The ABAA's Woodburn Fund provides financial support for scholarly research and education relevant to the antiquarian book trade. This includes annual scholarships to Rare Book School, California Rare Book School, and the Colorado Antiquarian Book Seminar. Ezra Tishman of Aardvark Books/Ezra the Bookfinder was the recipient of a Woodburn Fund scholarship to Rare Book School this year and had the following to say about his experience.

I wanted to take moment to officially thank the ABAA for the scholarship assistance I received to attend a  Rare Book School course in Bloomington, Indiana. The assistance allowed me to take the time off from work, and I spent an amazing week at Indiana University’s Lilly Library, learning from the legendary "Master of Bibliographical Resources", Joel Silver.  His encyclopedic knowledge of available references -- and his folksy delivery of just a slice of his vast body of knowledge —  rather blew me away. In the first two days of the course — despite twenty-five years fulltime in the trade, I truly wondered about what I really knew, and how I could have worked so long without the benefit of some of these resources. I’ve no doubt at all that what I gained from attendance at Joel’s course will prove indispensable, in both my capacities as bookseller and appraiser.

Again huge gratitude to our organization for its commitment to help members grow and thrive in the trade.

Scholarships to Rare Books School and California Rare Book School are awarded annually and are open to full and associate members of the ABAA as well as employees of members. Please contact ABAA Headquarters for more information.  

Donations to the Woodburn Fund are tax-deductible and go toward supporting the Fund's mission. Click here to contribute.