Are you moving away from New York but have too many books to take with you? Being an avid reader, you’ve been collecting them for years (from college, to be precise), and just leaving them behind or throwing them away feels wrong and unreasonable. What to do? Sell them right here and now to used bookstores NYC!

In this article, we’ve prepared a list of the best bookstores that accept used books and textbooks. If you are currently in NYC and wonder how to prolong your old books’ life while getting paid for them, read on.

Best Places to Sell Used Books in NYC 

The Strand

• Address: 12th Street between Broadway and 4th Avenue
• Hours: Saturdays ONLY 10:00am – 2:00pm

The Strand is the first place that comes to mind when you think about a place to sell your used books and second-hand books. One of the oldest bookstores, it was founded in 1927. It started as a small used bookstore called Book Row and gradually grew into a creative space for writers and other book lovers where people met as well as bought and sold books. The Strand grew from this place, and now it carries over 2.5 million used, new, and rare books (no less than three floors). Whatever book you are looking for in NYC, the Strand probably has it on offer. 

If you want to sell your used books to the store, bring them in person. If you have less than 40, no prior appointments are required. For larger collections, the shop requests you to make a prior appointment. They gladly accept books on popular subjects, classics, collectibles, and factory-sealed audiobooks. The store doesn’t accept hard-cover popular fiction after its paperback release, heavily used books, magazines and periodicals, encyclopedias and dictionaries, etc. Check their website for more information on what they accept.

Bookculture

• Address: 536 West 112th St; 2915 Broadway
• Hours: Monday to Friday 9:00am – 9:00pm; Saturday & Sunday 9:00am – 8:00pm

Bookculture is another great place to sell your used books in NYC. They have two addresses in New York: 536 West 112th St and 2915 Broadway; therefore, you can choose the closest to you. To sell your books, you need to come in person and bring a valid ID. The store accepts literary fiction and nonfiction as well as current academic texts. They do not accept kid’s books, journals, catalogs, or advanced reader’s editions. You can get as much as up to 20% in-store credit for the books that the store is interested in and the ones that are currently in high demand. If you want to sell used books in NYC, this is a great place to go.

Unnameable Books 

• Address: 600 Vanderbilt Ave.
• Hours: 7 or 8 days a week, 11 am – 9 pm

Unnameable Books is another place to sell your used books, this time in Brooklyn. The store can boast an extensive collection of books in every genre: fiction, memoir and journalism, poetry, philosophy, photography, and whatnot. They accept used books and give them a second life; therefore, it’s a great place to sell your used books in New York. Contact them for details either via email or the contact form on their website.

East Village Books NYC 

• Address: 99 Saint Marks Place between First Ave. & Ave. A
• Hours: Monday to Friday: 1pm – 11pm, Saturday: 1pm until late, Sunday: 1pm – 9pm

East Village Books is another bookstore you can check out in NYC. It is a cash-only used bookstore in Manhattan, as they call themselves, and it is ideal if you have used textbooks. They specialize in estate libraries and claim to offer the highest prices for scholarly libraries. Also, everything from this list is welcome at the store: “art and photography books, textbooks (buyback), philosophy, mathematics, religion, occult, esoterica, new age, counter-culture, critical theory, music, literary fiction, Greek and Latin–actually any scholarly subject, review copies, underground comics/graphic novels, recent law books, technical books in such subjects as finance, theoretical and applied science, recent software.” The store doesn’t accept best-sellers, outdated textbooks, kids’ and young adult fiction, pop psychology/business books, self-help books, coffee table books, or test prep books. Contact them for buyback details via email or call them before visiting.

BooksRun

BooksRun is an alternative to selling used books in NYC. An online platform that offers a great collection of books and textbooks of all genres and subjects, it also buys used books back and offers the best buyback prices on the market. With BooksRun, you can find a second home for your used textbooks and old books that you no longer need. The entire process is simple: you enter the ISBNs of the books you want to sell in the search field, and BooksRun gives you the prices. Then you pack your books, send them via mail, and get your cash.

Housing Works Bookstore Cafe 

• Address: 126 Crosby St. 
• Hours: Monday-Saturday 12pm – 7pm, Sunday 12pm – 5pm

Housing Works Bookstore has a bookstore and several thrift locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Not only can you find a lot of great books of every genre and on every subject, but you can also bring your used books to the store. As a matter of fact, this bookstore doesn’t seem to offer buyback services, but you can consider donating your used books. Check the updates on the website for more information.

Binnacle Books

• Address: 321 Main Street in Beacon 
• Hours: Every day, 12pm – 6pm

Binnacle Books is a small bookstore that can also give your used books a second home. You can contact them if you have “quality used paperbacks in excellent condition” in the following categories: literature, philosophy, poetry, political history, graphic novels, and so on. Keep in mind, however, that due to the small size of the store, they may not be able to accept everything you bring. Contact them before you come to confirm the details, and keep in mind that they accept books on weekdays only.

How to Sell Books in New York at the Best Price

Now that you know where to sell books in NYC, here is how to sell your second-hand books to used bookstores in NYC most profitably. Follow our simple tips while selling your used books.

• The secret behind selling your used books at a good price is to have good books to offer. Therefore, keep your books well-protected while using them; this will help them stay like new longer.
• The second tip is to be absolutely honest about their condition. If there are damaged pages or something is missing, notify the vendor in advance.
• Before you send the books to an online vendor or bring them in person to a bookstore, check them once again for anything that may undermine their value: markings, highlights, stains, dust, etc.

Selling Books in NYC FAQs

Where can I sell textbooks in New York?

If you have textbooks that you no longer need, you can try any of the options mentioned above. BooksRun specializes in the second-hand textbook buyback, and East Village Books NYC will gladly accept your college textbooks (law books, technical books). Alternatively, you can also check New York University Bookstore, as they help students sell their books back to one of the campus stores. The Uloop online bookstore can also help you deal with the textbooks you want to get rid of. 

Where can I donate books in NYC? 

Plenty of options here. If you want to donate your books instead of selling them and support people in jail? Check Books Through Bars. Have grown-up kids and many kids’ books just lying around? Reading Reflections welcomes new and gently used books as well as kids’ books in the NYC area. The Housing Works Bookstore we’ve mentioned also accepts book donations in NYC. So do New York City Libraries: Brooklyn Public Library, New York Public Library (check if they accept donations at the moment), and many others. 

Where can I sell poetry books in NYC?

Both writing poetry and appreciating it are not easy tasks; therefore, you may not find a place that accepts poetry books easily. If none of the options we’ve already mentioned work, try Aeonbookstore: they specifically mention used poetry books in the list of books they are ready to pay for. Alternatively, you can also check Berl’s Brooklyn Poetry Shop—a family-run poetry bookstore and the only all-poetry bookstore in NYC. Currently, they are closed to the public, but you can contact them about the possibility of donations in the future.

Where to sell rare books in New York City?

If by any chance you have rare books at home, you can offer them to Argosy Book Store. This is a peculiar family-run store that dates back to 1925 and has the entire main floor and basement storing over 60,000 out-of-print books on all subjects. They buy books, prints, maps, and autographs, so you can try your luck selling your antique or rare edition to them. 

Conclusion 

Finding a new home for your used books may be a challenge. Luckily, many places in NYC will be happy to take your used books in and even give you extra cash for them. Check the places we’ve mentioned on our list; they are all great, including BooksRun, where your old textbooks will always be welcome. If you live in New York or anywhere in the states, you can sell your books by simply entering their ISBNs and checking the price offers. Good luck!