Bookselling is the commercial trading of books which is the retail and distribution end of the publishing process. People who engage in bookselling are called booksellers, bookdealers, bookpeople, bookmen, or bookwomen. The founding of libraries in c.300 BC stimulated the energies of the Athenian booksellers.
The Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America (ABAA) is an organization in the United States for dealers in rare and antiquarian books. The association is a member of the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB).
The International League of Antiquarian Booksellers is a non-profit umbrella organization of bookseller associations, with its legal location in Geneva, Switzerland. It federates 22 National Associations of Antiquarian Booksellers, representing nearly 2000 dealers in 32 countries. Antiquarian booksellers affiliated to the League adhere to the ILAB Code of Ethics, and the League aims to server as a global network for the rare book trade.
The Antiquarian Booksellers Association (ABA) is the senior trade body in the British Isles for dealers in antiquarian and rare books, manuscripts and allied materials. The ABA organises a number of book fairs every year including its flagship fair held at Olympia, London in May, which features exhibitors from all around the world, and the Chelsea Antiquarian Book Fair in November. Fairs are held in Edinburgh in March and Bristol in July in conjunction with the Provincial Book Fairs Association. The ABA sponsors the London Rare Books School, the York Antiquarian Book Seminar, and a series of seminars at the University of London. The ABA Office is located on Bell Yard, off Fleet Street and next to the Royal Courts of Justice.
Attic Books, one of Canada's largest used books and antiquarian independent bookstores, is located in London, Ontario. It has been in business for over forty years, and has been in its present location in the heart of downtown London for over 20 years. Specializing in used and antiquarian books, along with maps, prints, and ephemera, Attic Books draws a large variety of customers.
The Australian and New Zealand Association of Antiquarian Booksellers (ANZAAB), formed in 1977, is the professional body which represents the members of the antiquarian book business in Australia and New Zealand.
The Danish Antiquarian Booksellers' Association is the premier Danish organization of professional antiquarian booksellers. It is the oldest league of antiquarian booksellers in Scandinavia as well as one of the oldest of its kind in the world, only preceded by the English ABA and the French SLAM. The purpose of the association has always been to standardize the descriptions of books, preserve and develop the trade and thereby the general recognition of it, represent the trade as an assembled unity in public and official contexts, making requirements for the members in order to raise the standard and generally uphold the trade. All ABF members are bound to adhere to the ILAB Code of Ethics.
The Antiquarian Booksellers Association of Austria, formed in 1949, includes those Austrian antiquarian booksellers who exclusively or primarily buy and sell antiquarian books, magazines, prints, autograph letters or music.
La Chambre Professionelle Belge de la Librairie Ancienne et Moderne (CLAM)/Belgische Beroepskamer van Antiquaren (BBA), is the Belgian professional chamber of antiquarian booksellers.
Syndicat National de la Librairie Ancienne et Moderne (SLAM), the national antiquarian book association of France, was created in 1914.
The Antiquarian Booksellers Association of Korea (ABAK), the national antiquarian book association of Korea, was founded in 1989 and joined the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers in 1990 during the Tokyo Congress, thus becoming its 18th member.
Nederlandsche Vereeniging van Antiquaren (NVvA), the Dutch antiquarian booksellers' association, was founded in 1935 with the object of promoting reliability in the trade of old books and prints.
Vereinigung der Buchantiquare und Kupferstichhändler in der Schweiz (VEBUKU), the antiquarian booksellers association of Switzerland, was founded in 1939 and has been a member of the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB) since 1947.
Adrian Harrington is a notable antiquarian bookseller, a Past President of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association (ABA), 2001–2003, and a recent Past President of the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB). He has exhibited at major international book fairs in America, Canada, Hong Kong, Britain and Ireland, and between 2000 and 2010 Harrington was the Chairman of Britain's leading rare book event, the summer ABA Book Fair at Olympia, London, which, during his tenure, has been host to opening speakers including authors Jacqueline Wilson, Lynda La Plante, Joanna Lumley, Bob Geldof, Jeremy Paxman, Andrew Marr, Barry Humphries, Frederick Forsyth and former Poet Laureate Sir Andrew Motion. Harrington has been a regular consultant on rare books for Millers Price Guide, and has been interviewed on book-related matters by the BBC, and Australian Television
Hyraxia Books is a rare book firm specialising in modern literature. They are members of the PBFA and the ABA. The firm was established in 2010 and had previously operated as a portal for book collectors.
Robert Frew is an antiquarian bookseller, founder of Robert Frew Ltd, a Past President of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association (www.aba.org.uk) (2005-2007) and a former chairman of the London International Antiquarian Book Fair (2009-2010), Britain’s premier antiquarian book fair held annually at the Olympia Exhibition Centre, London. Robert Frew is also the founder of London-based shipping and logistics company RF Shipping.
Oak Knoll is a bookseller and publisher based in New Castle, Delaware, United States. Oak Knoll includes Oak Knoll Books which specializes in the sale of rare and antiquarian books and Oak Knoll Press which is a publisher and distributor of in-print titles. Both divisions specialize in "books about books" on topics such as printing history, bibliography, and book arts. Oak Knoll has also been the sponsor of the book arts festival Oak Knoll Fest.
