Where do YOU buy or get your books?

[Linda]

I've been getting most of my books recently from a book swap called bookmooch.com I've become totally addicted to it and find it's an excellent way to exchange used books. I think the process is better than the book swap here on goodreads, because the only cost to you is shipping the books to other members and they use a system of points.

[Camilla]

When it's possible I usually buy my books at saxo.dk or adlibris.com
When I cant get what I want there, I always use Amazon..
I love to visit bookstores too though. But its just easier to get the English versions of the books I'm after (which I prefer) online.

[Audrey]

I get my books at Half Price bookstores, I check the clearance shelves in the back of the store first, also they have some great sales on holidays, for instance this coming U.S. Holiday; Labor Day, they will have a storewide sale, 20 percent off which means everything in the store will be 70 percent off! I am so there, it starts this Thursday. Also I get alot of my books at Amazon.com I especially like their used books, I have gotten alot of penny books from some of their sellers, the book is one cent and the shipping is three dollars and 99 cents so you're really paying four dollars, but still a bargain!

[Audrey]

Lesley wrote: "Does anyone here read e-books? I have close to 100 books on my PDA! I read anything from trash to classic literature to Eastern philosophy & religion, often all of the above concurrently! My fav..."

Thanks so much for that list of used book sites, I am going to check some of them out!

[Karen]

I just went to half price books for the first time yesterday and I got 18 books for $57!!! I couldn't believe everything that they had....I plan on going back again this w/e for their labor day sale...

[Huda]

i juts wish we had better book stores in Pakistan :(

[Krista]

In Fargo, there is this little used bookstore called Books on the Fifth. I think it is relatively new. I discovered it last year. All books are a fifth of the publisher's price or cheaper. I love it. Also, you can trade books in for credit

[Holly]

I thought that purchasing a Kindle would help me cut my book buying expenses. Yeah, that was total insanity, because now not only do I continue to buy regular books, but I have the instant gratification of being able to purchase an ebook and having it delivered within seconds in case I'm too lazy to haul my butt to the bookstore.

[C. J.]

The library and Barnes & Noble.

[KOMET]

Sadly, where I live we have only one retail bookstore (a Barnes & Noble), in addition to an independent bookstore uptown. I frequent both bookstores whenever I can -- and I scan the various online booksellers (in the U.S. and abroad).

[C. J.]

At least at B&N you can get a discount if you sign up to their group. I feel that they have to tackle so much competition when the other places are pretty much winning. At least these guys listen a little to their customers unlike Borders which went belly-up; even when THEIR stuff was on sale the prices were still too high!

[KOMET]

We had 2 BORDERS bookstores here --- the downtown store in particular, I loved. I was a customer there from the late 1990s til it closed 3 years ago. During lunch hour, it was always FULL and, unlike B&N, it had a much easier, more coherent layout which made it child's play to find just about any book. BORDERS also offered a better venue for visiting authors to give their readings. (I was once fortunate enough to see Margaret Atwood in person.)

Granted BORDERS did not have a discount club as good as B&N (I have my membership - smile). But for a time, BORDERS would offer 10 to 15% discounts from Thursdays to Sundays.

I still grieve over the closing of BORDERS. Hope B&N doesn't meet a similar fate.

[C. J.]

KOMET wrote: "We had 2 BORDERS bookstores here --- the downtown store in particular, I loved. I was a customer there from the late 1990s til it closed 3 years ago. During lunch hour, it was always FULL and, un..."

Unfortunately us as consumers need to be more passionate about buying at B&N. About a year ago there was word they're in financial trouble. The B&N near my area doesn't seem to be in dire needs but I think we've gotta hit e-books and internet only businesses where it hurts! Let's keep buying paper books (I don't have nor can afford an e-reader so I have no choice) and make B&N a threat to the competition. :)

[KOMET]

Where I live, there are 2 major bookstores, where I like to browse, attend book readings, and buy books in stock that appeal to me (for a variety of reasons).

But, should the books I seek be unavailable at both venues, I'll opt for online buying via Amazon (inclusive of amazon.ca and Amazon.co.uk) and/or The Book Depository (based in the UK).

[Renee]

I buy my books pretty much all over but have recently stumbled upon thrift books which I love. The books are used but in awesome condition and the prices can vary anywhere from $1.00 on up.

[Linda]

No one has commented on this thread in awhile, but I'm thinking that we have probably found some new ways to acquire booms by now. I live in a very rural area, so I don't have a local book store. As a matter of fact, I don't think there is an independent book seller within a hundred mile radius. As a result, most of my purchases are made from Amazon. I have recently discovered two others: book depository and book outlet. Book outlet has good prices but there is a shipping charge. Our local library now offers a virtual library that allows you to download as many as 6 at a time for 24 days. There is a chain store in a town about 30 miles away called Hastings. I have a store card as an educator that gives good discounts in their books, and they have good sales. Then there is always the thrift stores who often have some good reads. I don't do garage sales; I have to get up too early for those.

[C. J.]

Patrick wrote: "We are starting to add a lot of members at Mo's quite appropriately named group, so please let the rest of us know where you like to get your books...a favorite bookstore? a library? a website? Ple..."

I currently still don't have the money to do online so I still love to buy books by going to B&N and showing up to the store to get them. Love that place! I am sure I have mentioned this before unless on another group here on GR but just wanted to clarify if I haven't on this one yet. :)

[Mont'ster]

Recently I was frustrated in my search for a book and happened on a method that I've successfully used to find several books for which I was searching.
I will go to my favorite search engine and type in "[book title] pdf" and voila! somebody has the a pdf of the book available. Using this method I've found classics that are no longer under copyright and also pdfs that have been published for free by their author.
The freebies from authors confused me ("How do they make money?") until one explained to me that the published free work brought them more sales of their other works from people who otherwise wouldn't know about them. Long live the internet!

[C. J.]

Diane wrote: "I get most of my books from the library although I have a discount with Books A Million. Family tends to give me gift cards for bookstores for holidays and birthdays. The used bookstore in the area..."

Ooh Books A Million I go to a mall that has that store, it's great!

[Quan]

I love books and I do not like to loan them to people. Over the last 4 years I have started purchasing 98% hardcover which can be expensive. I buy most of them at the used bookstore ED McKays in Greensboro or Winston (for those who live in the area) for 7 bucks or less. Occasionally they will have Folio society books which are very expensive on their site but I only pay 15 bucks max. 3 times a year I will purchase from Barnes and noble when they have the 40% off for members. Amazon also has pretty good prices for hardcover and I have ordered from them numerous times. I have a library card but I don't frequent the library but once or twice a year.

[Patsy]

paperbackswap.com is a wonderful source!! Free books, you have to send out books also. Each sender pays for media postage. Easy site to navigate and helpful people if you have questions.

[Judi]

I go to Ebay as well as Amazon and I am buying them from Goodwill as well as local library book sales (in the Fall and the Spring)

[Hania]

I read some books on my kindle and the rest I get from from book stores when I travel, airports, independent book stores and chains both. Otherwise from Amazon or bookdepository.com

[Alexandra]

Hi! I am new here, it’s Alex. And I buy my books at Barnes and Noble. I jut seem to never stop buying and buying and buying. Yeah I just you could say I got an addiction of buying books that seem to be staking up, but I get a good kick out of buying books.
For me, personally, I don’t like getting books at the library. It doesn’t feel the same as having your own copy. It’s like, you read the book but have to return the characters you’ve come love and enjoy (or hate). But having your own, you can jump back to that sea of characters that you love. But it’s just how I think about libraries, I’m speaking for me.
Oh.... I always get my books by asking my Moms Boss, she enjoys buying the books for me. She loves and enjoys that I’m reading books, not playing on my phone or watching tv. It’s a very good habit to fall into reading. And when I’m done with the four books she buys me (yes I pay her back the money she spent on buying them on Amazon) I let her borrow the books so she can rest while her kids destroy her home (lol).
That’s for read this, if you actually did get to read it. Hope to answer more questions like this. -Alex

[Quan]

So a year replied this post and at the end of my statement I typed that I only go to the library 1-2 times annually. I now have two library cards because I live in a different county. If there are books that I want to read but may not like then I check them out from the library. This helps with book control. I recently donated books to a neighborhood street library exchange and sold 30 back to Ed McKays and I have since purchased new books bringing my book ownership total to about 1530! My niece also likes going to the library so it’s a great way for us to have some girl time together. Happy reading everyone!

[Mont'ster]

I've been trying to find time to go through my "To Read" list so today I signed up for Scribd (audiobooks). The first month is free then it'll be $8.99 a month. My plan is to listen to audiobooks while I'm sorting through physical books and rearranging Goodreads shelves (sort of Inception but with books - "Bookception"?)

[Judi]

I enjoy Thrift Books that I discovered thru Ebay!

[Bert]

#1 Libraries; #2 Friends of libraries' book sales.