How to Search for Rare Books

New book collectors often wonder how to search for rare books. Where should you go to find the best deals, and how can you know what you're getting is really a rare book?

As with most things, a good place to start when trying to figure out how to search for rare books is with the Internet. There are many bookstores specializing in rare books found online, and many of them are quite reputable.

Some of the bookstores that help you search for rare books are large, Internet-based companies specializing in used books with access to rare books. They often connect users to many small bookstores around the country that are looking to sell rare and used books.

Some of these companies include:

• Alibris
• Book Finder
• Abe Books
• Biblio

There are other websites that connect you directly to the store that has the rare books you are looking for. Some of the more well-known sites for rare books are:

• Heritage Book Shop
• Bauman Rare Books
• Powells
• Philadelphia Rare Book and Manuscript Company

When buying rare books online, it can be difficult to trust the person who is selling the book. After all, rare books can be a huge investment, and if you can't see the condition of the book before you buy, you are taking a risk.

Ensure your success by buying online from a reputable source. Don't buy rare books from a random person on eBay who doesn't post pictures of the books or if the deal gives you any kind of bad feeling. Remember rule number one should always be: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Of course there is more to how to search for rare books than just looking on the Internet. Although, the Internet will give you the best selection in the shortest amount of time spent searching, certainly a bonus if you are pressed for time, looking for a particular gift, or want a book on a certain subject to give as a gift.

If you like the thrill of antique and rare book hunting, however, you'll enjoy going to shops in person to look for rare books. That's a good thing, because buying old books from shops can be a little more time consuming than buying them online. That's because there are so many places you could potentially find rare books, so you need to keep an eye out and cast a wide net to find what you are looking for.

Your local used bookstore probably has a small section of rare or antique books to look through regularly to see if anything strikes your fancy.

Take the time to make friends with the owner or buyer for your local rare and used store. Then, he or she might be on the lookout for the types of books you want to buy and will be able to alert you when something new comes you might be interested in.

Antique stores often end up with a wide variety of old things, from furniture to dishes to old books. While you probably aren't going to find a priceless gem at your local antique shop, it certainly couldn't hurt to look.

People have been known to sell rare first editions of books for a really cheap price when they don't know what they have, so keep a close eye out for hidden bargains.

It's probably even more unlikely you'll find that perfect rare book at a flea market or swap meet, but these places sell literally anything under the sun so you just might get lucky.

Additionally, if you are looking for books that are merely old and not necessarily rare, you'll probably have great luck at a flea market. Finding rare books in such places is much like finding the needle in the haystack: not impossible, but it does take a good long time.

Auctions, estate sales, and sometimes even garage sales can be other places to look for rare books. When a whole household or more than one household is being sold off, there are usually books involved and maybe even some old and rare books in the stack.

If possible, check out the lots before the auction begins, because you don't want to be bidding on books in bad condition or that look like they might be rare but are merely old.

If you want to use some of these methods to help you search for rare books, you really need to know what you are looking for and how to tell that a book is potentially worth money. Unless the person putting on the sale is an expert in appraisals you aren't likely to be able to tell from the price. Still, hunting rare books in this way can be a lot of fun and very rewarding if it pays off.

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