Wednesday, Nov 05, 2025

There are several ‘official’ definitions of the word ‘mentor’: ‘an experienced and trusted adviser’; ‘a person who gives a younger or less experienced person help and advice over a period of time, especially at work or school’; ‘an experienced individual who provides guidance, support, and instruction to another person, often referred to as a mentee’; ‘a trusted counsellor or guide’.

And then there is my interpretation. It is someone who by word or deed in your personal and/or business life, inspires, or comforts, or encourages, or guides, or teaches you; someone who not only hears but also listens to you. Another definition could be ‘an older, experienced wisdom’. A mentor can fill any, or a combination, of these roles.

My first mentors were my parents; another was a science teacher at high school who, despite my hopelessness with science as a subject, encouraged and inspired me to have faith in my own abilities. During my early years as a bookseller, I was fortunate to benefit from the advice and guidance of some remarkable established booksellers, in particular Margaret Woodhouse in Sydney, Gaston Renard in Melbourne, and Anthony Rota in London.

In the year 2000, when in France for what developed into a controversial and contentious ILAB committee meeting, I had the good fortune to receive guidance from a newly established friend, Jonathan Burdon (who is now my husband). A suggestion of Jonathan’s to help me cope with the situation in Cabourg was to observe and absorb General Colin Powell’s 13 rules of leadership.

One of the events during this year’s Melbourne Rare Book Week (MRBW) program offered an opportunity for aspiring or existing booksellers to benefit from the ILAB International Mentoring Programme, which was established in 2016 to support young or recently launched antiquarian booksellers around the world. It pairs newcomers with experienced ILAB-affiliated mentors to offer support, encouragement, and practical advice on a one-to-one basis, helping bridge the gap left by the decline of traditional apprenticeships and larger bookselling firms. The MRBW session, entitled ‘Starting a Career in the Rare Book Trade?’ was conducted by Dawn Albinger, of Archives Fine Books in Brisbane, as President of ANZAAB and herself an ILAB mentee, Sally Burdon, of Asia Bookroom in Canberra and a Past President of ILAB, and Angelika Elstner, Executive Secretary of ILAB.

My message to all is—mentors matter.