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Booksellers

AN APPRECIATION FOR KNOWLEDGE, HISTORY & CULTURE

ABAA membership is a privilege extended only to those booksellers who have demonstrated the highest levels of professionalism, ethics, and expertise in the trade. Our more than four hundred members hail from an impressively diverse array of backgrounds. Some have spent their entire careers in the book business, while others have been lighthouse keepers, poets, helicopter pilots, and professional musicians. Some members own brick-and-mortar shops, some operate internet-only businesses from their home or office, some fashion livelihoods from exhibiting at book fairs. Many combine these retail strategies, or add services such as appraising and collection development. A few earn additional income and professional prestige from research and writing. But all our members share an appreciation for the printed page and for the scholarly and ethical practices which exemplify professional bookselling.

JOIN THE ABAA

ABAA Membership conveys recognition throughout the book world. A member of the ABAA is a bookseller with proven knowledge, expertise, and ethical standards

Emeritus Members

Archival Video Interviews of Members

A few years ago, Michael Ginsberg embarked upon an archival journey for the ABAA. Recognizing the absence of member histories in the ABAA annals, Michael began conducting video interviews of members at our three annual fairs. The interviews cover members' personal histories as well as their involvement in the rare book trade.

The ABAA extends many thanks to Michael, as well as Taylor Bowie, who has also conducted a number of interviews.

Click here to view the Bookseller Interviews.

Michael recognized the absence of member histories in the ABAA annals, and in 2010 began conducting these video interviews at the ABAA’s three annual antiquarian book fairs. He was a member of the ABAA from 1961 until his death in 2023, and specialized in Americana, Western Americana, Early American Periodicals, Appraisals, Utopian Communities, Southern Americana, Canada, Millerites. Michael Ginsberg Books was located in North Easton, Massachusetts.Interviewed by Kara McLaughlin of Little Sages Books
John W. Freas founded Tamerlane Books of Havertown, PA with his wife in 1977. Tamerlane Books specializes in Illustrated Books, Prints, Ephemera, Art Books, Travel, Sporting Books, Historical and Literary Paintings and Sculpture. ABAA Member since 1982; Emeritus Member since 2023. Interviewed by Michael Ginsberg at the New York International Antiquarian Book Fair.
Brian Cassidy, Bookseller of Silver Spring, MD began his bookselling career working part-time for an independent bookshop while earning an MFA in Poetry at the University of Iowa Writers Workshop. He has taught English and literature at both the undergraduate and secondary levels. Brian continued to teach in addition to selling books until 2004, when he established Brian Cassidy, Bookseller. He became an ABAA member in 2008 and has served on the Planning an Public Relations Committees.Brian Cassidy, Bookseller deals in "intrinsically interesting, unusual, or important books in all fields."ABAA Member Since 2008. Interviewed by Michael Ginsberg on April 14, 2012 at the New York International Antiquarian Book Fair.