What becomes of library books after they are removed from circulation? They might end up in the Library Store or the annual friends sale, but another possibility is that they become the property of a ‘megalister’ who lists the book for sale, sometimes even without actually possessing them.
NYTimes Book Review reports on companies like Thrift Books ( three million books and 180 employees) and Harvest Book Company (140,000 books and 13 employees) where used books can sometimes be sold for as little as one cent.
After the great wave of creative destruction set off by e-commerce, the more adaptable breed of used-book seller seems to have survived with the ideals of Larry McMurtry (author of “Books” a memoir of his many decades as a book dealer) intact. Chris Volk, a store owner and the vice president of the Independent Online Booksellers Association, says her colleagues are frustrated but undaunted by the megalisters. “In the long run,” she said, “people who know what they’re doing will win out.”
Recent Comments