International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB)

ILAB International Bookseller Directory

ILAB International Rare Book Fairs 2023

ILAB Member Associations Worldwide

ILAB – The global federation of 22 national antiquarian booksellers associations, established in 1947. Over 1600 individual rare book businesses based in 39 countries worldwide belong to the ILAB community.

ILAB Congresses, Symposia & Presidents' Meetings

Bookseller Education & Mentoring

ILAB Bookseller Catalogues

A report from the 2023 ILAB Presidents' Meeting in Stockholm - Part 1 of 3

28 Sep 2023

The "ILAB Presidents Meeting" is the annual plenary meeting of the presidents of all member associations of the International League of Antiquarian…

Lorne Bair joins us for the next ILAB Mentoring Programme Online Networking Session: 3 Oct at 1pm London time

26 Sep 2023

US bookseller Lorne Bair shares the ins and outs of the rare book trade with those at the beginning of their careers and those interested in becoming…

International Community of Rare Booksellers Expresses Deep Concern Over the Planned Removal of the Bouquinistes’ Stalls by the City of Paris

21 Sep 2023

As the Paris Salon du Livre opens its doors for its 2023 edition, the French antiquarian booksellers' association, SLAM, and the international rare…

See all News Articles

History of ILAB

In 1947 representatives from five countries, Denmark, France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, and Sweden, met in Amsterdam to discuss the formation of an International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB), with the aim of establishing new hope for international peace through open markets, to foster friendship and understanding, and to counteract the animosity and suspicion engendered by World War II. ILAB was formally incorporated in Copenhagen in September 1948.