I attended a 50% off sale at my local historical society’s used book store over the weekend. I had to get there quite early, and I missed Huck’s soccer game in order to go to the sale. When I got inside, I found . . . nothing. Not one book that was right for my stock. And while I was finding nothing I had to listen to another bookseller’s excitement over his find of an early German edition of Hitler’s Mein Kampf (yes, for reasons too complex to list here, this is actually a collected book). While I know that not every scouting trip will be a fruitful one, I was disappointed to return home empty-handed. When I got home, I learned that Huck had even scored a goal at his soccer game and I missed it. I usually schedule any book activities around my kids’ events, but this particular sale is a once yearly event, so I chose to skip this one soccer game and that turns out to be the game where my kid scores a goal! I was doubly disappointed. Such is life.
At library sales and sales like this one, I often see booksellers leaving with several boxes full of books. Perhaps it’s wrong, but I’ve never bought books this way. Since I can only store a limited stock in my house, I am pretty demanding when it comes to title, edition, and condition, and I only buy books I really think I can resell for a good profit. Additionally, I buy at other venues in addition to library sales, so I don’t feel the need to acquire all of my stock there. It’s typical for me to leave a library sale with ten books or less, but they are usually better books, to be sold for $50 or more. When it comes to scouting books, it happens that sometimes I return home empty-handed and forlorn.
These are a few of the things I do to feel better after I’ve spent a morning searching unsuccesfully for good books:
1) I go home and look at the better books I do have, and remind myself that it took time to find the right book in the right condition at the right price.
2) I tell myself that I really need to spend less time going to book sales and more time cataloguing and selling the books I already have. While there’s nothing like finding a great book — a hymn to joy, the late bookseller Leona Rostenberg called it — booksellers actually earn their pay by selling the books. I don’t know if this is a problem with you, but I am exceedingly slow at listing new books on my website. I have a few hundred uncatalogued good books that I really should list and sell. Currently, my website only has about one hundred books catalogued and listed for sale.
3) I then resolve to spend as much time selling books as I do scouting them.
4) I take a book break and try to do something non-book related, like attending Tom’s soccer game.
5) As soon as I can get a free moment again, I go book hunting somewhere else. Another libary sale is coming up this weekend. Hope springs eternal! 
6) I indulge in a cup of Earl Grey and a bite of chocolate. (You knew that was coming, didn’t you?)
7) I sell a few books. Sunday morning, a new order was waiting for me when I logged in to my website. Making a sale is a great way to feel better. It also makes room for more new finds on my shelves.
8 ) Finally, when I can’t locate any good finds at a book sale, I sometimes choose a book outside of my normal specialties and buy it on the speculation that I can choose a good book regardless of what I know about its subject. Sometimes that works; other times, not so much. At the very least, it helps me learn more and broaden my bookselling horizons.
After that, I’m ready to go out book hunting again. Wish me luck!
