I always love to see more people reading more books, but I’m sure there are at least some folks out there who have limited access to books in one way or another. So in this post, I’m going to lay out a few different ways to get your hands on the books you want to read (whether they’re suggestions I’ve made here or not).
Your local library
First up, we have the local public library, if you have one. They need support, you can support them. Go there for books. If they don’t have a book you want, many libraries provide a form for purchase requests and they will get the book; this method just means you will have to have some patience
Libraries also usually have a book sale once or twice a year where you can pick up books for $1 or less, so check when those are in your area.
Also, if there’s a college or university near you, many of them allow members of the public to sign up for access to their libraries! (though some require an annual fee)
The digital library
No library? Inaccessible library? Library doesn’t have your book and you’re impatient and also can’t afford to get it yourself? You need the internet library.
Check out the Internet Archive or its offshoot the Open Library for free access to many many many books, especially old ones that are hard to find in print.
Your Uncle Jerry’s van
And if none of those work out for you, I’m sure your Uncle Jerry can share his vast book collection with you, because Uncle Jerry believes that knowledge should be free and accessible to everyone. Yo ho.
Your local used book stores
If you would like to own your books, but cost is still a concern, you can check if there are any used book stores in your area. They tend to have better prices than online, but generally less selection, you can’t always expect to find what exactly what you want. But you could also run across gems that you would never have heard of otherwise!
Online used book stores
And finally, if they don’t have the book you want nearby (or they don’t have any books nearby) there are many options for buying used books online and a little bit of digging can turn up solid deals.
Search sites like bookfinder.com and vialibri.net will show you listings from many many many used book sellers online, allowing you to find the best possible price. For best results, you may want to search by a specific ISBN.
Some sites that I personally use are:
Alibris – I usually end up getting deals on new books here, but they also list used ones from many sellers
Better World Books – They have deals on new and used books here, many old library books. They also don’t use any plastic in their packaging, which I’m a fan of.
Thriftbooks – The classic.
That’s all I’ve got
I hope that this has been helpful for removing barriers between you and literary/learning experiences. Hopefully I’ll be able to add more to this over time. For now, get out there and get reading
This post does NOT contain any affiliate links.
