Course Information

Instructor: Jen Johnson & Brad Johnson

Location: Claremont | Hosted by The Claremont Colleges Library 

Mode: In-person

Dates: August 3–7, 2026

Tuition: $1200.00

Course Description

Rare books, archives, vernacular photography, born digital collections, audio recordings, maps, and ephemera are just some of the materials passing through the hands of collectors, archivists and antiquarian booksellers today. This week-long course will explore how professionals navigate various facets of the modern collecting world, and include specialist collectors, booksellers, special collections librarians, and archivists who will share their expertise and broaden our conversations. 

We will visit local special collections libraries and spend an afternoon at our brick-and-mortar shop in Covina, where students will have real-world exposure to the inner workings of an antiquarian book shop. Some of the topics will include new trends in collecting, finding and evaluating books and archives for purchase and resale, and describing and preserving new material. The course is intended for booksellers, collectors, archivists, scholars, graduate students, and anyone interested in new trends in collecting. 

Students will receive coffee and donuts in the morning. At breaks, coffee, water, soft drinks, and light refreshments will be offered. Students will receive one hour for lunch on their own.