TIMELINE
- August 31st — Diverse Voices Fellowship Applications Open
- October 8th (Thursday), 5:00 pm EST — Application Closes
- Early November 2026 — Decisions announced
- November 2026— Diverse Voices Fellowship 2026-2027 cohort launches
INTRODUCTION
The Antiquarian Book School Foundation (ABSF), organizers of the Antiquarian Book Seminar CABS-MN, invites applications to our 2026-2027 Diverse Voices Fellowship (DVF). The goal of this fellowship is to diversify participation in the antiquarian, used, and rare book trade. We provide Fellows with the knowledge to sustain their bookselling practice and develop collegial relationships within the trade. The fellowship benefits booksellers, collectors, and the cultural heritage community at large, by expanding perspectives, increasing representation in materials sold and collected, and encouraging new collaborations.
We welcome applicants from a broad range of identities to join the sixth DVF cohort from November 2026 - July 2027. Many talented professionals in the bookselling and cultural heritage fields do not see their identities reflected within the traditional rare book trade. This program reflects our commitment to diversifying the trade and increasing inclusivity in the antiquarian bookselling profession.
The 2027 fellowship will coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Antiquarian Book Seminar (CABS-Minnesota), the bookselling seminar that began in 1977 and remains the oldest and largest professional development program for antiquarian booksellers and members of the rare book trade. Fellows will attend the Seminar, at Saint Olaf in Northfield,Minnesota, in July 2027, where they will learn about the book trade from faculty and peers during a comprehensive, week-long program. In addition, Fellows will travel to New York City in May 2027, for a hands-on Field School, where they'll meet bookstore owners, visit archives, and create lasting professional connections. Diverse Voices Fellows will be fully funded to attend the Seminar and the Field School, while receiving mentorship and resources to build and sustain their bookselling careers.
DIVERSE VOICES FELLOWSHIP AWARD - WHAT TO EXPECT
Diverse Voices Fellowships are awarded through a competitive review process to a cohort of between three to five Fellows annually. The 2026-2027 Fellowship will commence in November 2026 and conclude with the completion of the Seminar in July 2027. Fellows kick off the program with a virtual meeting with the ABSF Administrative Director to discuss fellowship logistics, mentorship, and projects. Fellows will be introduced to one another via email and provided with opportunities to connect in formal and self-directed contexts. Fellows will participate in a virtual reception to meet with ABSF Board members, Antiquarian Book Seminar (CABS-MN) faculty, and DVF Alums. For the duration of the fellowship, Fellows will be paired with a Mentor (or co-Mentors, as applicable) for a mentorship experience. The mentorship is designed to support the development of Fellow bookselling interests, collegial relationships in the booktrade, and the self-directed DVF fellowship project. Fellows will present their process, project or outcomes from the mentorship in a public format, near the end of the fellowship period.
Fellows are awarded a full scholarship to the Antiquarian Book Seminar (CABS-Minnesota), including attendance for the duration of the week-long Seminar, travel, housing, and meals. Seminar travel will include round-trip coach airfare, transportation to and from airports in home location and airport and shuttle to from the Minneapolis-St Paul Airport to the Seminar location, at Saint Olaf in Northfield, Minnesota. Lodging will include dorm accommodations at Saint Olaf for the duration of the Seminar. Meals will include the Saint Olaf meal package, which covers daily breakfast, lunch, and coffee breaks as well as opening and closing banquets; a DVF-Faculty dinner at a local restaurant; and a per/diem to cover travel dates and dinners not covered by banquets and restaurant dinner.
Fellows will be provided with an all expenses paid Field School in New York City, in May, 2027. The purpose of the Field School is to provide hands-on experiences with booksellers, libraries, collections, archives, and other sites related to the used,rare, and antiquarian book trade. The Field School will include travel, lodging and meals. Travel will include round-trip coach airfare, transportation to and from airports in home location and airport and shuttle to from a NYC airport to Field School accommodations. On the ground transportation, such as taxi, ride share or public transport will be included. Lodging will include motel, hotel, or other similar accommodations in NYC. Meals will include restaurant meals with a per-diem for travel days and as needed for breakfasts.
APPLICATION
You will be asked to provide responses to application questions along with two documents: a personal narrative and your current resume, CV, or other documentation of your professional, academic or informal experience relevant to the Fellowship.
Personal Narrative:
A personal narrative addressing the following:
1) your experience with used and rare books, archives, and related materials
2) your experience with bookselling
3) why you are interested in the fellowship and what you hope to gain as a Fellow
4) a description of how your lived experiences, perspectives, and communities inform your interest in diversifying the antiquarian, used, and rare booktrade and participating in the DVF program
5) your goals for bookselling and/or related cultural heritage professions
View an example Personal Narrative from a DVF Alum here
Applications, including personal narratives, will be reviewed based on criteria including: Formal, informal, professional and/or academic experiences reflecting candidate interest in or experience with book selling, used and rare books, archives, or related materials; clarity and thoroughness of the applicant’s personal narrative, reasons for applying, outcomes desired from the fellowship; alignment with DVF program purpose and goals; and the extent to which the application demonstrates that the fellowship will benefit the candidate and help them achieve their professional goals.
Personal Narrative File Formatting Directions
Please use this formatting for your personal narrative:
- PDF file format
- Maximum length two pages, 10pt font, double-spaced
- Use file naming convention: First Name_Last Name_File Name_Year
example: Hazel_Azar_Personal Narrative_2026
Resume/CV/Experience Documentation:
Provide your current resume, CV, portfolio, statement of experience, or other documentation of your professional and educational background. Please include formal, informal, professional and/or academic experiences reflecting your interest in or experience with book selling.
- Maximum length two pages
- Please use file naming convention: First Name_Last Name_File Name_Year
examples: Shaffah_Delecroix_Resume_2026; Pablo_Guzmán_CV_2026
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Identities
Applicants should identify as a diverse individual, representing one or more of the identities underrepresented in the current used, rare, and antiquarian trade:
- Black, Indigenous, Asian, Latine, Pacific Islander, Arab, Multi-ethnic/Multi-racial, and individuals with other racial and ethnic identities
- LGBTQ+, non-binary, gender non-conforming, or individuals with other gender or sexual identities
- Neurodivergent individuals
- Individuals with disability
- Low-income or economically disadvantaged individuals
- Female and female identifying individuals
Experience
Preference will be given to early or mid-career booksellers, or people with other experiences who provide clearly articulated professional development goals for entering antiquarian, used, and rare bookselling. Applicant interests may include trade in books, archives, ephemera, and other materials. Library, archives, and museum professionals, as well as private collectors and members of the book arts community, are eligible to apply. All applicants should demonstrate compelling and clear interest in the practice of selling antiquarian, used and rare books and/or materials.
Residency
Due to logistical and cost considerations, applicants must be ordinarily resident in the United States (lower 48 states, Alaska, and Hawai'i) and provide a US address for the application.
Age
Applicants must be 18 years old or older at the time their application is received by ABSF.
ABSF Experience
Previous applicants to Antiquarian Book Seminar (CABS-MN) scholarships or the Diverse Voices Fellowship are eligible to apply, provided they meet the above requirements. Preference will be given to applicants who have never previously attended the Antiquarian Book Seminar (CABS-MN), but Seminar graduates who meet the above requirements are eligible to apply for the Diverse Voices Fellowship.
Bookshops
Multiple employees from the same bookstore or institution are eligible to apply. Only one individual per bookstore or institution will be selected for the 2026-2027 fellowship cohort.
APPLICATION REVIEW
Applications will be assessed by a review panel composed of members of the Antiquarian Book School Foundation Board, Faculty, and Staff.
Applications will be thoughtfully considered using the following criteria:
-Essay clarity and thoroughness in describing how the fellowship will benefit the applicant, their goals for the fellowship, what they hope to learn, and how they plan to apply this knowledge.
-Your experience with used and rare books or related materials and your experience with or interest in bookselling.
-The extent to which the fellowship will help the candidate achieve their professional goals.
-Whether the application materials demonstrate alignment with the DVF program goal of diversifying the rare, used and antiquarian book trade.