How to Stretch a Small Budget

Consider Buying Used Books

Big Talk From Small Libraries Conference

February 28, 2014 - Eric Palo, Renton Technical College

Harvard Book Store© 2014 www.harvard.com

Eric Palo• Lynnwood Public Library• Seattle Public Library• Pittsburg State University• University of North Carolina

at Chapel Hill• University of Washington• Shoreline Community

College• Renton Technical College

– Renton Washington

Why buy used books?

• Save money• The quality is better

than you think• Get them fast• Respond to hard to

fill & unexpected demand Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Division Reproduction Number: LC-USZC4-4267

Saving Money• Our library saves between 25% and 40%

when buying used books.• We spend thousands of dollars a year for

used books at Powells Books. (www.powells.com)

• For instance, I can get the new John Grisham novel for almost 1/3 off.

Amazon for 3rd party vendors

Quality is better than you think

Used book we got last week

Copy we already had on the shelf

Condition Notes

You can Look at The Guidelines for Sellers

From the Powells website

From the Amazon website

Amazon Condition & Vendors

And Many Others

Get Books Fast• Shipping is quite fast

because used books should be in stock, or they would not be listed

• At Powells they process orders in 1 to 3 days (Partner and International Warehouses take longer)

Workers unloading crates of books at the Chicago Public Library.

DN-0068145, Chicago Daily News negatives collection, Chicago History Museum

Get Books FastMost vendors offer a variety of shipping options. At Powells:• ECONOMY MAIL is free on

most orders over $50 and take 4-9 business days (after processing) to arrive

• STANDARD GROUND is 2-7 business for $5.99 + $1.99 per item

• They also offer 3 DAY EXPRESS, 2ND DAY AIR, NEXT DAY AIR at higher rates.

U.S. Mail Wagon, Wausa, Nebraska, about 1900Nebraska State Historical Society - No. 103323

Respond to hard to fill demand

Need extra copies of a suddenly popular book?

Used books, if available, fill a need quickly and you don’t feel guilty if you toss them next year.

Get Books for Unexpected Demand

Questions?• Staley, L., & Palo, E. (2010).

Extend one's budget: Buy used books. The Bottom Line: Managing Library Finances, 23(3), 116-121.

• epalo@RTC.edu

• How to Make Money …– 2:00pm today

Book of Pictures Smithsonian American Art Museum Collection

Thanks for listening!

Eric Palo – Self Portrait!