How can I sell my books, locally?

December 7, 2011 8:57 PM

Where could I sell my books in Chapel Hill?

Hello, I am in the process of downsizing and making space for the essentials in my always-messy apartment. Currently I have about 90 books, and probably intend to read or reread less than 20 of them. I am wondering, how could I get rid of the other ~70? Most of them are worth less than 8 dollars on Amazon, and so not really worth mailing. I have thought about sending books to Powells, but it seems like a huge pain considering how many ISBNs that I would have to type without the assistance of a bar code reader.

Where would be a good place to bring Rubbermaid boxes full of books in Chapel Hill? I would want to make some cash or trades, and then donate the unwanted lot to something like Occupy Chapel Hill or a library or something.

posted by oceanjesse to work & money (8 answers total)

Nice Price Books, on Main St. in Carrboro (just keep going on Franklin St.; it turns into Main). Call them first to see when is a good time to come by, and what kinds of books they're buying.

Then you can donate the rest to the PTA Thrift Shop, just down the street (again, check for donation times).
posted by amtho at 9:03 PM on December 7, 2011 [3 favorites]

Seconding Nice Price. Also, the library won't really want the rejects. Being them to the PTA thrift, as amtho said.
posted by bluedaisy at 9:33 PM on December 7, 2011

The Book Shop on Franklin Street also sells used books; I haven't sold anything there in years but assume they're still taking in books from customers. It might be good to compare offers from The Book Shop and Nice Price; the difference probably won't be huge, but you never know. If you have graphic novels for sale, try Chapel Hill Comics, a great, friendly spot a couple of doors down on Franklin Street. All three stores are within half a mile of each another.
posted by mediareport at 9:40 PM on December 7, 2011

As a bonus, there are two very nice cats at The Book Shop. Yes, you can pet them. Red and Elmo.

They're a little upscale, so they may not take your old Sci Fi paperbacks (but hey, they might), but I did see a very nice graphic novel section there today. Also, they had graphic novels in other languages.
posted by amtho at 9:52 PM on December 7, 2011

Oh yeah, forgot about the awesome chill cats! The Book Shop does have (and so probably buys) scifi/mystery/pop paperbacks, although I agree it runs more to the upscale end of things than Nice Price. If I had the time I'd run my stuff by both places before making a decision which to sell to, and if I didn't have time would at least bring the leftovers from the first store to the second for a look. And then swing by Chapel Hill Comics anyway because they stock neat unusual stuff.
posted by mediareport at 10:50 PM on December 7, 2011

If these fail, there's also Fly Leaf Books on MLK, which seems to be expanding its used selection. You could then go to Foster's next door and eat on the proceeds!
posted by farishta at 3:55 AM on December 8, 2011 [1 favorite]

Thanks everybody!
posted by oceanjesse at 11:36 AM on December 8, 2011

For the unwanted books, you could donate them to the Prison Books Collective. They send books to prisoners in the south.

http://prisonbooks.info/about/

That would be a great way to get rid of things like dictionaries. They're affiliated with the Internationalist bookstore at 405 W. Franklin St--you can drop your books off there. here are their donation guidelines:

http://prisonbooks.info/get-involved/
posted by iahtl at 1:18 PM on January 3, 2012