American Antiquarian Society
185 Salisbury Street
Worcester, MA 01609
United States
The Julian L. Lapides Lecture is a talk about pre-1900 children's literature in America, endowed by a gift from Linda Lapides in honor of her husband, Julian L. "Jack" Lapides (1931‒2021). A lawyer and historic preservationist in Baltimore, Maryland, Jack served on the AAS Council for two decades, serving as Chair from 2003-2008. He and Linda were eminent collectors of children's literature.
Justin G. Schiller's journey as a bibliophile began when he was eight years old and started collecting Wizard of Oz books. His interest in the children's fantasy series by L. Frank Baum continued to grow and at the age of thirteen, he founded The International Wizard of Oz Fan Club. In 1960, Schiller opened his New York City rare book firm, specializing in early and rare children's books. He has assembled numerous important collections and written widely on children's literature. His books include Realms of Childhood (1983), Digging for Treasure: An Adventure in Appraising Rare and Collectible Children's Books (1998), Pioneering Collectible Children's Books (2002), and Sendak All Around (2003). He is the founder and proprietor of Justin Schiller Ltd, the oldest antiquarian book firm in the United States continuously specializing in rare and collectible children's books in all languages and covering all time periods. He was elected to the American Antiquarian Society in October 1984.