Building Your Personal Library

After my last post, I thought it might be fun for all of us to swap some tips on how to fill bookshelves with treasures. I'll share my favorite ways if you all promise to share some of yours. :)

1. Determine what sort of books you want to collect and treasure.
    If you are looking for modern books, you'll probably look for them in different places than vintage.

2. Keep a list of books you really want. That way when you are in a bookstore and the sheer mass of titles is overwhelming, you can just look for the titles you want.

3. Train your vision to be eagle sharp. If you are already an abibliophobiac like me, you don't need any help here. Your inner instincts already send of alarm bells every time you see the spine of a book.

Places to look:

1. Yard sales.  Look under the tables, under home decor clutter in boxes, under stacks of magazines. Books put out at yards sales are generally dirt cheap and negotiable. If there are several books in a box of books, offer to take the whole box for a price you name. Often the seller will be glad for you to just haul them away.

2. Goodwill/thrift stores. Don't just assume that there are only trashy romance novels at these places. Often I have been surprised to find real treasures on their shelves. Again, these places are generally extremely cheap.

3. Flea markets. Sellers will often negotiate on price, especially if buy in volume. A tip: don't act overly excited. You've got to be a little crafty here. Flea Market Sellers are sharp business men, don't let the overalls and beard deceive you. Name your price, (reasonable of course) and then act as if it doesn't matter a pin to you if you get them. Acted excited, and they'll know you'll purchase them no matter what, and will neither lower the price and may even attempt to trick you and raise it.

4. Antique stores. My favorite and where many of mine came from. Often Antique malls are loaded with books tucked away in little corners. Some antique dealers know the worth of their books and their prices are super high. Make sure that you aren't paying more than you need to.

5. eBay. That's right. eBay is an excellent place to buy old books. Since it's an auction you can generally offer your price, and since old books aren't really going to good currently on the market, you'll get it. Make sure you factor in the shipping price when you think of how much you want to spend. This is where I got all of my first edition Elsie Dinsmore's.

6. ABE books. Great place for modern or vintage. Careful that you know whether the book you are buying is paperback/hardback.

7. Amazon. They don't always have the lowest prices, but you can often find good deals on modern books here.

8. Library sales.  Old books and good books =  no longer needed in the library. Many libraries have a shelf set to the side of books that you can buy.

9. Used book stores. Warning: if you are looking for vintage books here, be careful. Used book sellers know what they are doing, especially if a book is a first edition. The prices may be super high. However, some are negotiable, and some of the stores work on a credit system. (You bring in your unwanted books, they "buy" them, and whatever those books were worth you get in credit from the store. )


10. Friends.  Once friends know that you collect books they will be constantly asking if you want their old books. Accept them, keep what you want and send the rest away to goodwill. :)

11. Keep up with the sales at your favorite book stores. Barnes and Noble has a clearance section online. (It's our secret though, can't let too many people know or we'll never get books. :)

What are some of your favorite places to buy books?

Fine Print:  Links are clickable. I make no profit off of your purchase of anything. Unless, you are shopping through Amazon. :)  Images not mine.