Free and Cheap Sources for Books

If you're like me and love to read, you know that stocking your library with your favorite books can become quite expensive. Over the years I've found several ways to fulfill my passion for reading a little more cheaply, with a good number of books absolutely free.

At the top of the list is the local library - the best kept secret in town. Almost every city of any size in the U.S. has a public library that is free to patronize. I keep a list of books that I want to read and check my library online first to see which are available. If all copies are currently checked out, I can request a hold and they will call me when one becomes available and I can pick it up on my next trip to town. If the book is available within the system but not at that particular branch, most libraries will request the book be sent to that branch, and again, they'll call you when the book arrives. Any book that I request is held at the desk, so I don't even have to spend time looking for it on the shelf, saving me even more time.

If there are certain books that you'd like to have as part of your permanent library, there are a number of ways to accomplish that on the cheap.

Paperbackswap.com is just what the name implies - you swap paperback books through an online interchange. Once you create an account and enter books that you'd like to swap, paperbackswap.com will give you 2 free credits in exchange for the first 10 books that you list, so that you can get started right away. You can search the online content by title, author or genre and when you find the book(s) you want, you simply place your order and the books will be mailed to you by the person offering the book. It doesn't cost you a dime, not even for postage. You will, however, be responsible for the fee to mail to someone that requests one of your listed books. No books need to be returned to the original owner; they are yours to keep, or you may re-list them on paperbackswap.com.

Two more sources of cheap books are amazon.com and half.com. Both of these sites operate in a similar manner - you search for the book you want, place the order, and it is shipped to you directly from the seller. You will pay amazon.com or half.com for the transaction, and they will pay the seller, after deducting a small fee for providing the service. I've always been able to find the book I needed at either of the aforementioned sites at a fraction of the list price, even for books in new or like new condition.

Thrift stores are an excellent way to find good books at an incredible savings as well. Of course you may not find the books that are currently on your list, but if you go in with an open mind, you will likely come away with an armload of good reading material for pennies on the dollar. Salvation Army and Goodwill are common in many cities, but your own area may have others. Check your local phone book or do an internet search for thrift stores.

If you're in the market for new books and prefer to look at them before purchasing, there are several major bookstore chains throughout the U.S. Books-a-Million, Barnes & Noble and Borders are a few that come to mind. Many offer other amenities onsite such as a coffeeshop where you might relax with a newspaper or magazine while sipping on your favorite cappucino. Many of the bookstores have a club where you can get discounts after a certain dollar amount of purchases, or monthly specials, etc. Most bookstores honor gift cards at both the brick and mortar store and the online counterpart as well, so make sure your friends and family know your favorite store well before gift-giving time. You may get that new release free as soon as it hits the street!