Seeking inexpensive bookshelves designed for paperbacks

January 20, 2004 3:01 PM

I've been looking for some tall paperback-depth bookshelves that aren't real expensive. Normal bookshelf units are way too deep. These are nice but only 5 feet tall and kind of pricey. I'd like to utilize more vertical space against my wall. Seen anything that fits the bill?
posted by Tubes to Shopping (8 answers total)

What you want are CD/DVD shelves, the kind with adjustable shelves. They're the perfect depth for paperbacks. I got some at Target a couple years ago; stacked two together and fastened them to each other and to the wall with some screws. They came out quite nicely.
posted by kindall at 3:20 PM on January 20, 2004

ikea.com should have them too...they have a ton of cheap ones (both cd and book). If they're too tall and thin, you'll have to brace them on top tho.
posted by amberglow at 3:21 PM on January 20, 2004

I bought two Ikea bookshelves, about 6' tall, for $20 each. Going up to $40 apiece gets you a lot more color choices. Cheaply made, and not extremely beautiful to look at, but they do get the job done, and at that price you can't beat them.
posted by Hildago at 3:47 PM on January 20, 2004

I got the Ikea Billy bookcases, which are nice, and deep enough to doubleshelve mass market (rack-size) paperbacks. Cost a lot to ship unless there's an Ikea near enough. I've also gotten the ones from Target, which are chipboard with a plastic laminate and a cardboard back. They held up well for years. Readerville (free reg. req'd.) has a discussion thread on shelving books.
posted by theora55 at 4:01 PM on January 20, 2004

Yeah, I should mention though, before you go shopping -- Target doesn't seem to carry them anymore. Bummed me out, I could really use a couple more.
posted by kindall at 4:03 PM on January 20, 2004

Shopko also carries a decent-looking line of inexpensive (but not cheaply made) tall shelves in about four or five different heights and finishes. Our local store has 3 for $39.99 this week, but they're only the 36" high ones.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 8:48 PM on January 20, 2004

I don't know if this is an option for you, Tubes, but we made a whole wall into bookshelves using wall mounted brackets and wooden planks we ordered cut to fit, which allowed us to get exactly the depth, height, width and shelf height we wanted. Ours is very unobtrusive, with plain white brackets on a white wall and light colored wood, but I think what this church did in their library looks nice (scroll to the bottom).
posted by taz at 10:42 PM on January 20, 2004

Response by poster: Thanks for all the suggestions -- I'll be trying the media storage unit idea. Time to visit my Target...

Taz - someday I'll be able to convert a wall as you did, but for now I can't modify my apartment too much.
posted by Tubes at 10:58 PM on January 20, 2004