Buying Books Secondhand
I grew up in a family of, as my Dad would call us, book-mongers. We had shelves stuffed full of books…plus our nightstands which were normally covered with books. I was slightly geeky as a kid, but you’d never know that now, right? Ha! My favorite things to read were Encyclopedias, the Dictionary and Child-craft books. Weird, I know.
One of my best childhood memories is of my parents going to the local “friends of the library” used book sale each year. My siblings and I stayed home waiting in eager anticipation of what treasures Mom and Dad would bring home. It was like Christmas.
I married a man who is also passionate about books, so we have already have quite a library. Even now (at 17 months old) Ridley loves to read. He reads to himself and we read together on a daily basis.
My favorite way to acquire books is secondhand. I’ve found many wonderful used books at library sales, antique stores, thrift stores, rummage sales and yard sales. Amazon and AbeBooks are also great resources for used books.
Ridley hasn’t quite figured out the difference between ripping junk mail and magazines to shreds, but not tearing books. So, since most of his books were cheap (0.10 – 0.25 each), I don’t stress out too much if he rips out a page or chews a corner to pieces.
In my quest for finding inexpensive children’s books, I’ve found many treasures which include an 1880 edition of Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss and a 1960 copy of Susie’s Babies. Both these books are fabulous. Susie’s Babies is about {ahem} “the birds and the bees” except in relation to hamsters in a school classroom.
I love to decorate with books. Using books with character brings fabulous texture and impact into a space. Trust me. I’m so crazy about decorating with books, that currently all the books on our living room shelves are turned around backwards…I’m in LOVE with the look!
There is simply nothing like hunting for a treasure {ahem} I mean, book.
Where is your favorite place to find used books? Do you have a wonderful old book that you love?
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When my great aunt was alive she use to buy a book every day. She had thousands and thousands of books. After her passing I was lucky enough to get a few boxes.
Some great treasures and some that are just weird!
I love books too – especially hardcover ones. I’m first drawn to the outside then it’s the pages that gets me every time!
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Another great thing about books is the smell! Mmmm! Maybe I’m a dork, but I smell the pages of every book I pick up. 🙂
I had to laugh when I started reading this because I loved reading the encyclopedia as a child!
We love shopping for used books at a great local budget bookstore we have close by.
.-= Tanya´s last blog ..Summer’s Almost Here =-.
We almost always get our books from the thrift store. I am like you I don’t fret over something happening to those books. Special occasions (such as Christmas, Easter, or birthdays), we go to Books-A-Million!
.-= Jennifer´s last blog ..Happy Memorial Day! =-.
I LOVE buying 2nd hand books! The twon I live in has a 2nd hand book sale every 4th of July before te parade begins and I have fond memories of sorting throught the books with my family. GREAT post.
VIsiting from TILT
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We have several used book sales in our area every year, as well as a used book store. Also our local book store has a used section that you can trade books in to get more used books. I usually keep my used books and just by more. 🙂 We have quite a selection of books also in our house. I am so thankful our children love books as much as we do! 🙂
.-= Joy Ellis´s last blog ..Memorial Day =-.
We love books at my house too. Garage sales and library sales are our favs for finding great books at low cost 🙂
Blessings,
Amy
I love amazon- and always buy used…
Also, I am on the friends committee at my library, so I too support our used book sale! 🙂
Gotta love books!!!!
.-= Rachel@cupcakesprinklesinlife´s last blog ..Natural Beauty: Longwood Gardens~ A Home School Field Trip Part 4…. =-.
I went to one of those library sales and my husband about lost it over the # of books I got. :-\ I’m a sucker! I collect those old Winnie the Pooh books and love displaying them.
I recognized SO MANY of your books that we have on our shelves too!
And, it is embarrasing to admit just how many books are on my Amazon wish list! 🙂
What a delightful post Myra! It brings back lots of memories! I think you need to post a shelf with the books backwards! 🙂 Love you!
I missed our library book sale this year. 🙁 We have a wonderful used book store though. 😀
.-= Sherry´s last blog ..Oh, my! Chocolate and Peanut Butter! =-.
Ahhh…books, beautiful books! My love for books became out of control once we started homeschooling 🙂 I would be ever-so sad if anything happened to them!
.-= Stacy´s last blog ..What are you waiting for? =-.
Oh wow I LOVE used book stores! And new book stores! Yard sales too… it doesn’t matter. The trouble is, I am married to a man who is NOT a book monger. Not much of a reader. NOT thrilled with seeing books everywhere. I have to temper myself and only buy what I really need, and I sell extras frequently.
.-= Dawn@ 5 Kids and a Dog´s last blog ..The Better Behavior Wheel- Review =-.
We buy a lot of second-hand books! We’re blessed to have a great (HUGE) used book store that will buy our books and give us store credit. I hardly ever spend any money and we get great new reading material!
.-= Olivia´s last blog ..Homemade Gifts Post #2 =-.
I’ve been loving Paperback Swap:
http://www.paperbackswap.com/index.php
It’s a FREE book swap/exchange – I’ve been using it for a few years and received so many great books from this source. It’s definitely worth checking out!
.-= mother★lode´s last blog ..★ meditations for children =-.
Keep posting stuff like this i really like it