How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love the Trade - BSA panel at RBMS 2026
How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love the Trade ( / Collector / Academy / Library) ↑
Though libraries often feel like self-contained institutions, they depend on a larger, interdependent ecosystem of dealers, scholars, collectors, appraisers, and auctioneers. Too often, we operate as though we are antagonists or competitors. But the life and preservation of the historical record hinges on the health of all these professions, and our ability to cooperate. Designed to follow the discussion session proposed by Jonathan Kearns and Rebecca Baumann, this session will center on small-group discussion, led by moderators with professional experience across the bibliographical ecosystem. Participants can ask questions; advocate for their specific needs; and build individual relationships across professional divides. The goal: to work towards a paradigm of cooperation, collaborative practice, mutual understanding, and cross-professional appreciation.
Presenters ↑
Hosea Baskin, Cumberland Rare Books
Meghan Constantinou, Boston College Libraries
Miranda Garno-Rossa, Marginalia Rare Books
Tess Goodman, Wesleyan University Special Collections