More Books, Please! Non traditional ways to acquire books
Hello lovely readers!
Today I want to explore ways to acquire books that go beyond traditional bookstores, both chain and independent. Before I begin, I must confess I am a HUGE believer in using your local library when possible, especially with interlibrary loan (ILL) availability (meaning you can get books sent from a participating library to your home branch). My daughter and I go to the library almost every week. In fact at our local library, the receipt of books checked out gives an estimate of how much money you have saved by using the library vs purchasing new (I am almost at $4000 this year) .
But I digress
Here are some options:
- Free libraries
I am sure many of you have heard or seen these cute boxes in your local neighborhood. Little Free Libraries work on the concept of take a book, leave a book. Unlike traditional libraries, you don’t have to return the book once you are finished. It is proper etiquette, however, to contribute a book whenever you can. This amazing volunteer led project is based St. Paul Minnesota and has been operating since 2010. Not only can you use these libraries, but you can even start your own and add it to their map. Best of all, it gives you 24/7 access to books year long! Here is the link to the site to find a free library near you: https://littlefreelibrary.org/map/
- Thrift Stores/Flea Markets/Garage Sales
As I have gotten older, I find that I prefer to buy used whenever possible; this includes books. Thrift stores often have a book section, though variety may varied. They often feature used paperbacks and hardcovers, not always in the best condition, but sometimes you find a gem. Plus, you can’t beat the prices. $2 a book? SOLD. Keep in mind, garage sales and flea markets are most prevalent during nicer weather (late spring, summer, and early fall). Also, beware of thrift stores that inflate their prices. Overall, a good way to find a variety (sometimes unusual)of books.
- Antique Stores and Estate Sales
When I think of a perfect weekend, one of the activities that comes to mind is walking around antique stores or visiting estate sales. I have a love of old, beautifully bound books and one can often find such beauties in these locations. Bear in mind, antique stores will often (but not always) have higher prices than estate sales; nonetheless I have found some wonderful books at both. What might surprise you is that you CAN find more modern books at estate sales. I always thought the only books to be found at these (what I thought of as super fancy) locations were old books that cost a fortune. Thankfully, I have been proven wrong. In particular, I have seen many best sellers that at a bookstore would cost $20 for only $10 (often only read once). For estate sales, I often use this site to find them in my local area: https://www.estatesales.net/
- Online
“Lady Bookish”, I hear you ask, “what if I never want to leave my house”? First of all, I see you and understand. The good news is there are many free online options that go beyond Amazon! Here are a few I have found helpful:
-Gutenberg Project: This is an online free library of ebooks with a large variety of subjects and options to download on various devices. I particularly like this source for older works that can be hard to find and classics. https://www.gutenberg.org/
-OpenLibrary.org: This site has an admirable goal- to make every published work ever made available for all. There are so many books on here but one of my favorite options is to click the option “random book”, which can lead to some unusual publications! There are also curated lists and advanced searches. This does function more as a library so you are ‘borrowing’ books. This is a great option for the audiobook lovers, as almost all the works have an audio option as well as a downloadable copy. https://openlibrary.org/
-Fable: This is a newer one for me. Fable is a free, social media app for booklovers, similar to Twitter/X . It centers around joining book clubs, which can be created by any member. You can browse for different book club genres, where members have forum discussion on the chapters and book as a whole. There are a variety of free ebooks but, bare in mind, the selection will have some restrictions due to copyright. I am still new to this but I am excited to explore it further! https://fable.co/genres/free-books
I know there are so many more options out there but I hope this gives you some new places to acquire books. If you have other ways to get books, please leave it in the comments below!
Happy Reading!
Sincerely
Lady Bookish