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Second hand bookshops

fluffy bunny

fluffy bunny

Member
How many people use second hand bookshops?

And where'd they all disappear to? The closest I've seen at the moment seems to be ebay (though I guess the Oxfam shop qualifies although the selection isn't always great).
 
I've bought a couple of second hand hardcovers from ebay, but can't remeber when I last went to a second hand bookshop. Don't even know where my nearest one is :eek:
 
I haunt the local used bookstores. I don't always find what I want, but I have found some rare gems.
 
There are at least three used bookstores within 15 - 20 minutes drive of where I live. I've been to each one a couple of times, but usually end up going to the library. I just can't bring myself to spend the money on a book, even at used prices, when I can get them for free at the library and spend the money on something else. Perhaps if I had more expendable income...
 
There are several second hand book shops around where I live but the books are cheaper at general second hand shops, salvation army and et cetera.

The most recent second hand book I purchased was "On the Beach" by Nevil Shute.

The library is great but the public transport in Stockholm can cost more than a used book or movie renting fee.
 
Certain kinds of books show up at the used bookstores near me; it's a good resource for some things but not the rarities. Still, I manage to find a lot of things to buy. And I get to recycle the books I don't want to keep - I'm really trying to not keep everything, there's just not room.
 
There are no secondhand bookshops in my area. I do have some general secondhand places that have books. Also there is a lady who has a hair salon and she has shelves of books that her customers and friends are all welcome to take from and add to at any time. I still generally use the library, I have a really good local one, so I am lucky that way.
 
There are three really good second hand bookshops near me (one specialises in crime & Sci-Fi) plus lots of charity shops that I check out regularly. But then, I live in the centre of the civilised world.
 
POOR ME! I think there's something inherently wrong with ebay (granted, I haven't figured out what yet, but it's evil) and there's no second hand book shops round here. Sob. And all the libraries round these parts are either crap or have banned me. Poor, poor Freya.
 
I also think there's something wrong with e-bay. My sister is facing bankruptcy and destitution due to her failure to distinguish what she needs (a healthy diet and exercise) from what she wants (Chanel shoes and dresses). Meanwhile I'm a bad credit risk due to my myriad ex-partners and the profligacy of my loins. I couldn't get credit if I was armed and dangerous.
 
In my home town (in the real North) one of my best friends runs a second hand book stall. I used to get books two or three times a week and then pay him on payday.
That was nice.
 
Ebay is way overpriced and 99% crap. No bargains there. Plus, the only time I used it--about three years ago--I was trying to buy an army canteen for my kid and the seller ripped me off. There is no recourse, of course. Some redneck criminal named Travis (true!) from Arkansas. Hate ebay.

I have loads of used and indy bookstores near me, including one of the biggest and most famous, Rodger's Book Barn, which is on a dirt road in the middle of the woods and only shelves quality stock.

Plus, there are loads of thrift stores, and each has a bookcase full of used books. These are especially good for 10-year-old hardcover bestsellers.

BTW, I am really surprised at the prices charged for used books in UK. On a recent trip it looked like the going rate for a used paperback was 3-4 pounds, which is what new costs in US, and they were really tattered.
 
We pay over the odds for a lot of things here. :mad:

It's the reason why my site is hosted by an American company and not a UK one - the strength of the pound in comparison to the dollar.
 
Plus, if you use ebay you should know that they are a huge sender of spyware and spam and they leave your info vulnerable to all kinds of spiders. Check your system for a little devil called ebatesmoemoneymaker.exe. That is one asspain. Very hard to get rid of.
 
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