My library system has a fantastic used book sale every month/6 weeks. It is in a storefront in a tiny strip mall and somehow they manage to refill the shelves before every sale. $15 per bag on Thursday or Friday, or $8 per bag on Saturday. I never come home with less than a bag of the most random things I want to read! If you're ever in the Toledo/Northwest Ohio area, I recommend that you try to plan a visit around the Friends of the Library book sale!
I've been searching all my local libraries for when their book sales are but I haven't had any luck! There's nothing like a good library sale to find some really good stuff.
I used to go to a used book store with my mom like every weekend growing up and I've found some amazing deals there. Pretty much my entire Stephen King collection came from that place. They've become such special memories for me now as I've gotten older. I look back on those trips with my mom very fondly!
I feel like since COVID it's been a lot harder to find book sales! This one in Chicago was the first time in three years they'd been able to hold it. I'll keep my fingers crossed that some open up near you soon!
Oh man, I lived in Chicago for only a year and missed out on the Newberry book sale that year, sadly. Sounds like a good time! I am notorious in my family for LOVING library book sales--to the point that I get an eyeroll and a comment like "how many bags of books are you coming home with this time?" haha
My most recent lucky find was at a Little Free Library, though. I got a nearly brand-new copy of The Brothers Karamazov, trans. Pevear and Volokhonsky, along with a used but still good copy of Slaughterhouse 5, both of which have been on my reading list for forever.
Also happy to see the poetry recommendation. I am doing the Sealey challenge (not the full 31 collections, more like "read some amount of poetry every day") and I am loving collecting more poets and collections to check out for the future. Thanks!
What amazing finds! And yay for the Sealey challenge! Good luck! I also am kind of doing that, just trying to read some more poetry and make a conscious effort rather than a whole collection a day. It really helps break up some reading and gives my brain a rest while also giving it some beautiful words, which I think is the best of both worlds!
Dammit, I wish I'd known about the Newberry sale! I've only been once, but it remains one of the best book sale (and book sale experiences) of my life.
I buy so many used books from all different sources that it's completely impossible to ever determine my "best find," but I will say that I am regularly stunned by what I come across -- books on my wishlists, brand-new books, books that meant a lot to me in the past that I've forgotten about, and every other kind of gem you can imagine.
There are a ton of book sales in my area, but one I recommend (and close enough for you to travel, if you're in the Chicago area?) is the UW Library book sale: https://www.library.wisc.edu/friends/book-donations-semiannual-sale/book-sale/ It's heavy on academic books, as you can imagine, but it's consistently amazing. (And I recommend paying the early entry fee.)
My library system has a fantastic used book sale every month/6 weeks. It is in a storefront in a tiny strip mall and somehow they manage to refill the shelves before every sale. $15 per bag on Thursday or Friday, or $8 per bag on Saturday. I never come home with less than a bag of the most random things I want to read! If you're ever in the Toledo/Northwest Ohio area, I recommend that you try to plan a visit around the Friends of the Library book sale!
I've been searching all my local libraries for when their book sales are but I haven't had any luck! There's nothing like a good library sale to find some really good stuff.
I used to go to a used book store with my mom like every weekend growing up and I've found some amazing deals there. Pretty much my entire Stephen King collection came from that place. They've become such special memories for me now as I've gotten older. I look back on those trips with my mom very fondly!
I feel like since COVID it's been a lot harder to find book sales! This one in Chicago was the first time in three years they'd been able to hold it. I'll keep my fingers crossed that some open up near you soon!
Oh man, I lived in Chicago for only a year and missed out on the Newberry book sale that year, sadly. Sounds like a good time! I am notorious in my family for LOVING library book sales--to the point that I get an eyeroll and a comment like "how many bags of books are you coming home with this time?" haha
My most recent lucky find was at a Little Free Library, though. I got a nearly brand-new copy of The Brothers Karamazov, trans. Pevear and Volokhonsky, along with a used but still good copy of Slaughterhouse 5, both of which have been on my reading list for forever.
Also happy to see the poetry recommendation. I am doing the Sealey challenge (not the full 31 collections, more like "read some amount of poetry every day") and I am loving collecting more poets and collections to check out for the future. Thanks!
What amazing finds! And yay for the Sealey challenge! Good luck! I also am kind of doing that, just trying to read some more poetry and make a conscious effort rather than a whole collection a day. It really helps break up some reading and gives my brain a rest while also giving it some beautiful words, which I think is the best of both worlds!
Dammit, I wish I'd known about the Newberry sale! I've only been once, but it remains one of the best book sale (and book sale experiences) of my life.
I buy so many used books from all different sources that it's completely impossible to ever determine my "best find," but I will say that I am regularly stunned by what I come across -- books on my wishlists, brand-new books, books that meant a lot to me in the past that I've forgotten about, and every other kind of gem you can imagine.
There are a ton of book sales in my area, but one I recommend (and close enough for you to travel, if you're in the Chicago area?) is the UW Library book sale: https://www.library.wisc.edu/friends/book-donations-semiannual-sale/book-sale/ It's heavy on academic books, as you can imagine, but it's consistently amazing. (And I recommend paying the early entry fee.)
Aw man! I went with Ashley--we could have had a lil meet up!! Next one though!! I’ve not heard of the UW sale but definitely looking into it now!
Well, we can still have a meetup........!
!!!! YES!!!!