The BookThinker Newsletter ISSN 1547-9501 #118, 7 April 2008

BookThink Update
14 April 2008>>>

Update Announcements

Collecting Science Fiction Exceptions to the Rule The Science Fiction Book Club, Part II First, in Part II of Science Fiction Editor Timothy Doyle's series "Exceptions to the Rule: The Science Fiction Book Club," Tim identifies some higher-dollar SFBC titles that may surprise you - and, just as importantly, explains why they have value.

How to Start a Clicks-and-Bricks Used Bookstore Store Layout Part II: Fixtures Second, Jill Hendrix returns with her outstanding series on starting a bricks-and-clicks bookstore, this time with Part II to her sub-series on store fixtures. Next month we'll publish Part III of both this series and my own series on storage solutions for booksellers.

From the Editor Important announcements for BookThinker readers.

Buying and Selling Ephemera Part II: African-Americana I doubt that a survey has ever been done, but it wouldn't surprise me to learn that booksellers who really know their history are the most likely to succeed in this business. It gives you such an advantage when scouting - but, if you're behind in this department, Ephemera Editor Michele Behan will start catching you up today with Part II of her "Buying and Selling Ephemera" series. "African -Americana."

Protecting Your Inventory A Few Suggestions for New Booksellers Also today, something for you new guys on the block - suggestions on how to protect your inventory from damage while you're waiting for it to sell. Topics include, among other things, a tutorial on applying polyester sleeves to softcovers.

Gold Edition #48 A Bookseller's Guide to Betty Crocker Years ago I recall thinking that it might be possible to make a good part-time income selling nothing but Betty Crocker cookbooks. I'm sure this isn't possible now, but even today, booksellers who don't know this niche cold are leaving thousands of dollars on the table year-in and year-out. Purchase now.

BookThink's Quarterly Market Report of Common, Profitable Books Issue #4 Issue #4 of BookThink's Quarterly Market Report of Common, Profitable Books is now available for purchase. Purchase or subscribe now.

BookThink Update
14 April 2008>>>

Update Announcements

What You Can Learn From Book Auction Catalogs Part I: How to Describe Faults Here's a frequently asked bookselling question: Are (book) auction catalogs worth anything? Sometimes yes, sometimes no, but I'd suggest that, before you put them up for sale, you examine them for their potential to help you learn more about the profession. Some, frankly, aren't of much use, but many of them are rich resources indeed that can teach you, among other things, how to describe faults and book elements, how to determine edition state and how to price books - all critical skills that inexperienced booksellers often come up short on. I'll be addressing each one of these skills in a series of four articles, beginning today with "How to Describe Faults."

The Accidental Antiquarian Becoming an Antiquarian Bookseller Part III: Condition Matters Chris Lowenstein, our Accidental Antiquarian, is here today to discuss condition issues as well - in this case why it matters as much as it does to antiquarian booksellers.