How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Collation

I had no clue what to really expect from CABS. I had done the British counterpart, YABS, a year before and found it exciting and fulfilling, but I looked at the American trade with great interest—for how it works and the cool things they deal in. I also love meeting new book people, hearing their stories, and learning from them.

In short, it was brilliant—but I think I need to write a bit more than just that. If you're on the fence, go to CABS!

The most notable change for me, in how I view the trade now, came very early on when Garrett Scott delivered his research methods lecture. He explained how he was doing research on a piece of ephemera and started connecting dots, finding links that made the item more intriguing and valuable. It really stuck with me as the right approach: instead of just giving it a quick glance and listing it online, actually doing the work is worth it. It’s changed how I view cataloging—from my least favorite thing to, "Oh brilliant, I get to work some stuff out."

Maria Lin, my assigned faculty member, also went through cataloging antiquarian books with us. I told her at the start, "Cataloging isn't my thing." Cut to three days into CABS, and I'm excitedly cataloging a French cookery book and enjoying it.

While the research and "book" parts were fantastic, the practical side didn’t disappoint either. Rebecca Romney's talk on the economics of the trade was exceptional in getting down to the simple fact: it's hard to make money, and here’s what you have to do.

Amir Naghib's talks on modern firsts were brilliant, as was his presentation on fakes and forgeries. I now have his voice in my head saying, "Don’t buy bad books," which was repeated many times. It’s already saved me money while scouting.

Alex Akin's talk on his work was brilliant and pushed me further toward wanting to deal in the weird and wonderful.

The talks on selling to institutions were fantastic as well. During the talk, I actually just googled the universities near me and realized it’s a viable path for me.

I especially appreciated how progressive and inclusive CABS is, with many discussions about making the trade more welcoming for all, which is just brilliant.

From all the conversations I had with faculty, to the last night’s drinks (which were really very funny), to all the friends I’ve made—who I still keep in touch with, ask for advice, and have a laugh with—I was inspired and happy. I gained so much from CABS.

I want to thank all of the faculty—you were all fantastic and made it a week to remember. And thank you to ILAB for the opportunity. Since coming back from CABS, I have been even more inspired and determined to make it in this trade than I was before.

For more information about CABS Book Seminar, visit their website HERE
Applications for the 2025 scholarships will be announced on the ILAB website in due course.