OPINION: Best local spots and websites to buy cheap, used/new books
The Book-A-Holic on Oliver.
With the semester beginning in just a few days, it’s likely your instructors have begun to send out lists of required books for class. Instead of spending full price on expensive books, take a little time to check out these local bookstores and websites.
Book-A-Holic
– 924 S, Oliver, Wichita, KS 67218
– 601 N West St #216, Wichita, KS 67203
– 8760 W 21st St, Wichita, KS 67205
This local bookstore has been operating in Wichita for almost 30 years, and they have three different locations to choose from in the city. Each location varies in price and collection, but a quick phone call to these locations will reveal if they have the book you’re looking for.
Friends of the Wichita Public Library
– 711 West 2nd St N, Wichita, KS 67203
In the Advanced Public Library in downtown Wichita, there is a small bookshop inside that sells a variety of library books that have been taken out of circulation. Books cost less than five dollars each, making this a great place to find cheap, quality books.
This online used and new bookstore is a great place to find a variety of books, whether for school or personal enjoyment. Most books on here are fairly cheap too, starting as low as three dollars.
Like ThriftBooks, this website sells new and used books for cheap. The cheapest books start around four dollars. One of the nicer components of this online bookstore is that shipping is incredibly cheap, and you can round up your purchase by just a few cents to support “Carbon Balanced Shipping.”
BetterWorldBooks worked with Sustainable Business Consulting and followed the framework of the World Resources Institute to work on offsetting the carbon emissions that are produced when delivering books through planes or other vehicles.
Amazon– used book lists
Amazon tends to be the go-to when trying to find books for school quickly and easily. What can make shopping with this company even cheaper is when you find the book you want, look under the text format and editions. Often, there will be a list of used books that are cheaper than the original price.
Shopping for books doesn’t have to break the bank. With just a little bit of searching and effort, you could save an enormous amount of money by buying used books while also feeling a sense of satisfaction that you are recycling.
Mia Hennen is the managing editor for The Sunflower. Most recently, Hennen served as editor-in-chief for the 2023-2024 year. A senior English major, Hennen...
