If you find yourself with more books than your home can handle, there are several ways to make sure they will have good homes and be enjoyed by others like they were enjoyed by you. If you have titles which you think may have some monetary value (as opposed to sentimental!), the most profitable and obvious solution to the problem is to sell the books. You can sell books online, through a bookseller, through a consignment shop, by auction or by other direct sale. Which way you choose will depend on where you live, how quickly you want to sell them, which titles you have to sell, and how much effort you want to put into the project.

The first thing to do is cull through your books and decide which have seen better days. If bindings are coming unglued, pages are loose or missing, or the cover is gone, please put these faithful friends out of their misery and trash them. If you would like to have them continue to do some good, tear out the pages and add them to your compost or mulch pile - give them back to the earth! For those which are left, you have several choices:

If you are just looking for a way to clear off your shelves, find a local used book shop. Many will buy your books in bulk and take the whole lot off your hands. Some offer a trade-in service so you can get rid of old titles and then shop for new ones with which to restock! This option is particularly good if your books are paperbacks or contemporary bestsellers. Usually these have little to no resale value individually. To optimize the value of the your books, look for a bookseller that specializes in the particular kind of books you have. If they are all mysteries, for instance, or all science fiction, bookstores which specialize in these genres are likely to offer you more for the lot. For hardcover books, do a bit of research - a quick look through the EBay book category will tell you which modern authors you should investigate further. You may find it more advantages to reconsider a bulk buy which includes these titles.

If you find you do have titles which look like they may be worth more than a bulk buyer would appreciate, do a bit more research. Some popular guides to identifying and determining the value of books include:

Book Finds: How to Find, Buy, and Sell Used and Rare Books, by Ian C. Ellis

 

 

 

Collected Books: The Guide to Values, by Allen and Patricia Ahearn

 

 

 

The Official Price Guide to Collecting Books, by Marie Tedford and Pat Goudey

 

 

 

Pocket Guide to the Identification of First Editions, by Bill McBride

 

 

 

by by George Sanders, Helen Sanders, Ralph Roberts

 

 

 

 

American First Editions - Their Points And Prices by Leon Miller

 

American Book Auction Prices Current is "an annual record of books, manuscripts, autographs, maps and broadsides sold at auction," available as a book or CD-ROM. Many major auction houses that handle fine and rare books, such as Christie's, Sotheby's, and Swann Galleries, offer searchable databases of past and current sales from their web site. PBA Galleries also offers an online appraisal tool called BiblioBot that can be used to estimate market values of hardcover books. You can also estimate the current retail market values of used and rare books by comparing prices for similar books in databases and catalogs available on the web sites of online booksellers. If you need to find an appraiser in your area, the web sites of the American Booksellers Association of America (ABAA), the American Society of Appraisers (ASA), and of the International Society of Appraisers each offer searchable directories by subject and dealer/appraiser location. Many booksellers also offer appraisal services, and may be competent in their areas of expertise even if they are not certified by ASA, ISA , or another agency. Request and check references and consult with a tax attorney until you are satisfied that you have found a qualified appraiser for your collection.

If you believe you have a book which is old, rare, or valuable (not interchangeable terms in the book business!), there are directories by the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America or the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers which can be helpful in finding buying specialists. They can tell you more about your book and/or purchase it. Remember, if your first try is not the right buyer, ask for a referral. Book people know other book people and their interests. Please keep in mind that booksellers must make a profit off of all that they buy. For this reason, a bookseller will sell the title for more than they paid you. You should expect 1/3 to 1/2 of the value.

Sellers who go through dealers must depend on their honesty and professional behavior, since sellers are unlikely to know the true value of their book. To put your mind at rest, members of the American Booksellers Association of America or the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers must follow a strict code of ethics. While not a guarantee, it is an indicator. They should also be able to give you references or have other verifiable credentials attesting to their integrity.

If you don't think a dealer or bulk buyer for you, or if you found your book selling on EBay for more money than you imagined, selling at auction may be for you. Those familiar with auctioning online do not always consider selling their books. Well, consider it! Books do sell at online auctions, both in bulk and individually. If you do decide this is the way to go because your book is valuable, set a reserve! Make it reasonable and fair, but use this tool so you don't regret having to accept a bid for less than you feel is fair. You can expect to reap 70% to 80% of the market value.

If you want to avoid the auctions, but still sell online, become a bookseller with Amazon or another online bookstore. It is easy to set up an account and you will have access to hundred of book buyers who may be looking for your titles! These sites can also help you value and price your books. Those who want to try buying and selling online should look into these books:

Buying Books Online: Finding Bargains and Saving Money with Booksense Stores, Amazon Marketplace, and Other Online Sites by Stephen Windwalker

 

 

Selling Used Books Online: The Complete Guide to Bookselling at Amazon's Marketplace and Other Online Sites by Stephen Windwalker

 

 

No matter how you do it, selling your books can be a major chore. If you are not interested in the money and just want to share your books with others, there are several good options open to you. Contact your local Girls and Boys Club, Community Center, Senior Center or Retirement Home. These groups are often looking for books in good condition for their libraries. Public Library Friends Groups also appreciate used books. These groups sell the books a book sales to help fund programs at the Public Libraries they support. Look online for a library which has suffered a major loss through flood or fire. They can often use replacements. Or, give them to you local Goodwill or Salvation Army. There is no reason for a book in good condition to end up unloved in the trash...