Selling Your Books

Hours of Availability

  • Dropping off used books: Wed-Sat open to close 
  • Used book buying: Wed-Fri 8-5
  • Please do not bring used books for drop-off on Monday and Tuesday

WE BUY BOOKS…but not all books…

  • We offer a check (over $20 only) or store credit (20% more) for books we think we can resell. If our Used Book manager is available, he will usually be able to look at your books while you wait, or you may leave them after filling out our drop-off form. In order to collect your check or credit, you will need to retrieve any books that are rejected.

We are selective in our book choices.

  • Our offer is based on condition, desirability, market value, printing history, how a particular title or subject sells in our store, and current stock levels. Neither you nor we can know whether we will purchase your books until you bring them in.
  • What We Like to Buy. We look for books in excellent condition. Hardcover books issued with a. dust jacket should have one. We favor classic literature, philosophy, local interest, theology, history & children's books in good condition. We buy some non-fiction and specialized titles. Author signed books, first editions, & collections are of special interest. Good condition Mass Market paperbacks are taken for trade ONLY (2 for 1 of the same price)
  • What We Don't Buy
    It is impossible to list our exact needs, but we can describe the kinds of books we are not interested in.
    • Damaged books (including those with underlining or highlighting)
    • Book club editions (including Readers Digest Condensed Books)
    • Computer & software books (including users manuals) ·
    • Travel guides and textbooks (current textbooks are bought separately) ·
    • Romance books (Harlequin, etc.)
    • Encyclopedias
    • Ex-Library Books/Magazines

Some hints for selling your books.

  • It is impossible to evaluate a book over the phone. Please don't even ask. (Well, sometimes we could tell you if it isn't worth anything... but that requires more questions and time than a worthless book is worth...)
  • If you have more than a couple of dozen books to sell, it is often worth phoning to make sure we are interested in looking at them, when we can look at them, or if you will have to leave them and come back.
  • Many stores don't pay cash for books – they only give credit. Some stores, like ours, will offer 2 prices – you might be offered $25 cash or $30.00 credit.
  • How much is it worth? We might offer you $10 for a book because we know someone who wants it. If we didn't have that customer, we might offer $1 - or nothing. Many - if not most - of our books will never sell. For the most part, we don't know which ones. Out of the ones that do sell (for money, not credit) we have to pay rent, heat, light, and wages.

There are books that almost no-one will buy:

  • No matter how old, rare, or meaningful a book might be, if no one wants to buy it, it has no dollar value.
  • Really Old Books: Most old books are not saleable. There are exceptions, but they must be in very good condition. When they get back before 1800 or so, they start to get more interesting.
  • First editions: People often forget that every book has a first edition - and most never have a second. Stephen King firsts in near mint condition might sell for $5. Find a 'first' of Stephen King's first book and that's a different matter. When it was published, they didn't know how it would do, so the first printing was small. And no-one was collecting his books. A few years later, his first editions are printed in huge quantities and thousands of people save them. They will never be worth much. There are also a dozen other 'types' of 'firsts' that are not 'true firsts' and usually of no interest.
  • Condition is everything! Not quite, but it's critical. With 'collectable' books, a missing or torn dust jacket might make the book unsalable. With older and rarer books allowances are made. So…don’t be surprised or too disappointed if your books are rejected, and please don’t take it personally…