Fellowship of American Bibliophilic Societies Tour and Symposium

WEDNESDAY, June 15 – SUNDAY, June 19, 2016

Hosted by

the Book Club of California

San Francisco

Update: A few places may remain on the 2016 Tour. For more information, please contact shruti@bccbooks.org.

Interested members of the Book Club of California can learn more information about volunteering by clicking here.

Join members of the Book Club of California, the Roxburghe Club, Sacramento Book Collectors Club and FABS participants for the FABS Gala Dinner at the City Club of San Francisco on June 17. Click here to purchase tickets.

The Book Club of California is delighted to welcome bibliophiles from all over the country for the 2016 Fellowship of American Bibliophilic Societies Tour and Symposium. This June, members and friends of FABS will experience San Francisco’s vibrant book culture, with an array of book making, fine printing, design, typography, architecture, and scholarship activities in locations all over the Bay Area, from the sumptuous City Club Gala Dinner, to the venerable Bancroft library, to M&H Foundry, the oldest and largest lead type foundry in the United States.

Space is limited to fifty participants, so don’t wait to reserve your place. Please note: individual event tickets for the symposium and the gala dinner will be available for purchase by Book Club of California and Roxburghe Club members (These events are already included for participants of the FABS tour.)

A complete schedule for the weekend can be found below.

Information on accommodations can be found here.

Inquiries and communications may be directed to Dr. Anne W. Smith, 2016 Organizer and Past BCC President: fabs.sanfrancisco@gmail.com

FABS Tour & Symposium

2016 Schedule

Wednesday, June 15

Registration beginning at 3:00 p.m. and Welcome Reception beginning at 4:30 p.m. at the Book Club of California, 312 Sutter Street, Suite 500

Thursday, June 16

Morning

Bancroft Library and C. V. Starr East Asian Library on UC Berkeley Campus

Afternoon

Luncheon with Colophon Club at the Julia Morgan City Club in Berkeley

San Francisco Center for the Book

California Historical Society

Tour of the Brick Row Bookshop and John Windle Booksellers with a reception hosted by John Crichton and John Windle

Evening

On your own to explore downtown San Francisco

Friday, June 17

Morning 

On your own to explore the Bay Area

Afternoon

Commonwealth Club of California: Talk by Dr. Catherine Williamson, a senior specialist and director of the Fine Books and Manuscripts Department at Bonhams in Los Angeles

San Francisco Public Library Book Arts and Special Collections Center

Asian Art Museum C. Laan Chun Library Collection

Evening

Gala Dinner at the San Francisco City Club with members of the Book Club of California, the Roxburghe Club of San Francisco, and the Sacramento Book Collectors Club.

Saturday, June 18

Morning

Symposium: Delights and Dilemmas of Booksellers, Librarians and Private Collectors at Book Club of California

Afternoon

Arion Press

The Society of California Pioneers

Evening

On your own to explore the Bay Area

Sunday, June 19th

Morning (optional)

Visit to Bay Area private collections

Accommodations

Participants will be responsible for making their own reservations at the hotel of their choice.

Do note: a limited number of rooms are being held at Hotel G until January 15, 2016. Ask for FABS rate of $248 plus 16.5% SF Room tax per day.

If seeking other accommodations, inquire at fabs.sanfrancisco@gmail.com for a list of recommended hotels. The Book Club of California at 312 Sutter Street and Hotel G will be our meeting point most mornings, so we suggest a stay in the Union Square area.

Call for Volunteers

The Book Club of California invites its members to contribute their skills and talents to the special events of June. Our volunteer needs include helping with FABS guest services at the Hotel G; coordinating bus transportation to various sites in San Francisco and Berkeley; organizing visits to collectors’ homes in Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, and the East Bay; assisting with set up, check-in, and clean up tasks at daily receptions and events; preparing registration packets; securing and gathering materials; and organizing additional small group reservations at cultural and culinary sites.

One of the major benefits of volunteering is the ability to attend some of the fabulous and exclusive FABS activities (for free!)

For a complete list of opportunities, or to discuss a specific task and assignment (and to learn about the insiders’ reward!) please contact Anne Smith at fabs.sanfrancisco@gmail.com or Shruti Swamy at shruti@bccbooks.org. We plan to hold volunteer preparation and planning meetings in April and May at the Book Club of California, but would like volunteers to sign up now so that we can assess our needs and ensure adequate coverage.