Where does everyone find books?

[Amr]

Do you use swap sites, alibris, half, etc...? Or do you buy new? I generally use sites like compare-books.com that searches a lot of vendors at once to make sure I get the lowest price. However, does this hurt the author in anyway? Would love to hear your opinions.

[Susan (NY)]

I ususally get my books at the library.
Anything I see that I want I just go on the computer and request that book at the library.

[Wes, Moderator]

Yes it does hurt the authors buying used. It does help small used bookstores buying used so you help more people by buying used. (Said the man who has a used bookstore)

[Lauren]

Library if it's a 'fluff' read, used it possible, new if it's a special book (like the complete works of Shakespeare).
I love used bookstores, but I've never lived very close to a good one.

[Stephanie]

Where can I find free online books not classics but more recent books?

[Katie ATX]

I get mine from paperbackswap.com
wonderful website. although its a bit hard for me to give up my books for trade.

[Stef]

I prefer to buy my books at an ordinary bookstore. At least those for fun reading. The books I need for the university are lend from their library. I hrdly buy them because of the price and even used they are pretty expensive.
I am collecting TIME LIFE books and books about New York City. For those I use ebay or go to secondhand bookstores. Unfortunately we don't have any good ones close by.

[jennifer]

For new books I use Amazon. For used books I go to Bookmooch, but I'll tell you that many of the books I've gotten from there look brand-new.
We had a massive used book sale in Phoenix this past weekend and I wheeled my cart out with 40 books for $30. Amazing morning.

[Laura]

I get a lot of book from BookMooch, and another good percentage from the library. There's a small used book store in our town but the selection is limited. I generally only buy something new if I've borrowed it from the library and liked it enough to own it for re-reading.

Jennifer - I am so jealous! I love coming home with a great "haul".

[Cheemoandia]

I get most of my books from Borders, Amazon, www.bookmooch.com and www.papebackswap.com

[Wes, Moderator]

If anyone is interested I am running a huge sale at my bookstore.
Price Right Books
500 Church St. N.
Concord, NC 28025
Saturday 2-28-09
From 9am to 5pm

All Goodreads members that show up if you buy books from me tell me you are from Goodreads and I will give you an extra 20% off the total purchase

The Normal sale of my books right now is 50% off my lowest price the cover price of fiction hardcovers plus Buy 4 books get 2 more free.

Example:
So if you pick up 6 hardcovers that all say $8.00 the you cut that in half and take away two so you can get 6 hardcovers for $16.00

most of my hardcovers are priced less that $8.00 anyways and my paperbacks are super cheap and you can mix and match on the buy 4 get 2 free.

Come shopping

Saturdays are the best days :)

Wes

[Manda]

I get mine at the Library or the
Thrift Store if I see an interesting title and I don't feel like wasting money in a book or department store.
Only once did I spend money in a book store on the Twilight Series it was worth it.

[Vicki]

I have a friend that goes to the library used book store and garage sales every week. I have her on the lookout for mystery paperbacks. She usually finds a couple per week that I like.

Whe I have a chance I will take a series list to one of the three used book stores in the next town.

I also belong to audio.com and download from there.

If I do not find what I am looking for in any of those places I will plan a day long shopping trip to the "big" bookstore in Denver.

[[deleted user]]

Garage sales! My best treasure, was finding Anne Rice's The Vampire Armand. It was a hardcover book in black with no slip cover. I read "vampire" etched in gold and was intrigued. I picked it up for $1 and decided to give it a try. I read the book so fast I didn't know what hit me. I have since been an avid collector of Anne's work, and love to read her stories! Although I have since lost that book by lending it out, the treasure of finding such an amazing author has stuck with me. I usually buy every book I see at garage sales because of this. It has become an addiction.

I also buy lots of books on ebay when I'm looking for something in particular and the occassional new book at Barnes and Noble when I find a series that I can't get enough of such as Harry Potter.

I have never swapped any of my books but do have some duplicates in my possession that I can part with... maybe...

[Stephen]

I go to the library, garage sales, used book stores, friends houses and ask "do you read these?" I also read as many reviews as possible then torment my librarian into ordering the ones I want. Books are fluid, and we have to nab them.

[Coalbanks]

Cheemoandia wrote: "I get most of my books from Borders, Amazon, www.bookmooch.com and www.papebackswap.com"

Thanks for the bookmooch website, I joined immediately! Sound like I have a solution to all those books in storage...

[Coalbanks]

bookclubs, various on-line book dealers esp used books (Alibris/Amazon S&H costs are too high), local used book stores, Book-tique - discard store at local library, free discards at local library, borrow from local library, I was recently offerred the library of a recentl deceased booklover who had 100's or more books in her home that the family is disposing of...hmm Do I have the space?. Estate executors sometimes offer collections for free or "Best Offer" in the newspaper but I have not persued that line of aquisition so far. No one swaps books with me (my sons do accept free books but have not grasped the concept of reciprocity) or gives them as gifts anymore although some give gift cards to Amazon.

[Denise]

Because I have so many books in my house I don't buy as many anymore.

1. I see if the library has a book that I want to read. If my library system doesn't have it I will try interlibrary loan--amazing system where your library will check the availability of the book you want with all the libraries in the US that own it. I have received books from all over (I'm in OH) and I have received books from FL, AZ, CA, MI, other parts of OH, etc.

2. I go to used bookstores and remainder stores (I love Half-Price Books, esp their clearance section where you can get all kinds of stuff for 50 cents and up.)

3. A lot of times I will browse in a bookstore or the book section of a box store or even supermarket and if I see a book that sounds interesting but I don't feel that I "have to have it" I will jot the name of the book down and then check to see if I can get it through the library.

4. Library book sales are really great. If you wait till the last hour of the sale many times they will say all the books you can get in a bag for a dollar. I got my grandson (several years ago) two bags of books for $2. What a great deal.

5. Goodreads giveaways. I have won 3 books already and I really haven't been doing this very long. Some author websites also do giveaways. I haven't checked but probably some publisher sites do too.

6. I have found books, one time we were at the grocery store and there was a trash can with a book on top of it. I took the book. I was at a restaurant with my daughter in Phoenix a few months ago and I noticed they had a receptacle with books in it. While my daughter took care of the bill I sat down to look at the books. The restaurant manager told me to take a couple if I wanted them. It was hard narrowing it down to two but I did. When I went outside the manager was talking to my daughter, I said thank you but it was hard picking just two, he said well you could have had how ever many you wanted. No I didn't go back in and get them all :-)! In fact I refrained from going back in and getting anymore. I figured I would leave them for the next book-a-holic.

[~Kate~]

i will buy books anywhere i can find the one i am obsessed with reading at the minute am addicted to readitswapit.co.uk as i can get rid of books i dont like with other books that am desperate to read. also waterstone whether online or in the store everytime i go into town i always go into this shop even if i dont buy any books i just love to go in. amazon is also another place i get books and also the book depositary.

[Fantasy]

Books at Goodwill for a buck. Sometimes there's good ones, sometimes not. Otherwise, from authors directly, Amazon, and my local stores (used and new).

[Donna Jo]

I am becoming a Book Hoarder. I cannot get rid of any of my books anymore. I used to be able to get books used, read them, and then take them back to our used bookstore for credit all the time. NOW, haha! I keep my books & guard them with my life, and I buy them new 95% of the time. I shop at Books-a-Million. SOMETIMES I go to Barnes & Noble, but not much because it got to where they never had the books I was looking for in store. I borrow books from a friend. Then I usually turn around and buy the book b/c I liked it, haha. Of course, if I go anywhere like Goodwill or other thrift stores I check out their books. I got a Chuck Palahniuk book for $1.75 from a thrift store..regular $15!! It was a great find.. the cover wasn't messed up, and neither was the spine!

[From]

I get mine new at borders or barns and nobles - my books have to be new and yes I keep them all

[Angela]

I use the swap on Goodreads, the library, Doubleday (when I am a member...joining again soon)

[Irene]

e-books I download them. booksonboard.com

[Amanda]

I usually get my books at used bookstores, garage sales, goodwill, salvation army, I buy used books at the library, sometimes I'll by books new, ebay, etc.

[Mona]

I get my books at:
. library
. ongoing library book sale
. Goodwill/thrift store

I never buy books new anymore.

[Lisa]

I was a big library reader of books that I wanted to read, but didn't need in my collection. I have bought a few books from Used book stores online recently, but ever since I finish a romance writing course and found out that authors sometimes only make .41 cents per book I find myself always buying new now. I am an aspiring writer and I feel that supporting another author is the least I can do. Sometimes I even buy new and then buy it again for my kindle. Sometimes Ill even buy additional copies of my favorite books so I can lend them out without having them not in reading reach!! Its a sickness!!

[Amanda]

I usually buy used either at a bookstore or online. But there have been occasions and well when I end up in a B&B or BAM I will buy a new book. It is hard for me to not buy a book when I see one I am interested in. Oh books you just gotta love em!!!!

[Nina]

I have a Nook and get my books online at B&N I will usually download most of the free books. When I was reading real books the thrift stores or garage sales were the places I visited lots.