Spring greetings from Amsterdam: Booksellers are invited to apply for three scholarships for the 2024 ILAB Congress from 14 - 17 October!

An ILAB Congress in Amsterdam was originally planned for 2020, but then the pandemic caused the first ever cancellation of a congress. However, the Amsterdam ILAB Congress can now finally take place and is nearly fully booked out. The Dutch Antiquarian Booksellers' Association (or, more accurately, the Nederlandsche Vereeniging van Antiquaren) has - as in 2024 - generously offered three scholarships for booksellers in the early stages of their careers to attend the events of the 2024 ILAB Congress in Amsterdam free of charge. The International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB) will supplement the three scholarships with a grant of EUR 500 to cover part of the booksellers' travel and hotel expenses.

Details of the congress events, which include library and museum visits, meals and the 42nd Amsterdam International Antiquarian Book Fair on 19-20 October, are available at https://ilab2024.com/.

Scholarship applications are open to full-time antiquarian booksellers in the first three years of their career, whether as independent dealers or employees. Applications should consist of an essay in one of ILAB's two official languages, French or English, of no more than 300 words describing the applicant's background, current (and, where appropriate, previous) employment, particular interests or specialisms, and motivation for applying. A curriculum vitae may be attached, but is not required, and links to the applicant's bookselling presence on the internet are welcome.

The Judging Committee would like to know how applicants believe attending the Congress could further their business and personal goals, and where they see their careers going in the next five to ten years. Finalists may be asked to provide two or three names of booksellers whom the committee could contact for references, as well as proof of their business incorporation, such as VAT or other tax registration.

Applications, which can be emailed to secretariat@ilab.org, must be submitted by 31 April 2024. Finalists will be contacted by 15 May and the three awards will be announced no later than 30 May.

Join the Nederlandsche Vereeniging van Antiquaren (NVvA) and ILAB at the 45th ILAB Congress in Amsterdam, a city filled with art, literature and so many other cultural delights!