Lizzie Borden Society Forum

I have several book collections, not necessarily in great shape, but reader copies previously owned by family members. The interests range from cookbooks, WWII, true crime paperbacks, romance paperbacks, Agatha Christie paperbacks and my *Ghost Book* collection.

What are people buying now- does anyone know? It's my understanding that certain topics go in and out of popularity?
Any suggestions on selling- like used book store vs. flea market vs. garage sale etc?

I checked ABE books today for 4 of my Hans Holtzer titles (very good condition hardback) and they range from $1 to $46. Why is that?

If anyone has advice or info and does not want to post, you can PM me?
There are 22 bookcases here and I'm ready to decide how to divest myself of some of these.

It's figured out now- thanks

I used to sell books at the flea market just for fun and I learned two things, Kat.

1. You can charge, and get, more money if the books are displayed very nicely on tables covered with table cloths. People don't like bending over, especially elderly women, digging through boxes on the ground. Placing books on tables make the books look they are worth more. Putting a white price sticker on the cover helps. Offer a discount if they buy several.

2. Books with white spines (if you display then on edge in a box) don't sell very well unless they are a current best seller. I found it was best to dump the books with the white spines. At the end of the day I would have almost nothing but books with white spines. They just distracted from my colored spines.

-1bigsteve (o:

Thanks for the tips!
I am selling to a friend who has a used book store. We had been out of touch, but are back and e-mailing. She also sells online.

What is a white spine?

I can still use those tips because it will probably take me the rest of my life to sell all these books!

The spine is the hinge side of a book. If you are selling books standing on edge the spine would be facing upward. The edge of the books you see on a library shelf are the spines. I would sell my pocket books in flat boxes with the spines facing upward toward the sky so people could see the title on the spine edge. Books with white colored spines didn't sell very well. Unless those books were current bestsellers and in very good condition I couldn't sell them. At the end of the day I would have a "sea of white." So I just got into the habit of throwing them out ahead of time.

-1bigsteve (o:

I took Library Science in 9th grade so I did learn about spines and fixing books - but I still don't understand what a "white" spine is, sorry. Do you mean they just happen to be published in that color and readers are not particularly drawn to those?

Kat @ Mon Jun 16, 2008 12:44 am wrote:I took Library Science in 9th grade so I did learn about spines and fixing books - but I still don't understand what a "white" spine is, sorry. Do you mean they just happen to be published in that color and readers are not particularly drawn to those?

By George I think you've got it! I just love that line.

A white spine is a spine that is simply white in color as opposed to black, purple, red, green or whatever color the publisher wants to print the cover/spine in. White doesn't seem to excite the eye of the book buyer. I could have an equal number of books in each color but at the end of the day most of the books I had remaining were the ones with white colored spines. The publishers must be onto this now because I don't see too many books in a bookstore that have white colored spines. Most of the "bestsellers" are colored.

-1bigsteve (o:

So true- we do judge a book by its cover often. I noticed nearly all nautical books are bound in some shade of BLUE once the dust jacket is off , so I have saved a lot of time going to that color when hunting for ocean liner books. Psychic, horror and monster-related books often are bound in black, red or black and red! Books on horticulture are nearly always green under the dust cover. Publishers know how we think!

I've noticed the same thing, Shelley.

I have 74 books on one of my shelves and 11 of those are white spines so that is not a bad ratio. If it's a good book I don't care what color it is. Many of my older art books ('20s-'80s) are in various drab colors, including white, while my newer art books are in flashy multi-colors with glossy covers. Most of my nautical books are in grays and blues. Bio's are multi-colors and stock trading/investment books are flashy multi-colors. Of course I am talking about the paper dust jackets.

Shelley, I don't mean to get off-topic, but I was wondering if you have hatchets just like Lizzie's there around the house as "props" and such? I thought that would make a "cool touch."

-1bigsteve (o:

Just a suggestion - if you're still looking for ways to sell. Try posting them on Craigslist - it's free and you can upload pics with your ad. I recently moved from Georgia and sold several books and household items this way. I know Florida has several CL locations to post on.

Thanks! I was looking at CraigsList and then I read the local Blogs on the site's effectiveness and it got terrible reviews/stories told about it. Someone I know just tried using it here and got a big run-around. A waste of time.
However, in another state, I heard of good responses to their local CraigsList.
Oh well.
Thanks again.

I heard mixed reviews as well, but fortunately, I had good luck. Just don't ever agree to ship an item...