Barter Books
Encyclopedia
Alnwick
Alnwick is a small market town in north Northumberland, England. The town's population was just over 8000 at the time of the 2001 census and Alnwick's district population was 31,029....
, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
owned and run by Stuart and Mary Manley. It has over 200,000 visitors a year, 40% of whom are from outside the area, and is one of the largest second-hand bookstores in Europe. It is considered a local tourist attraction and has been described as "the British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
of second-hand bookshops."
The bookshop is located within the Victorian Alnwick railway station
Alnwick railway station
Alnwick railway station was the terminus of the Alnwick branch line, which diverged from the East Coast Main Line at Alnmouth in Northumberland, Northern England. The branch opened on 1 October 1850 and closed in January 1968, leaving the former junction at Alnmouth as the nearest station to Alnwick...
, designed by William Bell and opened in 1887. It was in use until the closure of the Alnwick branch line
Alnwick branch line
The Alnwick branch line was a railway line in Northumberland, northern England. It ran from Alnmouth railway station, on the East Coast Main Line, to the town of Alnwick, a distance of 2.75 miles ....
in 1968. Barter Books was opened in 1991.
The shop is notable for its use of a barter system
Barter
Barter is a method of exchange by which goods or services are directly exchanged for other goods or services without using a medium of exchange, such as money. It is usually bilateral, but may be multilateral, and usually exists parallel to monetary systems in most developed countries, though to a...
, whereby customers can exchange their books for credit against future purchases. Standard cash purchases are also available.
Barter Books has also been subject to crime on occasions. On the 3rd May 2007, a local newspaper, the Northumberland Gazette
Northumberland Gazette
The Northumberland Gazette is a weekly newspaper published in Alnwick, Northumberland, England.A broadsheet, it was established in 1854 as the Alnwick Mercury, but adopted the title Alnwick and County Gazette in 1883 after incorporating that newspaper, founded earlier in 1883; it continued the...
, reported that a book worth over £2,000 was returned to the book shop 5 years after it was stolen. It has also been subject to a scam which allowed thieves to take £200 in cash. However, the crime was dealt with in court.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
poster from 1939, introduced on a small scale at the beginning of World War II. The slogan, "Keep Calm and Carry On
Keep Calm and Carry On
Keep Calm and Carry On was a poster produced by the British government in 1939 during the beginning of the Second World War, intended to raise the morale of the British public in the event of invasion. Seeing only limited distribution, it was little known...
", and the simple design has turned it into an international phenomenon, and has been on the walls of places as diverse as Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
, 10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street, colloquially known in the United Kingdom as "Number 10", is the headquarters of Her Majesty's Government and the official residence and office of the First Lord of the Treasury, who is now always the Prime Minister....
and the US Embassy in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.