While we can’t deny the allure of opening a brand new novel, books are durable items which often sit untouched after just a single read.  Used bookstores have existed for centuries but Thrift Books’ founders recognized that the internet offers a more efficient medium for reusing books over and over again.  

Thrift Books offers a wider selection, lower prices, and easier access than any brick-and-mortar store. It also offers easy access to many unusual and difficult-to-find books.

The market for used books has been shown to increase the overall number of books sales (new and used) thus promoting literacy while eliminating the wasteful disposal of so many functional books. So in addition to getting the best value at Thrift Books, you’re also doing some good.

We at Thrift Books love to read and we think the best way to spread our passion for reading is to offer quality books at the most affordable prices.   Many of us developed our love of reading through libraries. They play an essential role in our communities by encouraging literacy and providing free access to books. At a time when many libraries are suffering from funding cuts, we have partnered with many library systems—including the King County Library System, the nation’s largest second largest—to provide easy and profitable ways of raising additional funds by selling used library books.

Purchasing used rather than new books is an effective and cost efficient way to decrease paper waste. While recycling is great—Thrift Books does plenty of it—maximizing the lifetime and usefulness of books is far better at reducing the impact of the publishing industry.   In the United States, paper makes up forty percent of the waste which is dumped into landfills.  Global production in the pulp, paper and publishing sector is expected to increase by 77% from 1995 to 2020. Thrift Books plans to do its part to keep these numbers are as low as possible.

Thrift Books is proud that despite receiving hundreds of tons of books per week none of this paper ever makes it to a landfill. Tens of thousands of these books will be sold to customers throughout the world or shipped in bulk internationally.  That material which we cannot use is sent directly to recycling plants where each ton of 100% post consumer copy paper (approximately 1.4 tons of books) saves 24 trees, 7000 gallons of water, 4100 kilowatts of electricity and 60 pounds of air pollution. Currently, Thrift Books recycles one million pounds of books each month.