Old Books, New Perspectives: The 2025 ILAB Symposium

The International League of Antiquarian Booksellers invites the rare book trade, librarians, collectors and anyone handling antiquarian material to its 2025 ILAB Symposium in Melbourne.
The symposium is co-sponsored by ANZAAB, The Australian and New Zealand Association of Antiquarian Booksellers.

This global forum will bring together leading voices from across the rare book trade, special collections and the academic world to explore pressing issues in the field:
How can we protect collections from theft and prevent the illicit trade of stolen books worldwide?
Where should we draw the line between ethics in conservation and commercial desirability for historical objects?
What are the best practices for cataloguing and recording rare materials with care and integrity?

Following successful symposia in New York, Oxford, and Paris, ILAB is delighted to bring this vital conversation to Australia and New Zealand’s bookselling community and to all of those interested in issues affecting the antiquarian book trade.

Participation is free, but registration is essential.

The event will be followed by a cocktail reception, sponsored by ANZAAB.

Info: How do we as guardians of our printed heritage ensure that records are accurate, respectful, and free from bias? What responsibility do booksellers and librarians have when describing sensitive or contested materials?

Info: Have you ever felt that you sanctioned an unethical book repair? Or judged a colleague for having done so? What does it actually mean to repair a book in an unethical way?

Info: How can libraries and booksellers work together to combat theft, fraud, and the circulation of illicit material?

Also check out other Business events in Melbourne.