Our very own competition judge, PBFA member Jeremy Carson, is speaking at the Institute of English Studies event Shelf Improvement: How to Collect and Present a Prize-Worthy Book Collection on Tuesday 3rd February 6pm-8pm at Senate House, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HU. 

 

For full details visit: ies.sas.ac.uk/news-events/events/shelf-improvement-how-collect-present-prize-worthy-book-collection 

 

Join judges and winners for this behind-the-scenes look at book collecting prizes. In this event we will discuss what makes a good collection, how to craft a winning entry, and how to avoid potential pitfalls in the process. 

Two prize judges, Anke Timmermann (Cambridge Rose Prize) and Jeremy Carson (PBFA Young Book Collector Competition), will give an overview of prizes currently on offer for students and young collectors and give insights into their experiences of acting as judges. 

Two recent winners will share their experiences of collecting books and entering prizes: Emily Clarke (Cambridge Rose Prize winner 2024 for her collection ‘Georgette Heyer [1902-74] and the invention of the Regency’) and Callum White (ABA National Book Collecting Prize winner 2025 for his collection ‘Splitting the world: The atomic scientists and their second acts’). Both collectors will bring along some of their books to share with attendees and there will be a chance to mingle over drinks afterwards. 

 

Speakers: 

Jeremy Carson (The Antiquarian Book Company; PBFA Young Book Collector Competition judge) 

Emily Clarke (winner, Cambridge Rose Prize 2024) 

Anke Timmermann (Type & Forme; Cambridge Rose Prize judge) 

Callum White (winner, ABA National Book Collecting Prize 2025) 

 

All welcome 

- this event is free to attend but booking is required at https://ies.sas.ac.uk/news-events/events/shelf-improvement-how-collect-present-prize-worthy-book-collection