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Selecting, Cataloging, and Pricing for Online Sales

Sally Gardner Reed, Executive Director, United for © 2012 by United for Libraries: The Association of Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations. This toolkit has been developed as a benefit for personal and group members. If you wish to reproduce and/or redistribute significant portions or the entire toolkit to non- members, the charge is $5 per copy distributed and/or reproduced made payable to:

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Revised November 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction ...... iv Online or On Site? ...... 1 How Can You Tell if a is Rare or Collectible? ...... 2 What Books Should Be Sold On Site? ...... 6 Describing Books Online ...... 7 Cataloguing Books Online ...... 11 Pricing Books for Online Sales ...... 15 Additional Resources ...... 16

INTRODUCTION

More and more Friends groups are finding that they can make a lot of extra money by selling some of their used books online. Books that will not likely sell on site and books whose value will bring in significantly more money if only the “audience” was broader are excellent candidates for online sales. This guide will not tell you how to sell books online (for that see Toolkit #6 – “How to Sell Books on the Internet: Online Book Seller Tells All.”) but it will help you determine what books to select out of the thousands you have for each annual or semi-annual sale for online sales. It will also provide you with tips for pricing the books you sell online. Finally, this toolkit will give you guidance on how to accurately list books online so that your potential buyers will understand exactly what you are offering. IMPORTANT NOTE! This toolkit is a guideline only and is meant to help beginners to cull through their books to find those that will likely bring in more money online. It is not to be taken as expert advice! For that, you will have to contact the experts. One such place to find experts is the Colorado Book Market Seminar each year in Colorado Springs. You can learn more and register for this seminar at http://www.bookseminars.com. As a former attendee, I can attest that this is a high quality educational opportunity for those wanting to learn all the basics and more about online book sales. I highly recommend it. In addition to this seminar, a is appended at the end of the toolkit that will list resources for first time online booksellers as well as for those who already have a good background in online sales.

Sally Gardner Reed Executive Director, United for Libraries ONLINE OR ON SITE?

Here’s the basic principal in deciding what books might fare better online. If the potential buyer is someone who wants to read the book; it will sell best on site at a significantly reduced price – just as you’ve always done at your annual book sale. If the potential buyer is a collector, however, then online sales make more sense. Why? Because instead of the hundreds or even thousands who come to your on site sale, when you list a special rare or collectible book online, the entire world becomes your marketplace. Not only that, but online markets such as .com, eBay, Abebooks.com and Alibris, for example, allow collectors of certain titles, , subject matter, or illustrators to search specifically for those books of interest rather than having to sort through thousands of books on tables to find (or not!) that gem they’ve been looking for. HOW CAN YOU TELL IF A BOOK IS RARE OR COLLECTIBLE?

There are a number of factors to consider when determining if a book will sell well online. But first and foremost, with few exceptions, books should be in good to excellent condition. Unless you have an extremely rare and important book, the condition of a book is critical. Ideally, a book will be complete, showing little wear and tear, with binding and book jacket (if published with one) still intact and in good condition. Here are some additional tips for culling books for online sales:

 First editions of important writers.  First editions of extremely popular works – especially those that were “surprise” hits and had a low first print run.  First editions of popular books from bygone eras with excellent or unusual and/or dust jackets in very good condition.  First editions of early children’s books by notable writers and/or illustrators.  Limited or out-of-print books of local interest – to other locales. An out-of- print book on the of Kansas won’t be of interest to most people at a book sale in Connecticut, for example, but it should do well for those in Kansas looking online for a good copy of this title.  Signed editions of older books or important titles by noted writers. While today, many authors sign thousands of books while on their promotional tours, books signings were not as popular even as little as fifty years ago. Nevertheless, signed copies from popular or noted authors certainly have more value than those without signatures. Note: you will want to verify to the best of your ability that the signature in genuine. Contact a local appraiser for verification.  First editions of books with noted illustrators.  An important or seminal book with few known copies in existence.  Early and well written examples of new – such as “Street Lit” or “Chick Lit.”  Books with special or innovative bindings or innovative designs.  Text books that are less than three years old.

In the end, a book must have some intrinsic importance to be considered rare or collectible. Without this distinction, there is usually little or no demand on the book making it a poor candidate for online sales.

What is a First Edition? Simply put, in the book world, a first edition is the first of the first edition of the book. It’s important to note that “first edition” has different meanings to both publishers and library catalogers. Because it is essential that a book is properly and accurately described to potential online buyers (see Cataloging or Describing Your Book Online, below), it is important that the seller can differentiate between a first edition, first printing and a first edition, fourth printing for example. Most modern publishers use some sort of numbering or lettering system to identify the print run of the book. Publishers don’t make it easy on the online bookseller, however, and there are many variations on the numbering/lettering them. ABE Books has a great guide on identifying first editions and it can be found here: http://www.abebooks.com/books/RareBooks/collecting- guide/what_books_collect/collecting-first-editions.shtml. The following are further FAQs from the Rare Books and Management Section of the Association of College and Research Libraries a division of the American Library Association. These FAQs were published as “Your Old Books” and can be found at http://www.rbms.info/yob.shtml. Printed here with permission.

What makes a book rare? Millions of books, , magazines, newspapers, and broadsides have been published since the invention of printing more than 500 years ago. Only a small portion of these pieces, however, would be considered "rare" by specialists. In simple terms, books achieve a degree of rarity only when demand exceeds supply. Unfortunately, there are no easy formulas for determining rarity.

What makes a book important? People value books either because of their contents or because of their physical characteristics. First editions of important literary or historical works and initial reports of scientific discoveries or inventions are prime examples of books that are important because of their content. Illustrated books that give a new interpretation of a text or are the work of an esteemed artist are also valued. Books that were suppressed or censored may be both important and scarce, since few copies may have survived. Physical characteristics, such as a special binding, an early use of a new printing process, or an autograph, inscription, or marginal annotations of a famous person, may also contribute to a book's importance and its market price.

Does scarcity increase a book's value? A book known to exist in only a few copies may have significant monetary value if collectors prize it. Searching the Internet using services like www.bookfinder.com, www.AbeBooks.com, or www.ABAA.org can give you an idea of how many copies of a book are currently being offered for sale. However, a book without important text or distinguishing physical characteristics is likely to have little economic value, no matter how few copies survive.

Are all old books valuable? Age by itself is not enough to make a book valuable. The importance of the text, the condition of the book, and demand for it will determine the valuation of an old book. However, certain categories of books are generally more sought after, including all books printed before 1501, English books printed before 1641, books printed in the Americas before 1801, and books printed west of the Mississippi before 1850.

What kinds of books are usually not rare? Bibles: No single work has been printed more often than the Bible. Because they are so common, most Bibles have no significant monetary value. Certain important editions of the Bible, however, are collected: the earliest printed Bibles dating from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the 1611 of the first authorized English (King James) version; and a variety of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century oddities such as the “Breeches” Bible, the “Vinegar” Bible, and the “Wicked” Bible, which have some misprint or peculiar wording. Most Bibles that contain handwritten genealogical or other family information do not have market value, unless the families or individuals in them were famous.

Sermons and Religious Instruction: Like Bibles, many other types of religious books such as and other worship books, collections of sermons, and books of religious instruction, were intended for wide circulation. Great quantities were printed as cheaply as possible, making them both less scarce and less attractive to collectors. There are some exceptions. Early Shaker tracts and the first Roman Catholic Bibles printed in the United States, for example, are considered important and may be quite rare, resulting in greater demand and higher prices.

Collected Editions of an ’s Work: When authors become popular and well-established, publishers often issue collected editions of their works. Such editions may be offered in special bindings and may even be limited and signed, but they are seldom rare. Exceptions include editions published by fine presses or historically significant editors, which may be valued by collectors or libraries for that reason.

Encyclopedias: Since encyclopedias are published and purchased for the currency of their information, obsolete editions of modern encyclopedias have little monetary value, whatever the historical interest of their articles. The eleventh edition (1911) of the Encyclopedia Britannica may be one exception. Complete sets of encyclopedias published before 1800 also have some market value and single volumes proportionately less.

Textbooks: Old schoolbooks and college typically fall into the category of second- hand books. There is a market for early American primers in very good or fine condition. The Eclectic Readers of William Holmes McGuffey are favorites among collectors, for example, though prices vary considerably depending on the edition and condition. Illustrated textbooks printed before 1850 are also sought after, as are early examples of textbooks that instructed students about topics now studied, like the place of African-Americans, women, or immigrant groups in society.

Reprints and Facsimiles: Reprinting important texts in typographic or photographic facsimile is a common and inexpensive means of producing a previously printed text. Such facsimiles are generally not rare and are valued as used books. Extremely high-quality reproductions of medieval and and early printed books, however, can be quite expensive. Color facsimiles published during the nineteenth century are also valued by collectors when they were produced using innovative printing techniques such as collotype or chromolithography.

Is a book signed or marked up by a previous owner or autographed by the author more valuable? The association of a book with a previous owner can add to its value, if that person is important or famous and if the book held significance for him or her. Autographs, inscriptions or dedications, or stamps, or other distinctive markings may all be forged, so they need to be authenticated before a positive statement of association can be made. Contemporary authors routinely sign many copies of their books at publicity events organized to promote sales. Because they are common, such autographs typically add little to the market value of the book. Authors also sign books on other occasions, and they sometimes inscribe and present them to important associates and friends. Such “presentation” or “association” copies may command a premium. Expert knowledge of the current market is needed in order to value a particular signed or inscribed copy.

Are old letters, scrapbooks, photographs, and documents valuable? Collectors and librarians often compete for the letters, cards, documents, photographs, and manuscripts of famous people, creating a market for them. The market value of such materials, like that of printed books, depends on perceived importance and condition. Similar materials created by people who are not famous may be of interest to librarians if they document a particular place, era, or segment of society. For more information, you might consult the “Guide to Donating Your Personal or Family to a Repository” on the Society of American Archivists web site, http://www.archivists.org/publications/donating- familyrecs.asp.

Might someone want my single to complete a set? Because the chance of finding a buyer with a set lacking the exact volume or volumes is remote, single volumes or incomplete sets of multivolume works generally have little appeal to booksellers, collectors, or librarians. Exceptions include books considered rare because of their age and scarce early volumes of magazines or newspapers.

WHAT BOOKS SHOULD BE SOLD ON SITE?

As mentioned earlier, generally books that are of interest to readers (versus collectors) are better left to the on-site book sale. These will include recently published:

 Popular interest  Non-first editions   Book club editions   How-to materials  Local history books  Poetry collections  General non-fiction titles  Sheet music  Bibles  Religious tracts  Collected editions of an authors work (generally republished as sets)  Single volumes of a set  Reprints and facsimiles  Newspapers  Magazines  Textbooks more than five years old

Of course there will be exceptions to all of the above but these rules apply in almost all cases so they are good rules to follow when sorting through hundreds or thousands of books. Here are some notable exceptions. In the case of library withdrawals, “rare” or scarce copies of important titles and/or authors will still sell well online. DESCRIBING BOOKS ONLINE

The more consistent, honest, and professional your descriptions are, the better your credibility online. Since this is a virtual world, the only real way to develop trust is by your integrity. When determining how to describe both the edition and the condition of the book, put yourself in the buyer’s shoes. What about this book would you want to know before purchasing it? It’s probably better to err on the side of including a very small flaw than to leave it out even though you’re pretty sure it won’t affect the book’s value. Some very important issues to include about the edition when present are:

 Book club edition  Ex-library copy  Later printings of a first edition  Advance reader’s copy or uncorrected proof

The following terms have a universal and shared meaning in the professional book selling trade. The definitions are from the website of ABEbooks.com http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/TextToHtml?t=Glossary&h=x&f=glossary.htm

Book Condition Condition of a book is usually in the form of VG/VG, Fine/Good, VG/--, etc. The first part is the condition of the book, the second is the condition of the . If a "/--" is present, it usually means that the dust jacket is not present.

New - A new book is unread, in print and in perfect condition with no missing or damaged pages.

As New - To be used only when the book is in the same immaculate condition to which it was published. There can be no defects, no missing pages, no library stamps, etc., and the dust jacket (if it was issued with one) must be perfect, without any tears.

Fine (F or FN) - Approaches the condition of As New, but without being crisp. For the use of the term Fine, there must also be no defects, etc., and if the jacket has a small tear, or other defect, or looks worn, this should be noted.

Very Good (VG) - Describes a book that does show some small signs of wear - but no tears - on either binding or . Any defects must be noted.

Good (G) - Describes the average used worn book that has all pages or leaves present. Any defects must be noted.

Fair - Worn book that has complete text pages (including those with maps or plates) but may lack , half-title, etc. (which must be noted). Binding, jacket (if any), etc., may also be worn. All defects must be noted.

Poor - Describes a book that is sufficiently worn, to the point that its only merit is as a Copy because it does have the complete text, which must be legible. Any missing maps or plates should still be noted. This copy may be soiled, scuffed, stained or spotted and may have loose joints, hinges, pages, etc. A further glossary of terms used for describing books online comes from Empty Mirror Books - http://www.emptymirrorbooks.com/collecting/ - a great compendium of information and articles for booksellers: Ex-Library copies must always be designated as such no matter what the condition of the book.

Book Club editions must always be noted as such no matter what condition of the book.

Binding Copy describes a book in which the pages or leaves are perfect but the binding is very bad, loose, off, or non-existent.

Advance Reading Copy or ARC is a copy of a book released by its publisher before the book has gone to press for a complete printing. ARCs generally do not have the final dust jacket, formatting or binding of the finished product; the text of an ARC may also differ from that of the published book if the book is edited after the ARC is produced. ARCs are normally distributed to reviewers, bookstores, magazines, and (in some cases) libraries between three and six months before the book is published and released.

Uncorrected Proofs, also known as galley proofs, are also sent to reviewers in advance of publication. Galley proofs were historically only used in the and proof-reading process, but publishers have recently begun to use them as ARCs. These galley proofs may have bindings and illustrations similar to that of the final copy, unlike old-style galley proofs which were usually bound in plain paper covers and without illustrations. Galley proofs differ from ARCs in that ARCs are printed in full color and in the same format as a published book, while galley proofs are generally printed in black and white and are significantly larger in size than most books. Publishers who produce their galley proofs in electronic form do not use them as ARCs.

Signed means signed by the author, or occasionally by the editor or illustrator.

Inscribed (sometimes referred to as a ) means the author has signed the book to a particular person, and may have written some additional lines.

Dedication copy indicates the author has inscribed the book to the person to which it was dedicated.

An is one which has been inscribed by the author to another author, a well- known person, or someone else associated with the author. It can also be a copy (not necessarily signed) which was owned by another author, for instance, Allen Ginsberg’s copy of “On the Road.”

Gift inscription simply means that someone, not the author, has written something on the book before giving it to someone else as a gift. For example: “To Darla, Happy 2-week anniversary of our first date! These poems are as beautiful as you! Love, Steve.”

Bumped usually refers to the corners of a book, which have been creased, bent, or rounded, often due to the book having been bumped or dropped.

Chipped as the name implies, a small piece missing from the edge of a dust jacket, or occasionally, a book.

Foxing in a nutshell, a foxed book’s pages have some spotting, ranging from sort of a beige color to a rusty brown (like a fox’s footprints, or maybe its reddish coat). Sometime foxed spots are referred to as “age spots.” The causes of foxing include temperature & humidity changes (don’t store your books in damp or unheated places!), and impurities within the paper (high acidity - most common in modern books with cheap paper, or iron or copper, commonly found in 19th century & older books). There may be other causes as well, such as fungus or other microorganisms. The reason for foxing in a particular book is often difficult to discern. Foxing is very common in antique books (due to the paper used) and can certainly be found in contemporary books as well.

Hinges: the hinge is the interior or exterior point on a book where the cover meets the spine. Inside, it's where the flyleaf (front free ) meets the pastedown (the endpaper which is pasted to the inside cover of the book). The hinges are a book’s weakest point so prone to problems, especially if the book is handled or shelved carelessly. Loose or broken hinges are very common on old books. “Hinges starting” could mean one of two things. The book’s hinges are beginning to separate from each other via a tear. (the flyleaf separating from the pastedown). If not just “starting” the hinges are described as “broken.” “Hinges starting” can also mean the book’s hinges are beginning to loosen. The endpapers have come partially unglued from the covers at the hinge. Sometimes this is described as “shaken hinges.” Loose hinges can lead to broken hinges. If the book is of some worth the value will probably be enhanced by repair, provided it’s well done. (Poorly done repairs can reduce the value.) It may or may not be worth making such a repair on a common book. Any repairs must be disclosed in the event you decide to sell the book. Hinges can be repaired fairly easily at home (usually with archival glue or tape), but if the book is valuable it's best to have a professional do it. If you're tempted to do it yourself, Google “book hinge repair.” To prevent loose hinges, pay careful attention to how you handle and shelve your books. Never pick a book up by one cover, or bend the covers back too far. Always shelve books vertically (not on their sides, or spine-up), so that they are neither packed too tight on the shelf nor leaning. Books should be shelved with other books of similar size; a large book surrounded by small books doesn't have the proper support & may develop loose hinges.

Laid In is a paper item (often a photograph, letter, press release, or postcard) which is loose inside the book.

Boards are the covers of a book. They are usually cardboard, which is then covered in cloth or paper, and sometimes leather or another material. For example, you may see a book described as being bound in “cloth-covered boards.”

Edgewear means the edges of the cover are a little worn. Most commonly found where the spine and cover meet, but also sometimes found on the cover’s other three edges. Edgewear often happens when a paperback book is subjected to heavy use or repeated contact with other books. But it can also occur on .

Endpapers are found at the very front and back of the book. The paper is often colored; sometimes I’'s decorated with a pattern, or even a map.

The pastedown is the endpaper glued inside the cover.

The free endpaper, is opposite the front pastedown, and is “free,” that is, like a page. Sometimes the front free endpaper is abbreviated f.f.e.p.

Price Clipped The price has been cut off the dust jacket. This is often done before giving a book as a gift. A price-clipped dust jacket lowers the value of the book somewhat, as intact dust jackets are much more desired by collectors.

Rubbed: the covers of the book show some wear, causing some dullness. Heavy rubbing can result in the color of the paper underneath the ink (usually white) to show through.

Tipped In means that an item that has been tipped in a book has been physically attached to the book, most commonly with glue. Often photos and similar items are tipped in. Very occasionally a misprinted page will be replaced with a tipped in corrected page. CATALOGUING BOOKS ONLINE

The best way to learn about how to catalog books may be to simply read the book descriptions of other online booksellers who have developed a good reputation online and are well respected in the industry. In addition, you may look at other descriptions online of the same book in the same condition that you wish to list and you might decide to simply copy that description. This may be ok but you should be absolutely sure that these two copies are a match in every single respect and this won’t allow you to establish your own unique style by which you can become a known and trusted bookseller. You will see from the following samples from three well known and respected sellers of books online that each has an identifiable style. They all, however, use the correct terminology which enables buyers to match their expectations with the description and it lends credibility to the seller.

Bauman Rare Books

Bauman is known for their scholarship and of books known as much for their “collectability” as for their importance in their field. Unlike many booksellers, they primarily offer only higher end books. Bauman Rare Books is one of the most recognizable names in . You will note that the book descriptions are fastidious and very comprehensive. The following book descriptions come from Bauman Rare Books at http://www.baumanrarebooks.com. Book Description: Odhams Press Limited, London: 1933. CHRISTIE, Agatha. THE HOUND OF DEATH And Other Stories. 8vo, maroon cloth, 247 pages. Spine is quite faded, binding and top edge are soiled (as usual), small faint stain at top edge of rear pastedown, endpapers and fore-edge are quite foxed; just a dull, good copy in moderately worn pictorial dust jacket; jacket has quarter-inch chip at base of spine, two small chips at crown, several short creased tears to extremities and rear panel, verso is quite foxed, with several early tape mends, but pictorial front panel is quite bright. First edition [not published in the United States, see Ramsey p. 84; Bleiler. Checklist of Science-Fiction and Supernatural Fiction p. 43; Hubin p. 80]. Bookseller Inventory # 51725 - $475 ______Book Description: 1970, 1970. MORRISON, Toni. The Bluest Eye. New York, Chicago, San Francisco: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, (1970). , original half blue cloth, original dust jacket. $11,000. First edition of this Nobel Prize-winner's scarce first book, "an eloquent indictment of some of the more subtle forms of racism in American society," signed by her. "This tragic study of a black adolescent girl's struggle to achieve white ideals of beauty and her consequent descent into madness was acclaimed as an eloquent indictment of some of the more subtle forms of racism in American society" (Encyclopedia of , 150). Fine condition. Bookseller Inventory # 63735 - $11,000 ______Book Description: Royalton, VT Town of Royalton 1975., 1975. very good w/good+ dustjacket (hardcover). 299pp The history of Royalton Vermont has always been of more than average interest to historians for several reasons. It was the site of the last Indian raid in New England during the Revolutionary War. Located in the heart of Vermont, just west of the Connecticut River, Royalton saw its young people migrate west by hundreds in the great expansion that settled the newer areas of the United States. Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon Church, was born in the town. Illustrated by B&W illustrations. Binding is HC. Bookseller Inventory # 054809 - $150

Bookfever.com Chris Volk, the owner of Bookfever.com, is an expert in online sales and exceedingly generous in sharing her experience and expertise with others. The Bookfever.com collection includes books ranging in price from as little as $3.50 to some in the hundreds of dollars range. Most, however, are around $20-$35. This site offers books that are probably most similar to books culled from the on-site book sale for online sales and, therefore, an excellent site to visit to see what various titles are selling for. In addition, since multiple listings of titles are often listed, it is easy to see from the descriptions what types of flaws or advantages affect the price. You will note, that some of the books listed as ex-library will still command a price far better than would be the case on site. The following book descriptions come from BookFever.com: (Fisk, Tom) Text by Fisher, Karen D. The Gringo Kid. California Forgotten Trails (1998) (#27354) $30.00 SIGNED – First printing, a trade paperback, not issued in hardcover. True life adventure stories of a young boy growing up during the Depression and World War II years, mostly on his own, in the wild southwest of Arizona, and in Wyoming, working in the mines on ranches, doing what he had to do to survive. An interesting oral history. Illustrated with photographs and with double page full color paintings from the ‘BroncPeeler’ collection by Fred Harman. Glossary of cowboy terms according to Tom. INSCRIBED by Tom Fisk the storyteller. Fine condition. ISBN # 0-9668708-08 ______Cussler, Clive. Vixon 03. New York, Viking, (1978) (#38566) $160 SIGNED HC 1st ed – First printing. An early Dirk Pitt . SIGNED by Clive Cussler on the title page, and uncommon thus. 286 pp. Near fine (a nice tight, straight, clean copy) in a very good dustjacket (closed tear on back cover of dj, some chipping and wear at the ends of the spine, rubbing along folds, but original price of 9.95 is still present.) ISBN # 0-6710-747416 ______[Baldwin, James] Leeming, David. James Baldwin, a Biography. London: Michael Joseph. (1994) (#32855) $30 HC 1st ed – First UK printing. A study of the many aspects of the writer’s complex life, by a man who was a friend of Baldwin for 25 years. Includes photographs, notes, an index and a chronological bibliography. Xv, 442 pp. fine in fine dustjacket. ISBN # 0-7181-33552 ______[Greenaway, Kate] Engen, Rodney. Kate Greenaway: a Biography. New York: Schocken, 1981 (#13078) $40 HC 1st ed – First US printing. A profusely illustrated biography of this children’s illustrator and artist. Index, notes, list of books illustrated by Greenaway. Genealogical chart on endpapers. 240 pps. Very good+ in a near fine dustjacket. (Erasure marks on the green endpaper). ______(Gardner, John) Morris, Gregory L. A World of Order and Light: the Fiction of John Gardner. HC 1st ed.- First printing. (#7479) $12 Ex-library with usual markings but overall tight and clean in a NF dj.

Between the Covers Rare Books, Inc. Between the Covers is another highly respected bookseller specializing in modern first editions. The company publishes wonderful print catalogs with whimsical covers that are a joy to browse. Their online site is also worth checking out and reflects the whimsy characteristic of the company. Though the online site and catalog covers are rendered in cartoons, their descriptions are very precise and make use of a highly formal glossary. Descriptions are typically fairly brief but give would-be buyers the information they need to know. The more expensive and rare titles are given more extensive descriptions. The following are from Between the Covers Rare Books, Inc. at www.betweenthecovers.com.

160 Levi, Primo. The Periodic Table. Ny: Schocken 1984. $75 First American edition. A trifle soiled on the foredge still easily fine in fine dustwrapper. A lovely, crisp copy of a desirable title, the scientist and author’s best known work, a series of autobiographical stories, each named after a chemical element, reflecting the analogies between the physical and moral worlds. ______313 West, Nathanael. A Cool Million: The Dismantling of Lemuel Pitkin. NY: Covici-Friede 1934. $2750 First edition, first issue cloth. Small bookstore stamp and just a touch of wear, still fine in a bright, very near fine dustwrapper with two tiny holes on the front panel and a small chip at the top of the front flap fold. A hilarious, scathing satire of the American dream of success, popularized by Horatio Alger and others, in which the hero continually does what he supposes is the right thing, but rather than finding his fortune, slides from bad to worse as his adventures continue. A scarce book, particularly in the first issue binding and in this condition. ______184 McDermott, Alice. A Bigamist’s Daughter. NY: (1982) $225 First edition. Fine in fine dustwrapper. The author’s scarce first book. ______PRICING BOOKS FOR ONLINE SALES

Deciding how to price your book may be extremely simple or take a serious amount of research depending, in large part, on the date of publication. For example, books published after 1970 will most likely have an International Standard Book Number (ISBN) and by using a simple scanner connected to a computer with Internet access, you can find other listings of the same title through online booksellers or mega-book-search engine sites. Mega search sites such as www.bookfinder.com and www.Addall.com are good for used books with no special features. But if the book is unusual – by author signature, rare title, enormously popular author’s first book with a small first printing, etc. -- it will be worth your time to do a little additional research. By going to large online sites such as www.alibris.com or www.abebooks.com you can select “more options” when searching for your book. Under the advance search options, you can click on “signed,” and/or “first edition,” and can search from highest price to lowest. Take a little time here, however, because some listings are truly ridiculous. You may believe you’ve hit pay dirt when you see the top listing at say, $1500. But, by scrolling down, you may well find that the majority of the copies of your particular title with your exact same attributes are mostly listed at about $50 – still, not too bad! What will take more time (and, truly, more talent) will be pricing those books that are not easily found online. You can still check all the usual online book sales sites and you can enter the book’s title and author into an Internet web browser but you will have to judge the information you turn up a little more carefully. Who is listing this book? Is the bookseller reputable? Is this just someone with fingers crossed on eBay? There are bibliographic resources you can used (listed below) and they will help you. You might also want to get what you believe might be a very special book appraised. Another good source might be a local college or university that specializes in the author or topic of a book you believe might be valuable. Talking to the librarian will help determine if the book is, indeed, worth a lot and it might be something the college decides to buy from you to include in their special collection. To get a general idea about putting a value on a book that is elusive in all the usual places is a wonderful site that delivers an “anatomy” of pricing an unusual book. This piece is located at http://www.djmcadam.com/book-values.html. It will give you an excellent idea of what goes into pricing books that are older and rare. In the final analysis, a book is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. Though the competition has gotten a lot stiffer with online sales, the opportunity for Friends is still wonderful. In the end, bookselling takes time, willingness to research, careful descriptions, and excellent service. All of that said, it is also fun and lucrative. For more information on the logistics of putting books online and completing orders; see the United for Libraries’ Toolkit, “How to Sell Books on the Internet: Online Book Seller Tells All.” ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

American Book Prices Current. Edited by Katharine Kyes Leab and Daniel J. Leab. This reference guide is published annually and is mostly useful for rare books.

Book Auction Records. Available through the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America, http://search.abaa.org/dbp2/book337885559.html, these catalogs will tell you what books actually sold for (versus what the seller asked). While you might not find your particular title, perusing these catalogs will certainly add to your education.

Carter, John. ABC for Book Collectors. This reference guide will help every beginning bookseller and even those with seasoning. It is updated occasionally.

McBride, Bill. Pocket Guide to the Identification of First Editions. Identifying first editions is not as easy as you might think. This handy guide will help you from making a mistake that could hurt your online reputation.

McGrath, Daniel. Bookman’s Price Index. This is a straight compilation of listings in the catalogues of nearly a hundred book dealers, arranged by author.

Book Collecting The web site of the American Booksellers Association of America (ABAA), www.abaa.org, features a “Collector’s Corner” with a variety of information for amateur book collectors, including “Introduction to ,” by Allen and Patricia Ahearn, and other “member publications;” a glossary of terms; a frequently asked questions page; and a list of “book collecting links.” It also includes a searchable directory of ABAA member booksellers. The web site of the Independent Online Booksellers Association (IOBA), www.ioba.org, includes glossaries of book terminology and condition definitions and a semi-annual magazine on book selling and collecting, the IOBA Standard. It also includes a searchable directory of IOBA member booksellers and links to multi-dealer databases and auction sites. www.rarebooks.info aims to be a comprehensive web resource for learning about rare books. It offers three levels of access: free, free with registration, and paid subscription membership. The free levels include access to a glossary of terms and links to libraries, museums, national associations, and private collections worldwide. The complete site is available in both English and French. Many other organizations and individuals maintain web sites that contain information, references, and links relevant to book collecting, book selling, book and printing history, and related topics. Entering these and other terms into Internet search engines will turn up a wealth of online resources. Some classic books on book collecting that are still widely available include: Book Collecting: A Modern Guide, Jean Peters, editor (Bowker, 1977). [ISBN: 0835209857] Modern Book Collecting, by Robert A. Wilson (Lyons Press, 1992). [ISBN: 1558211799]. ABC for Book Collectors, by , 8th edition revised by Nicolas Barker. (Oak Knoll Press, 2004) [ISBN: 1584561122] Nicholas Basbanes, who has lately revived the romance of book collecting with his popular trilogy on bibliophiles and throughout history (A Gentle Madness, Patience & Fortitude, A Splendor of Letters), has also written a practical guide for today's aspiring book collectors: Among the Gently Mad: Strategies and Perspectives for the Book-Hunter in the 21st Century (New York: Henry Holt, 2002). [ISBN: 0805051597] Fine Books & Collections (formerly OP Magazine) is a bi-monthly magazine with articles about book collectors and collecting, book fairs and auctions, and other news from the world of books and .

Evaluation and Appraisal Some popular guides to identifying and determining the value of books include: Book Finds: How to Find, Buy, and Sell Used and Rare Books, by Ian C. Ellis, 2nd edition (Perigee, 2001) [ISBN: 0399526544] Collected Books: The Guide to Values, by Allen and Patricia Ahearn (Putnam, 2002) [ISBN: 0399147810] (note: a new edition appears about every two years). The Official Price Guide to Collecting Books, by Marie Tedford and Pat Goudey, 4th edition (House of Collectibles, 2002) [ISBN: 0609807692] Pocket Guide to the Identification of First Editions, by Bill McBride, 6th edition (McBride, 2001) [ISBN: 0930313062]

Buying and Selling Online Those who wish to buy and sell books online may find the following helpful: Buying Books Online: Finding Bargains and Saving Money with Booksense Stores, Amazon Marketplace, and Other Online Sites, by Stephen Windwalker (Harvard Perspective Press, 2002) [ISBN: 0971577846]; and, Selling Used Books Online: The Complete Guide to Bookselling at Amazon's Marketplace and Other Online Sites, by Stephen Windwalker (Harvard Perspective Press, 2002) [ISBN: 0971577838] American Book Prices Current is “an annual record of books, manuscripts, autographs, maps and broadsides sold at auction,” available as a book or CD-ROM. Many major auction houses that handle fine and rare books, such as Christie’s, Sotheby's, and Swann Galleries, offer searchable databases of past and current sales from their web site. PBA Galleries also offers an online appraisal tool called BiblioBot that can be used to estimate market values of hardcover books. You can also estimate the current retail market values of used and rare books by comparing prices for similar books in databases and catalogs available on the web sites of online booksellers. If you need to find an appraiser in your area, the web sites of the American Booksellers Association of America (ABAA), the American Society of Appraisers (ASA), and of the International Society of Appraisers each offer searchable directories by subject and dealer/appraiser location. Many booksellers also offer appraisal services, and may be competent in their areas of expertise even if they are not certified by ASA, ISA, or another agency. Request and check references and consult with a tax attorney until you are satisfied that you have found a qualified appraiser for your collection.