Heidi Congalton
Aug 30, 2016
Updated: Mar 22, 2022
Why does IOBA offer scholarships to seminars and classes for our members? Because IOBA wants all its member booksellers to be the best booksellers they can be.
Their perspective on bookselling will have widened, they will have met a faculty whose bookselling knowledge is deep and varied, and they will have made friends with fellow seminarians who include librarians and book collectors, along with other booksellers. These are good relationships to forge!
An application that wins you a place in one of these classes is not difficult to prepare. Provide the required information, tell us about your business, and remember, IOBA’s membership is not overly large so you won’t be overwhelmed by competition for these scholarships. If you have already attended, you can still apply for another program. Rare Book School has many classes on a variety of advanced subjects, and CABS has a rotating faculty. This seminar has grown up along with the internet age. You are sure to learn new material, and get an always needed refresher in the basics. I have spoken to quite a few repeat attendees to CABS and they are amazed at how much they benefited from a second trip.
If you’ve applied in the past and didn’t win, please, apply again. You’ve had another year or more of bookselling experience and that will help your application. A number of winners were awarded their scholarship the second time they applied.
We want you to be great booksellers. There is no reason for you to learn it all the hard way! Mark your calendar now to apply in the new year. Applying would make a terrific New Year’s resolution.
Thank you, and we hope to hear from you next.
Heidi Congalton
IOBA Vice President
Chair, Scholarship Committee
Between the Covers – Rare Books, Inc.