Income Before Income Taxes (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Apr. 29, 2017	Apr. 30, 2016	May 02, 2015
Schedule Of Components Of Income Loss Before Income Taxes [Line Items]
Domestic operations	$ 47,127	$ 6,827	$ 68,535
Foreign operations	(328)	(941)	3,981
Income before income taxes	$ 46,799	$ 5,886	$ 72,516

Components Of Income Loss Before Income Taxes [Line Items]

No definition available.

Name:	bks_ComponentsOfIncomeLossBeforeIncomeTaxesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	bks_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The portion of earnings or loss from continuing operations before income taxes that is attributable to domestic operations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)(1)(i))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesDomestic
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The portion of earnings or loss from continuing operations before income taxes that is attributable to foreign operations, which is defined as Income or Loss generated from operations located outside the entity's country of domicile.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of income (loss) from continuing operations before deduction of income tax expense (benefit) and income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest, and addition of income (loss) from equity method investments.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration