The 47th Annual Antiquarian Book Seminar, CABS-Minnesota 2025
Now in its 47th year, the CABS-Minnesota antiquarian book seminar draws on the expertise of experienced rare bookselling specialists and librarians to lead a student body of booksellers, librarians, and collectors through an intensive comprehensive survey of the contemporary rare book market, ranging from early printed books to modern first editions, with ephemera, manuscripts and archives all considered along the way.
The seminar is packed with lectures, small group discussions, informal conversations with faculty and colleagues over meals, and practical hands-on activities and workshops.
Our approaches to the book trade range from internet bookselling to issuing catalogs, exhibiting at book fairs, running open shops, selling to institutions—or some combination of any of these!—all while seasoning our lessons with practical business advice, as well as both the deep traditions and recent evolution of the rare book market.

The CABS-Minnesota seminar is meant for anyone with an interest in the rare book trade, from prospective or early career booksellers to veterans who want to hone their skills and consider new paths forward in this evolving field. Lessons are updated every summer, and the faculty work over the course of the year to hone the curriculum.
CABS-Minnesota is your deep dive into the business and practice of the contemporary antiquarian book market—and over the course of the week, you will build the collegial networks necessary to thrive in the rare book trade.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
- Finding Books and Related Material
- Evaluation and Pricing
- Reference Tools for the Book Trade
- Writing Effective Book Descriptions
- Working with Ephemera
- Buying and Selling Online
- Buying at Auction
- Buying and Selling Archives and Collections
- Setting Up and Using a Bookseller Database
- Marketing and Building a Customer Base
- Creating Your Own Website
- Creating a Catalog
- Operating an Open Shop
- Selling Books to Libraries
- The Evolution of Collecting
- Fakes, Forgeries, Fraud and Theft
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