Online Book Selling at the Smathers Library Bookstore

Abstract

In fall 2003, the Smathers Library Bookstore instituted a one-year pilot project selling surplus gift books online. This paper describes how the bookstore staff researched, prepared, and embarked on online book selling. It illustrates how the bookstore staff selected the online book selling agent, Alibris, as the Web site utilized for their online selling, and provides details in the methodology of listing books for sale in the used book market. The paper presents the responses to questions asked of staff at two other libraries selling books online, and concludes with a summary of the online sales project.