2026 SoFCB Annual Meeting
Your membership in the Society of Fellows entitles you to free attendance at our annual gathering of leading critical bibliography scholars. Come join us for lively conversations about the history of the book, followed by great meals and evenings of convivial fun. Many fabulous academic collaborations have been forged within the four walls of our annual meeting – join us!
Please fill out the registration form, linked below, by April 19 to confirm your attendance to the meeting’s various events and meals.
Welcome Reception
Come prepared to have some light bites together at sundown before getting some rest or heading to bars for local drinks.
Tuesday, May 19th
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Join us at UVA’s Pavilion III garden for heavy hors d’oeuvres catered by Pearl Island.
We will have a pre-selected range of nibbles and drinks for you, our treat.
Registration & Coffee
Come to pick up registration materials and gather for coffee and light breakfast before the first day of our annual meeting.
Wednesday, May 20th
8:30am–9:00am
RBS Event Space in UVA’s Shannon Library
Welcome
Barbara Heritage, RBS Miranker Family Director of Collections, Exhibitions & Scholarly Initiatives
Wednesday, May 20th
9:00am–9:15am
Rare Book School, Tanenbaum Seminar Room
“What is Critical Bibliography?”
Kate Ozment, Kelvin Smith Library, Case Western Reserve University
Wednesday, May 20th
9:15am–10:45am
Rare Book School, Tanenbaum Seminar Room
Coffee Break
Enjoy coffee and conversation between events.
Wednesday, May 20th
10:45 am – 11:15 am
Rare Book School Event Space
Junior Fellow Presentations
We will be hearing from each of the Junior Fellows, who will introduce us briefly to their exciting research programs in short talks of 5 minutes, with 8 minutes for questions for each speaker about their work.
Presentation lineup TBD.
Wednesday, May 20th
11:15 am – 12:30 pm
Rare Book School, Tanenbaum Seminar Room
Lunch
There will be a selection of sandwiches at lunch provided by Feast. Please place your lunch order in the registration form.
New Junior Fellows will take part in a “working lunch” in the last half of the lunch break to talk through new fellow requirements. This will be in the Tanenbaum Seminar Room.
Wednesday, May 20th
12:30 pm–2:00 pm
Rare Book School Event Space
Junior Fellow Presentations
We will be hearing from each of the Junior Fellows, who will introduce us briefly to their exciting research programs in short talks of 5 minutes, with 8 minutes for questions for each speaker about their work.
Wednesday, May 20th
2:00 pm–3:15 pm
Rare Book School, Tanenbaum Seminar Room
Coffee Break
Enjoy a rest and conversation between events.
Wednesday, May 20th
3:15 pm – 3:45 pm
Rare Book School Event Space
Induction of Junior Fellows and Promotion of Senior Fellows
Led by Damian Fleming (former SoFCB President)
Wednesday, May 20th
3:45 pm – 4:00 pm
Rare Book School, Tanenbaum Seminar Room
Plenary Panel
The first day of the meeting on May 21st will conclude with a plenary panel of SoFCB fellows:
Dr. John Garcia, Director of Scholarly Programs and Partnerships, American Antiquarian Society
Dr. Rachel Stein, Scholarly Engagement Librarian for Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary Programs, Tulane University Libraries
Dr. Martin Tsang, Independent Scholar
Wednesday, May 20th
4:00 pm – 5:45 pm
Rare Book School, Tanenbaum Seminar Room
Morning Coffee
Come a bit early to enjoy coffee and light bites as we get the second day of the annual meeting started.
Thursday, May 21st
8:30 am-9:00 am
Rare Book School Event Space
Welcome and Presidential Address
Dr. Joseph Howley, SoFCB President, addresses the Society.
Thursday, May 21st
9:00 am-9:15 am
Rare Book School, Tanenbaum Seminar Room
"Forbidden Knowledge: Books Crossing Boundaries in Early Modern Europe."
Keynote Address by Professor Hannah Marcus
Thursday, May 21st
9:15 am-10:30 am
Rare Book School, Tanenbaum Seminar Room
Coffee Break
Enjoy coffee and conversation between events.
Thursday, May 21st
10:30am–11 am
Rare Book School Event Space
Workshop Session I
Sign up for one of two workshops in session I using the registration form (link at the top).
Thursday, May 21st
11 AM – 1 PM
Workshop A: Oishani Sengupta & Xiaoyu Xia, Asian Book History workshop, Belanger Seminar Room
Workshop B: Andrew Kuhn (RBS Director of Development), Fundraising in Educational Non-Profits workshop, Seminar Room C
Lunch
There will be a selection of sandwiches, soups, and salads from Revolutionary Soup. Please place your lunch order in the registration form.
Thursday, May 21st
1 PM – 2:15 PM
Rare Book School Event Space
Workshop Session II
Sign up for one of two workshops in session II using the registration form (link at the top).
Thursday, May 21st
2:15 PM – 4:15 PM
Coffee Break
Take a quick break before our last event of the day.
Thursday, May 21st
4:15 PM – 4:45 PM
Rare Book School Event Space
Roundtable
Lineup TBD. Please indicate your interest in participating in the roundtable via the registration form!
Thursday, May 21st
4:45 PM – 6:00 PM
Rare Book School, Tanenbaum Seminar Room
Break
Take a break and head over to our concluding dinner.
Thursday, May 21st
6:00 PM -6:30 PM
Closing Reception
Join us for a concluding dinner at Maya to celebrate!
Thursday, May 21st
6:30-8:30 PM
