10 surprising things about used bookstores I have learned

1. Used bookstores can tell you about the community - what people like, read, care about

2. Used bookstores can tell you about the zeitgeist of the time

What's on display? Which books are front-facing and not on their sides?

3. Used bookstores can tell you what's valuable

4. Used bookstores, I think, can tell you whether people still appreciate physical copies of books

5. Ask the used bookstore owner for recommendations - they often have great ones

6. Owners often have a lot of wisdom to share - not just about books but about things in general

7. How used bookstores organize their books can be interesting

Some places dont' have any business sections - others group self help, relationships, etc. together

8. Exploring a section of the used bookstore you don't normally visit can be eye-opening

9. It can be a treasure hunt

Especially if you're visiting a used bookstore that doesn't have any organization

10. Indexed books that are electronically searchable can be a good and a bad thing

It makes books easier to find, but if they're not indexed, you might be able to find better books (because others don't want to do the work of digging through the books)