AAR/SBL Annual Meeting survival guide

Editor’s note: This blog post was updated on 6 November 2023

The American Academy of Religion/Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting is quickly approaching, and we couldn’t be more excited. This year, we thought we’d update our survival guide of sorts, the “dos” and “don’ts,” from our perspective, for a successful AAR/SBL. 

Have anything to add? Let us know in the comments below.

Do bring a bag for the books you’ll buy, but…

Don’t forget that, since the pandemic, OUP only brings display copies to conferences. We’re happy to help you place an online order at the booth (with free shipping over $19.99), and you can also browse and buy books ahead of time.

The booklist is already live, with the discount available through 2 December 2023.

Do your homework

Do you have a book to propose? Do your homework! Check whether the press you’re approaching publishes in your area, and have examples of recent, similar books at the ready. Find out the name of the appropriate editor. And get in touch in advance: editors can engage with your project more fruitfully if they know something about it beforehand.

Tweet us

We’ll be tweeting from our @OUPReligion Twitter channel and will be retweeting our favorite tweets that we’re tagged in. Take a selfie with your book! Take a selfie with someone else’s book! Tag us; we want to see. And don’t forget to also use the official hashtag, #AARSBL23.

Ask us about exam copies

Teaching a Religion course? You can request complimentary exam copies of our high-quality and affordable college textbooks at the booth. Just ask anyone in the booth for assistance requesting a copy.

Don’t ask us for directions

Want to know where to find something? We’d love to help. But most of us spend all day in the Oxford booth and barely have enough energy to drag ourselves back to our hotels afterward. So we’d love to give you restaurant recommendations, or tell you where other presses are located, but if it’s not visible from booth 618, chances are we have no idea where it is.

Scan the program book closely for the best reception snacks

The OUP team fondly recalls the donut wall and tater tot bar at one of last year’s receptions in Denver. Which reception will have the best refreshments this year? Only time will tell (but you’ll definitely find us there).

No need to stay for the last day

Since we only bring display copies, we no longer do a last day sale, so don’t fret about making an early trip to the booth before your flight out to fight the hoards. You’ll be able to buy all our new books at the 40% discount for three weeks after the conference ends on our website.

“Remember the Alamo!” 

Don’t get so caught up in the meeting that you forget to sight see. Some ideas of things to do:

• Be sure to stop for delicious, authentic Tex Mex on the Riverwalk.
• Visit the Cathedral of San Fernando, one of the most beautiful churches in the city, in the evening to take in its beauty. It’s also the first church built in San Antonio and the oldest standing church in Texas.
• If you explore the Alamo, take time to walk around the grounds, too. You’ll find entertainers, gorgeous gardens, and a lot of historical tidbits.

Visit us at booth 618 in San Antonio to browse our new and noteworthy books, textbooks, Bibles, and online products, and journals. You can also use code EXAAR23 on our website to save 40% off books we’re bringing to the meeting and receive free shipping on orders over $19.99.

_{Featured image: photo taken for Oxford University Press.}