The first call this morning was from a guy looking for a hard-to-find mystery. He was excited that we had it. He'd been calling all around without success. "I'd be happy to hold this for you," I told him. "No, I'm reading something already," he answered. The first visitor was a young woman looking for a copy of … [Read more...]

Bookscouts are essential to the antiquarian book trade. They haunt thrift stores, estate sales, library sales, auctions and other places to find books they can buy cheaply enough to sell to dealers and make a profit. Successful bookscouts combine a knowledge of books and the book market with hustle and luck. Luck, you … [Read more...]

We gave away about 2,000 books this year.  The kids books we gave away went to the East Denver FISH foodbank, which delivered them (along with food) to households with children.  We set up a library at the St. Francis Apartments at Cathedral Square.  It's an apartment house for people fresh off the street.  It's been … [Read more...]

We've gotten to know a guy named Fred, who is trying to learn about bookscouting. He frequents thrift stores, buys books he thinks might be worth something, and brings them in to see if he's hit on any. Fred is also what we in the trade call a bibliochondriac. He thinks there's something wrong with his books. "Smell … [Read more...]