So, it’s time to sell your book collection?

Here’s what to do to make this a success

By Ed Albritton

You have spent many years building your wonderful collection of books, or you have inherited a family member’s lifelong collection. Whatever the reason, the task is now in front of you: what to do? How do you go about parting with your books, where to start, and what steps to take?

The first step begins with the question “what is motivating you to part with this group of books?” While the reasons are varied, most include an emotional level to this process as well. Some preliminary work will help the task be more satisfying to you and the person receiving the books.

As a bookseller with an open brick and mortar store, I am offered books every day. While the numbers can be overwhelming, most booksellers are happy with this ‘dilemma”.

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Ed’s Editions is located in West Columbia, South Carolina.

Do an honest assessment of the collection of books, including their condition and your level of emotional investment. If you inherited said group of books, don’t just take the donor’s word that the books are priceless. Is this collection mostly Book-of-the-Month Club books, or are they truly rare and obscure titles? Is there a demand for this genre?

It is not necessary to studiously pour over every single copy in the collection. However, it is important to have a good awareness of what you are trying to pass along. Unless you already have a detailed record of the books and their values, I suggest a spot check of some of the books.

The easiest and most accessible method is the internet. While the internet is not always the most reliable approach, it is the quickest. A general overview is provided by checking various websites, eg. Amazon, ABE or Biblio. Look for first quarter 2024 reputable, established and professional sellers. Check the ratings of those sellers. You’ll soon be able to determine a range of reasonable values for the books you’re researching.

If you are a collector, or book lover, you should have established a relationship with a bookseller in your community. If they’ve been around a while, sold books to you and belong to established bookselling organizations (such as ABAA, ILAB, etc), you have a reliable resource to consult and possibly sell your books as well. Be prepared to discuss up front what your expectations are, as well as determining the bookseller’s interest in your collection. The bookseller will not be able

Donate books to your local library. to pay the full estimated value of the collection, but might be open to taking more expensive items on consignment. This is all done on a case by case basis.

Having discussed these basics, we come back to the ‘motivation” question. If your motive is to maximize your return, you will need to do more work than the seller motivated to “find a good home” for the collection. There are a number of options for the “good home” motive. Donations to libraries, charitable thrift stores and even your local bookstore may take them. Donations to charitable first quarter 2024 organizations may result in a tax write-off (you must consult a tax professional). If you are still collecting, a good option might be accepting store credit to use for further building of your newly focused collection. first quarter 2024

Finally, circling back to the hope of maximizing your return, a few relevant comments. The more educated about the market for your collection, the more likely you will approach the desired return. That means you want to have a realistic idea of the value of the collection and a true understanding of the current market value. While it isn’t necessary to labor over determining exact values of a large collection, an honest, non-emotional evaluation of the books, an informed view of the market and an understanding of the needs of the buyer are necessary to satisfactorily complete the transaction.

Book-lovers face parting with books for many reasons, as varied as the collections. A great deal of personal and financial investment went into collecting the books. Parting with your books has an emotional component to it. Letting them go can tug at the heart and the purse strings. When that time comes, do your homework, realize the parameters of the process, grieve appropriately for the transition, and celebrate. Celebrate that the books that once gave you joy are heading to a multitude of new homes to provide joy and comfort to new owners.

Ed Albritton is the co-owner of Ed’s Editions LLC with his wife, Irene and son, Eric. After a career in human services and a few years of book-scouting for other book sellers and selling books in an antique mall, Ed opened the store in West Columbia, South Carolina in 2001. Ed is a member of Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America (ABAA) and Eric is an Associate member. They love helping books find the hands of new owners.