ACRL College & Research Libraries News

Association of College & Research Libraries

RBMS attends antiquarian book fair

—Laura Stalker, Huntington Library, e-mail: lstalker@huntington.org

Rare Book and Manuscript Section (RBMS) members in Southern California staffed a booth at the 33rd California International Antiquarian Book Fair, February 11-13. Over the space of three days, collectors and librarians came to the Los Angeles Airport Marriott Hotel to admire, and often to purchase, the rare books, manuscripts, maps, prints, and other valuable and unusual materials displayed by 182 members of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America (ABAA).

Thanks to the generosity of ABAA and its Southern California chapter, RBMS members were given the opportunity to meet many of the bibliophiles who were in attendance and to introduce them to RBMS, ACRL, and the world of special collections librarianship and scholarship in the history of the book.

Ready to greet visitors to the 33rd California International Antiquarian Book Fair are (I to r) Michael Thompson, ABAA; Hugh Tolford, bookfair organizer; Bill Brown, ACRL Board; and Eric Holzenberg, chair, RBMS.

ABAA’s gift of space at its fairs is part of an ongoing partnership between RBMS and ABAA. The two groups are committed to exploring other joint ventures with the goal of heightening public awareness and disseminating information about the antiquarian book world and book collecting. RBMS plans to sponsor more booths at ABAA’s national book fairs, and booth organizers will be recruiting members to represent the section in these venues.

RBMS received an ACRL Initiative Fund Award to support expenses relating to the booth.