I buy WAY too many old books, both for research and leisure. I have been using “bookfinder.com” and “abe.com.” Do you folks know of any other used-book sites I may be missing? After all, there’s still a dollar or two in my wallet I have not yet tossed out the window . . .
I really like BiblioFind.
You do live in New York, right? Frequent the Strand?
I swear by http://used.addall.com/ which searches multiple sites and displays the results in a convenient fashion. (Obligatory warning: Stay away from the radio history texts – I saw them first.)
Overall, I think the number of search sites will continue to decline, due to consolidation.
You read the New Yorker but you’ve missed the full-page ads for Alibris?
I just got a dandy copy of The Admirable Crichton from Alibris for a whole 8 bucks.
Thanks, I will check out used.adall and BiblioFind—I did try Alibris once, though, and thought it, well, sucked. Aseymayo, try some of the other slisted, you may prefer 'em! And I will certainly keep my mitts off the radio history texts.
They pay for those ads by generally charging 20% to 30% more than the other search sites. When you do a search on used.addall.com often the same copy of a book will be listed by more than one listing service. Alibris almost always charges significantly more than the other sites for the same copy of the book. (You can tell that they are both the same book from the same used bookstore because the descriptions are identical).
Eve,
In terms of your question, BookFinder, ABE, Bibliofind, etc. are basically fine for searching. Other easy choices include eBay and Amazon.com’s zShops. The basic issue is whether you are looking for collectible books (e.g., first editions, small press books, etc.) or used books that are more affordable. If you are looking for collectible books, these sites can be a great start, but you really need to do your homework to learn about rare books - I collect modern first editions (roughly from 1900 on) and it takes a commitment to invest the time to learn about the subtleties of the hobby - I scan the internet sites above all the time looking for books on my want list, but then have to really make sure that I:
a) Understand the points that identify the book as collectible (e.g., does that 1st edition of “For Whom the Bell Tolls” have the photographer’s credit missing from the back of the dust jacket, making it a first edition, first issue?). On eBay and Amazon zShops listings, you’ll find dealers advertising “For Whom” 1st edition and not even mention whether it’s a first issue (kind of like offering a Mickey Mantle baseball card at the price of the rookie card and not mentioning if it IS a rookie card)
b) Identify the dealer listed on the Internet (yet another reason that Alibris is not good, and certainly only good for used, non-collectible books - you have no way of seeing who the dealer is and basing your decision to buy on their reputation, which is a big deal)
c) Understand condition - condition is EVERYTHING for collectible books, especially after WW1 when dust jackets became more common (e.g., a First of the Great Gatsby w/ no dj goes for $1 - 2,000; with dj in great shape for over $75,000!!). Another reason to learn about specific dealers who you can trust.
So, bottom line - if you want access to a variety of used books without regard to value/collectibility, these sites plus the others mentioned in the thread are fine; o/w there are a bunch of considerations for rarer books…
pssssssssst…WordMan…
I think she wants 'em to *read.
Powell’s Books New and used books
If you’re looking for cheap books, you don’t have to limit yourself to used book sellers. Ther are several sites selling remainders and overstocks, and other cheap new books:
Hamilton Books My favorite bookseller
Book Closeouts I’ve seen some good deals here occasionally, but I haven’t actually ordered from them yet.
Ding-dang it. That’s Powell’s Books
Posted by Ukelele Ike:
pssssssssst…WordMan…
I think she wants 'em to read.
What? You can’t read a first edition?
Point made, Ike - but since collecting is on the rise and these sights are used a lot for that purpose, it seemed appropriate to add that perspective…
My daughter works in a used book store, she says that
is not necessarily accurate, if you’re going by the contents description. With one service, she just has to upload the ISBN and the service will automatically give the blurb. If you’re going by the book CONDITION description, it might be true (for instance, crease on DJ, small chip on DJ, stuff like that). She says that all of these are good recommendations, and she suggests http://www.tomfolio.com as well.
Let me know if you want the email address of her store. She won’t get any commission, but she’ll get even more goodwill. This store DOES ship all over the world, so shipping books to NY is no problem. As a general rule, the store only takes “gently used” books, and it does have quite a wide selection of books.
Uhm, actually Eve, if you’ve been using Bookfinder, you’re already searching practically every used book search engine that other posters have mentioned. According to their web site, Bookfinder doesn’t have any books of their own, but makes proxy queries to ABE, Alibris, Tomfolio.com, Powells, Biblion, JustBooks, and a dozen or so lesser indexes to come up with its results…sort of like a Metacrawler for used books. In fact, about the only one I don’t see listed on their page is Bibliofind.
Also bear in mind that there’s a fair amount of cross-pollination, with individual book dealers listing their catalog on multiple search engines.
You may want to try half.com. It’s a website where individuals put up their used books/cds/dvds at half retail price. Like ebay (and run by them), but at a set price.
You’re right; sorry for being snotty. I collect first editions meself. (Although I’m not above buying “reader’s copies.”)
It’s just that I get a bit shirty when I pay a hundred bucks for a copy with a small chip on the dust jacket spine instead of two hundred bucks for a pristine copy, and some fancy-pants with deep pockets explains to me why I fucked up.
Uke good point. But it extends into all collectible fields. Take coins, which is my livelyhood.
I have an 1881S Morgan Silver dollar for sale in choice used condition for $14. I have one in uncirculated(that’s with a great dust jacket, for bookies) for $30. I have the finest one I have ever handled for sale for $100(read: dust jacket appears as if it just came out of the original box).
I am not exagerating when I say that some goofuss paid $5000. for the finest known example(read: my dust jacket’s better than yours, nyahh, nyahh!!).
And don’t get me started about mint condition boxes in which a toy was issued! Screw the toy! I need that box.
Sorry you had a bad experience - what can I say? They sent me a nifty magnet. I’m a sucker for free magnets. I find them strangely attractive.
Uke - you probably ruin the value of all your Barbie dolls by taking them out of the package, too.
Actually, one of the great things about Powell’s is that they have so many books they probably don’t need to sub-query other sites. I used to go to their store about once a quarter when I was back in college. They claimed to have more than a million volumes (not hard to believe once you’ve seen the place) and they’ve expanded since then. With web transactions, sometimes the closer you can get to the source, the better. Powell’s would be the first place I’d look.
{sob}
I know, I know. I am a Very Bad Collector.
I read my books; I play with my Barbies; I spend my coins.
Thanks for the suggestions, all—I have tried some and bookmarked a couple.
I don’t really “collect” as in first editions, though I have chanced upon a few valuable books (usually at dusty old Mom-and-Pop roadside barns in Assboink, Iowa). I generally look for bizarre old books no one else would be interested in, like “The Diary of a Daly Debutante,” or the Talmadge sisters’ bio by their mom, or Elinor Glyn bodice-rippers.
CM—I do go to the Strand when I’m in the area; still look forlornly up the street where the old Barnes & Noble used book annex used to be . . .