizing London Book Fair, with so many important discussions taking place across the three days. We look forward to our continuing work together and next year’s fair.