arliemaria Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 Spent our Family Day Saturday going to used book shops. We went to three used book shops, our friends of the library used book store at the local library, a second hand children's store, a religious store, and Goodwill. I got about 10 books for my little one. I am slowly building a library, but feel like I'll just never have the selection and volume of good, beautiful books that I dream of having. Its so frustrating to think I spent most of the day, all though it was a great day, for such little bounty. Is this a strange feeling? I should just be happy I found a few good books. One was a really nice Mother Goose book. I know if I truly want to have a home library this will become my occupation for the next few decades. Anyone else spend days searching like this? Or should I just buy a couple books a week/month on Amazon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapbookbuzz Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 I, mostly, enjoy the process of shopping for books. It's usually more fun if I'm not looking for anything in particular but happen to come across one I need or is definitely a treasure worth picking up. Today, dh and I went to yard sales "just to look" and I wound up finding the first 9 books in the Pendragon series and the first 4 in Rangers Apprentice, all for $2.00! Sometimes I go spend an hour or two looking through Half-Price books Clearance section. Sometimes I find what I need, sometimes I don't. I think the key is to NOT to it all.the.time. but once in awhile. You'll have more fun that way. And your library will slowly grow, yes, but it will be a fun process! Enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 I never seem to have good luck finding used books. I look at thrift stores and garage sales. There's a huge used book store in our town, but their prices still seem a bit high for used books. I've recently begun looking on paperbackswap.com and Amazon's used books. Sometimes some of them qualify for free shipping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon H in IL Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Change your perspective to enjoying the thrill of the hunt. :D Collectors enjoy the process, not just the final product. I know I do. But be sure to take along high-protein snacks and a thermos of cold water so you don't get run down. Plan for a good time. I am a crazed used-children's book shopper, and my collection of great books (sorted neatly in bins in the basement by historical era or science topic) was truly awesome. Sadly, however, time marches on and my boys outgrew many of the books that were aimed at the younger set. I'm happy to report, however, that we used a very large portion of my books, and few went un-read. It would be so much fun to build a library of classic children's literature. For whom, I haven't quite figured out yet. But my hands itch whenever I see a beautiful copy of anything by E. Nesbit, or the Little Bear books. You can use LibraryThing.com to keep track and sort your collection; a lot of us here do. Although a case can be made that more isn't better, in terms of books for young children. They get more out of reading a few books many times than from reading many books once. 'Multus non multam' as SWB would say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arliemaria Posted October 23, 2011 Author Share Posted October 23, 2011 I have started using librarything.com and I do enjoy "the trill of the hunt," but it really feels like this may take forever! I really have a hard time getting rid of books, but also want to not have twaddle or branded character books. Sometimes I have a book and don't know if it is good enough to keep or not. I debate and debate whether I should keep it on the shelf or donate it or post it on paperbackswap, etc. I really want our collection to be nice and special and not just full of any old book. I do this when we are out hunting too. I will just go over and over in my head about the quality and price, etc. Then later there is always a book I see on Amazon and remember seeing it out and think I should have gotten it. ugh. I love books. It is a difficult, but I think worthy goal of creating that home library. I do worry about that day when no one will be here to read them. I hope we'll have grandchildren and great grandchildren to enjoy them someday, but Robby needs to grow and enjoy them first. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jyniffrec Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 I keep a list of books that I would like to find and I have an idea of what those books are in my head and what authors I am really interested in. I pay attention to what they cost in the bookstore and online. Then if I find them used somewhere I can buy them knowing I've done well with the price. Another strategy is to have a loose schedule of what books you want read when. If the time comes to read a particular book and you don't have it, then go ahead and buy it online or in the bookstore (certainly get an educator's discount card!). Many people use a curriculum as a guide (I mostly use Sonlight and amblesideonline.com). You will end up with a nice library in a few years. As far as the character books go, I tell my kids that they can look at the books in whatever store we are in, but then they have to say goodbye when it is time to go. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Some areas and spots are better for it than others. Where I grew up in NC, there were crazy good used bookstores. Here, not so much. But here there are crazy good thrift stores (for books and everything else). Back in NC, not so much. I think the key is not to go out of your way so much. Just do it when you're nearby, pop in, check the section, be done. I wouldn't spend a whole day bookaging unless you're really having fun with it. Also, if you want specific titles, hit Abebooks or BetterWorldBooks instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookfiend Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Are you looking for specific books or to build a great library in general? If the former, I think older book sets are a great value and often can be found on e-bay for very little/book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arliemaria Posted October 23, 2011 Author Share Posted October 23, 2011 I just went to BetterWorldBooks. Why have I not known about this site!?! Free shipping and most bargain books under $4. Even if I buy the $.01 books on Amazon used you have to pay the $3.99 shipping. This is great with the 4 for $12... $3 books! Yay! $4 is usually the most I want to spend on a used book when we are out searching, unless it is a beautiful bound book or vintage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 I think it depends on your area. Got any college towns around you? You may want to check their stores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arliemaria Posted October 23, 2011 Author Share Posted October 23, 2011 Are you looking for specific books or to build a great library in general? If the former, I think older book sets are a great value and often can be found on e-bay for very little/book. My goal is to create a great library in general. I do have specific authors I want in that library, but I don't usually have any specific ones I need when I am browsing used shops. I usually end up buying ones I have never heard of, but look promising. Like What Spot? I found today at the Goodwill. Never seen it in my life, but looked like something my son would enjoy. I looked it up on Amazon when we got home and every review said it was a favorite book with 5 stars. We'll see how Robby likes it tomorrow. Its in our main book basket now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arliemaria Posted October 23, 2011 Author Share Posted October 23, 2011 To make BetterWorldBooks look even better paperbackswap.com credits are now $3.45 each. So $3 used including shipping is the best online price per book you can get, I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 My goal is to create a great library in general. I do have specific authors I want in that library, but I don't usually have any specific ones I need when I am browsing used shops. I usually end up buying ones I have never heard of, but look promising. Like What Spot? I found today at the Goodwill. Never seen it in my life, but looked like something my son would enjoy. I looked it up on Amazon when we got home and every review said it was a favorite book with 5 stars. We'll see how Robby likes it tomorrow. Its in our main book basket now. I can just about guarantee you went by a lot of good books. You just don't know yet what you want. :) And really, I think part of the pleasure of collecting books for your kids is knowing you're in the genre or vein they enjoy. We think we're shaping that, but to a large degree it's personality what they like. I got my ds Amazing Insects http://www.amazon.com/Amazing-Insects-Images-Fascinating-Creatures/dp/1554073529 a while back because he enjoyed it so much. I had originally found the book for my dd (in the adult section of the library), but ds, then 2, enjoyed it more than her! So of course I bought it. Now he's going through a pile of Bill Peet books I got from the clearance/sale bin at the library. You might recognize Bill Peet as the author of Cappybara, a book used in one of the early Sonlight cores. Anyways, that's just a ramble to say I think the best way to find gems is to use your library, find your favorites, and then recognize them when you're out and about. A town near us has a HUGE library sale every year that's worth going to. The other thing that's going to hold you back is space. Things are changing so much with technology, I really think (and I say this as someone owning around 6K books), I'd be very judicious about just buying, buying, buying. Some people don't have the personality for that (don't like clutter), and many people run out of space. If money or space is going to be an issue, use the library and then buy their favorites. As far as knowing what you're looking for, I like the TQ guides, "Who Then Should We Read," and all your normal catalog haunts (VP, SL, etc.). You really don't know what your ds is going to enjoy in the future. You can't go wrong with classic children's literature (Eric Carle, Bill Peet, that sort of thing), but it's also nice to have family favorites you read over and over. When my dd was little we adored the Minerva Louise books. You know it's weird but my ds just doesn't get into them as much. I have several books of nursery rhyme collections that I enjoy reading to him. I like to read him short chapter books as well. Teddy Robinson is just wonderful. http://www.amazon.com/Teddy-Robinson-Storybook-Joan/dp/0753430444/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1319433725&sr=1-1 If you buy through alibris, you can combine shipping with the same vendor, and there's usually a coupon code available when you google. There are also a number of books with suggested lists for different ages. "Honey for a Child's Heart" is one, and there's another the name I forget. Your children's librarian should be able to point you the right way. At this point I've concluded that anything that is acceptable in b&w and is old enough to be available for free (prior to 1950) should be read on an ereader. I'd love to own everything dd wants to read, but I just can't. So there you go. It means I'd be judicious about buying books for when he gets older, because on some of those you really might find yourself wanting to convert to digital. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Although a case can be made that more isn't better, in terms of books for young children. They get more out of reading a few books many times than from reading many books once. 'Multus non multam' as SWB would say. I COMPLETELY agree with this... but... how do I choose which few to keep?! I still have too many :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Well personally, I would distinguish between crap reading and good reading. Anything in that light/junk book category I would feel free to toss. (Barbie this, Spongebob that...) But if you have good books (Bill Peet, nursery rhymes, classics), you don't have too many. The main thing to me is to shed books that you can easily get (and enjoy just as well) on an e-reader. Most of the junior high level books on up are just as good on ereader, no reason to horde those. My dd *prefers* reading those types of books on the computer, and there's lots of extra stuff you can do with note-taking and sharing, etc., making it a great way to go when they're older. Children's books I'm mixed on. I love, love, love having them around and love the aesthetic experience of turning the page, looking at the detail in the art. I don't think you're going to get that same experience with some of the new app versions of these books, even though they are quite cool. And the other thing is that there are a lot of good children's books that won't be converted and that will just disappear from the libraries and be oop, hard to find. So when you have that kind of stuff, you want to keep it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Your son is still young; you have a lot of library building time. When my kids were little I spent a lot of time reading homeschool catalogs and reading children's books so I knew the great picks when I saw them. You might consider joining the library friends group if that will get you in on the first day of the sale. You might even consider helping with set up. Our friends group let's volunteers set aside books and buy them before the sale officially opens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.