One of my guilty pleasures is walking through a bookstore, browsing the stacks for hours and leaving with a new book. But when the average price of a paperback book is almost 20 dollars, this hobby can get very expensive, very quickly. I often find myself rationalizing these purchases by saying they’ll keep me on top of my reading goals, but the stack of books in my dorm room keeps piling up. With the hopes of being more economically conscious in the new year, here are some ways that you, too, can save money while still reading plenty of books.

The library

A simple resource accessible to all NYU students to find your next read is Bobst Library or local libraries in New York City. NYU students, faculty and staff can request books and access online materials through the Bobst catalog. If what you are looking for is not available at Bobst, you can access outside materials from non-NYU libraries with Interlibrary Loan or EZBorrow. You may also want to consider opening a library card with the New York Public Library. My favorite NYPL location is the Jefferson Market Library, which is just a five minute walk from Washington Square Park. Their collection of books is expansive, and the library’s Gothic-style architecture is breathtaking.

Secondhand bookstores

As NYU students, we are lucky to have a plethora of secondhand bookstores around our campus. While the Strand Book Store has a large selection of new books, it also has many used books. It is easy to look up books in their online database and order them for pickup in store. Just around the corner from the Strand, Alabaster Bookshop also sells secondhand books and has carts placed outside where you can find books for just $3. If you find yourself in the East Village, East Village Books and Codex are two other great used bookstores.

Online secondhand bookstores

If the local used bookstores don’t have the book you are looking for, there are also many online shops to peruse. One of my favorite sites, ThriftBooks, has a very large selection of 19 million titles. Usually, I can find the book I want in both hardcover and paperback, and the book’s condition is always listed. Another place to find rare, out-of-print or cheap books is eBay. Both sites frequently offer free shipping on orders.  

E-books

If you are getting overwhelmed by the stack of books currently piling up in your room like I am, I recommend looking into e-book options. Amazon Kindle is one site that offers both free and for-purchase audiobooks and e-books. Founded in 1971, making it the oldest digital library, another great e-book option is Project Gutenberg. With a collection of over 75,000, all of their books are free to be downloaded and read online. Additionally, many public libraries have borrowable e-books and kindle versions of books.

Book swapping

Finally, if you have a friend, family member or classmate who shares your taste in books, consider swapping books with them. Not only do you save money by doubling the use of the books you already own, but there is also an opportunity to deepen connections with the people in your life through sharing your favorite books. Personally, I enjoy bonding with my friends by discussing our shared and contradicting opinions on the books we read.  

Contact Siobhán Minerva at [email protected].