Used book
Encyclopedia
A used book or secondhand book is a book
which has been owned before by an owner other than the publisher or retailer, usually by an individual or library
.
Used books typically become available on the market when they are sold or given to a second-hand
or used book shop, they are usually sold for about half or three-quarters the price of what they were originally bought for, though rare books and others still in demand or hard to obtain might sell for more than their original price.
Some new book shops also carry used books, and some used book shops also sell new books. Though the original author
s or publishers will not benefit financially from the sale of a used book, it helps to keep old books in circulation. Sometimes very old
, rare
, first edition
, antique, or simply out-of-print books can be found as used books in used book shops.
A reading copy of a book may be well-used, may include highlighting or marginalia
, and is suitable for reading, but is not collectible. This is a term used in the used book business, to indicate the lack of collectible value, while claiming that the book is in sufficiently good condition for a purchaser whose interest is primarily in actually reading the book. A reading copy is typically less expensive than a collectible copy.
in South Wales
and Wigtown
in Scotland
. They act as a magnet for buyers, and are located in country areas of great scenic beauty.
Book
A book is a set or collection of written, printed, illustrated, or blank sheets, made of hot lava, paper, parchment, or other materials, usually fastened together to hinge at one side. A single sheet within a book is called a leaf or leaflet, and each side of a leaf is called a page...
which has been owned before by an owner other than the publisher or retailer, usually by an individual or library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
.
Used books typically become available on the market when they are sold or given to a second-hand
Second-Hand
Second-Hand was a 2005 Romanian film directed by Dan Piţa.-Plot summary:The film's plot surrounds the romantic involvement of two contrasting characters: Petre , a Mafioso, and Andreea , a young violin player. The pair meet and fall in love...
or used book shop, they are usually sold for about half or three-quarters the price of what they were originally bought for, though rare books and others still in demand or hard to obtain might sell for more than their original price.
Some new book shops also carry used books, and some used book shops also sell new books. Though the original author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
s or publishers will not benefit financially from the sale of a used book, it helps to keep old books in circulation. Sometimes very old
Old
- Age :*Old age or, by extension, a description or nickname for someone or something that has endured and become comfortable or widely familiar.- Places :*Old, Hungary*Old, Northamptonshire, England...
, rare
Rare
-In music:* Rare , a band from Northern Ireland* Rare , a Serbian alternative rock band from Belgrade* Rare , an album by the progressive rock band Asia* Rare , a compilation album by David Bowie...
, first edition
First edition
The bibliographical definition of an edition includes all copies of a book printed “from substantially the same setting of type,” including all minor typographical variants.- First edition :...
, antique, or simply out-of-print books can be found as used books in used book shops.
A reading copy of a book may be well-used, may include highlighting or marginalia
Marginalia
Marginalia are scribbles, comments, and illuminations in the margins of a book.- Biblical manuscripts :Biblical manuscripts have liturgical notes at the margin, for liturgical use. Numbers of texts' divisions are given at the margin...
, and is suitable for reading, but is not collectible. This is a term used in the used book business, to indicate the lack of collectible value, while claiming that the book is in sufficiently good condition for a purchaser whose interest is primarily in actually reading the book. A reading copy is typically less expensive than a collectible copy.
Booktowns
A number of small towns have become centres for used book sellers, most notably Hay-on-WyeHay-on-Wye
Hay-on-Wye , often described as "the town of books", is a small market town and community in Powys, Wales.-Location:The town lies on the east bank of the River Wye and is within the Brecon Beacons National Park, just north of the Black Mountains...
in South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
and Wigtown
Wigtown
Wigtown is a town and former royal burgh in the Machars of Galloway in the south west of Scotland. It lies south of Newton Stewart and east of Stranraer. It has a population of about 1,000...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. They act as a magnet for buyers, and are located in country areas of great scenic beauty.
See also
- List of used book conditions
- Booktown
- BibliophiliaBibliophiliaBibliophilia or bibliophilism is the love of books. Accordingly a bibliophile is an individual who loves books. A bookworm is someone who loves books for their content, or who otherwise loves reading. The -ia-suffixed form "bibliophilia" is sometimes considered to be an incorrect usage; the older...
- Book swappingBook swappingBook swapping or book exchange is the practice of a swap of books between one person and another. Practiced among book groups, friends and colleagues at work, it provides an inexpensive way for people to exchange books, find out about new books and obtain a new book to read without having to pay...