I hadn't had anything new to read in entirely too long. I finally got the bright idea to head over to the library and browse through the used book section, where you can buy old books for a steal.
I came home with the hardcover of Tad Williams' Sea of Silver Light (to complete my Otherland collection), an old hardcover of Asimov's first three Foundation books, a paperback Fifth Elephant (Pratchett), and the first and third books in Patricia McKillip's Riddlemaster series (and now I have to find a copy of the second book, Heir of Sea and Fire). I got all of the above for a total of $2.75.
Man, I am so going back there in a few weeks.
[ June 10, 2005, 01:52 PM: Message edited by: UofUlawguy ]
Posted by romanylass (Member # 6306) on :
AWESOME!! I love cheap books. I just buy them up, and if they're bad I can just donate them to the "Friends of the Library "sale and feel like I've done a good deed.
Posted by His Savageness (Member # 7428) on :
Hey UofUlawguy, which bookstore was that?
Posted by UofUlawguy (Member # 5492) on :
Sorry, I meant Library. I have edited.
The Clark County, Nevada Library system rocks, by the way.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
Wow. Your library has MUCH better used books for sale than mine does.
Posted by UofUlawguy (Member # 5492) on :
And that library had the WORST selection for sale that I have seen here. It just happened to be the one that was most convenient at the time.
I've been to another where I had a stack of nine or ten classic SF books I wanted to get, but couldn't do it that day. There were at least one or two Card books, and all the rest were by the older masters of the genre.
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
Man, I don't think my library even those on the shelves, much less for sale for cheap.
Not that I can ever go back to the library.
Posted by Anastasia (Member # 8159) on :
Our library is extremely lucky to have a very dedicated and diverse readership so we get a lot of useful high-quality books donated to the Friends.
All of the books donated to our Friends of the Library are checked to see if they are suitable for circulation so that everyone can enjoy them.
We tend to get donations of *like* items. If we put out for sale a lot of fascinating titles and like-new books, people bring in more from home. The same side-effect is seen whenever someone puts out an old computer book or an old set of encyclopedias. Yuck. It is an extremely difficult concept for most of our volunteers to understand.
Our local library is extremely lucky, though. It is a collaborative effort between the county and the community college district, so it serves as both a public and an academic library. Therefore, we have an amazingly broad range of books in "the collection" (circulating books) and donated to the Friends.
We also have an "incentive" program for our volunteers in which they can earn free books in exchange for volunteer hours. So, not only do the volunteers get to see and choose books before they are put out for the public, but they get to take home some for free.
Darn it. Stop making me think about our local library. I'm like an addict. I'm trying to spend the ENTIRE day away from there.
It is really cool that you buy books from your local library Friends.
Posted by plaid (Member # 2393) on :
Used library books?
Sure, I've used library books.
C'mon, someone post a more interesting survey thread...
Posted by TL (Member # 8124) on :
Hmmm. Well, different strokes. *I* think this is interesting, at least.
Posted by Little_Doctor (Member # 6635) on :
Forget books. My library has a Starbucks!
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
quote:Originally posted by katharina: Not that I can ever go back to the library.
Why can't you go back to the library? Do they ban patrons instead of books at your branch? Or are you just stuck in the house?
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
I love used library books Once I got a hardcover of the Subtle Knife for just one dollar. I love when you can fill bags with 25 cent books. But the last thing this house needs is more books.
Posted by Glenn Arnold (Member # 3192) on :
Was it Kat that got charged for writing notes in the margins?
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
Never!
I just returned some books two months late. I don't want to pay my fine, so I can never return.
Posted by Glenn Arnold (Member # 3192) on :
Yeah, I buy books from the library too. If you wait long enough, they give them away for free.
I'm actually kind of disturbed when I find good books in the book sale. Shouldn't they be keeping those books on the shelf? If I buy "Heart of Darkness" or "The Odyssey" (two real purchases) doesn't that mean the library no longer has them available for the public?
Posted by Glenn Arnold (Member # 3192) on :
Couldn't remembger who that was.
Actually, when you return books late, you are doing the library a favor, for two reasons:
1. The library counts on late fees for income.
2. The library counts on a certain percentage of books being on loan at any given time, so they can keep a larger number of books in circulation.
Posted by UofUlawguy (Member # 5492) on :
I browsed through the local used book sections in my local libraries again, and came away with More Than Human by Sturgeon, and three OSC books: Rebekah, Songmaster, and the Unaccompanied Sonata book of short stories. Total charge: $1.75.
Posted by maui babe (Member # 1894) on :
The Friends of the Maui Public Library runs a used bookstore in the middle of nowhere, behind the sugar mill. If you can find it, and get past the attack chickens and the dive-bombing mosquitoes, all of the books are sold for 10 cents.
I go several times a year, and buy 30 or 40 books at a time. Most I just donate back to the FoMPL, but I've kept a few.
Posted by JaimeBenlevy (Member # 6222) on :
That's incredible UofU. I have to check my local library for any good used books. What kind of condition were they in? I know you probably bought it for reading but I have a slight OCD when it comes to the book on my shelf.
Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
quote:Originally posted by katharina: Man, I don't think my library even those on the shelves, much less for sale for cheap.
Not that I can ever go back to the library.
Yeah. *wince
Indiana blacklisted me for awhile, maybe still. What can I say? I don't like giving up ("back") books.
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
I bought my hard-cover version of OSC's Wyrms at a library used-book sale. For 25 cents. And it has that original cover art we all love....
FG
Posted by Stan the man (Member # 6249) on :
I once sorted out an assortment of books for my high school library (about 8 years ago). They let me keep about 10 books as my payment. They were older books more or less and some weren't even written in English. None-the-less, I was happy.
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