Your Old Books Revised

The good folks at Fine Books have just posted a good article on the value of Old Books. In the article, they mention that the Rare Books and Manuscripts Department at the American Library Association have released a revision of the classic reference Your Old Books.

I really enjoyed the write-up at Fine Books, because friends frequently tell me about a stash of old books that they have that they are convinced must be worth something. Of course, more often than not, a small bit of research shows that most old books are not worth an awful lot. The article concludes that spending money on books is less of an investment and that the value lies more in the entertainment value. This conclusion may appeal less to the bookseller than the collector. But its an important message. And while I am aware that a proportion of the books sold in this industry are often sold based on their investment value. The heart of the collector is more likely to be grounded in the sheer pleasure of owning the book than in its monetary value.