This week raidergirl3 at An Adventure in Reading asks, "Where do you get your books?"
I get my books from any number of places. I often shop the remains tables at the two major book chains in my area. I'm surprised at how many new titles find their way to this table within six months to a year of publication. These hardbacks usually cost $5.98. What a deal! I also shop at my local Friends of the Library bookshelf where books are between 50 cents and one dollar. Then there is the local Salvation Army which has one of the most amazing book collections -- and cheap, cheap, cheap. Lately I've been getting Advanced Review Copies to review through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program. The cost of these books is merely a review posted at LibraryThing. I used to haunt used bookstores, but these stores have a difficult time staying in business where I live. I try to visit used bookstores when I travel. One of my favorites is Bookmans in Flagstaff. I do purchase books online at a discount and usually wait until I have several titles and then opt for the free shipping. Occasionally I purchase books full price at my local bookstore, but I'm usually pretty desperate if I do this. As a librarian, I would be terribly remiss if I didn't check books out at my public library. My library has a nice online feature for keeping lists of books I want to read in future. I noticed that I was purchasing books because I was worried that I'd forget about a certain title I wanted to read. When online bookstores created wishlists, this helped some but I still found myself buying those books. Now that I keep a list on my library account I'm more likely to borrow many books rather than purchase.
Where am I today? I'm in a dead forest, north of Kiev (yes, Russia). My companions are an old wizard, a young wizard-in-training, a street-wise skeptic of all things magical, and various "Things" (spirits) -- a Yard-Thing, a House-Thing, a Forest-Thing, etc. Oh, and I mustn't forget the rusalka (ghost). This is one of C.J. Cherryh's creations called Rusalka.
I get most of my books online these days, from either BookMooch or TheBookDepository. But when I lived in England for a few months I kept raiding the charity shops near my house...I bought so many great books for insanely low prices!
ReplyDeleteYou're reading Rusalka! yay! I can't wait for your final thoughts on it.
I love, love thrift shops for secondhand books. I go pretty often and usually snag up titles when they have been there less than a day. I'm suprised how many of them are in like new condition. I buy a new book every once in a while. My library also has lists and a great holding system so know I am using it much more than I used to. The problem is, every time I read a really good book I tend to want to buy it afterwards.
ReplyDeleteI love shopping the bargain tables at the bookstores too. I glance over each title, waiting for something to jump out at me. Often something does! I seem to be getting a lot of free books for review lately, but I still buy too many. I like to buy them at the stores, used or new, but sometimes I'll buy them online.
ReplyDeleteI am lucky to live in Portland, where Powell's is a regular haunt. But I love, love, love library book stores and sales and hit as many as possible. I have also taken to stopping in at the local Goodwill, where they have an impressive selection, in good shape, at very good prices.
ReplyDeleteTAG! I just tagged you for the Six Random Things About Myself meme (although I still don't know wat that word means). I hope you haven't already done it.