The Dusty Bookshelf

Wonderful bookstore-​found plenty of kid’s books I wanted and my husband found several books from his reading list.

The Dusty Bookshelf is a classic MHK spot that I will always make an effort to visit while in town. It’s the coziest store in the ville and coming here feels like going home. All of the books here are used, not new, so selection can be hit or miss in that regard. It makes it fun to browse and discover something you didn’t know you wanted to read, versus seeking out a particular novel. The staff is very helpful and friendly. If you are looking for something specific, they don’t have a digital record of what is on hand, but they know how to best narrow down the spot it’d be in if they do have a copy. They’ll also take your name and call you if someone brings in the book you want. I’ve bought and sold books here with excellent experiences each time. If you’re in the mood to read, grab one of the arm chairs hidden away in a corner and enjoy an afternoon lost in a good book — no one will mind you hiding out, especially the resident cat who enjoys a good ear scratching.

There’s nothing better than browsing a used bookstore and finding a cat napping on one of the chairs. Adorable!

I’ve been to a lot of used book shops, and this is my favorite. The atmosphere is quiet, almost somber (or at least respectful and dignified, like a good library), and yet fun (like a GREAT library!). The interior is full of dark wood shelves overflowing with books. I love to come and browse. The selection is surprisingly good considering the location — a small college town in the middle of Kansas. If I come in with a purpose, I frequently find what I want. If I come in with no purpose, I *always* find something I want. The prices are very reasonable.
The staff is superb: warm, knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful.
A special mention is needed for their collection of rare books. They have some true gems. There is a cabinet holding a browseable subset of the rare book collection, and a lot more are available through the website.
The only downside is the lack of catalog for what’s out on the floor. Only the rare books are cataloged.
They take special requests and are very good at contacting you, sometimes years later, when your requested book comes in. Use this for hard to find items, especially if you don’t mind waiting.

Great first impression for selection, but I found it kinda overwhelming. There were books lined everywhere including the floors, which made it very hard to find something new. They do have a very large selection of fiction but if you’re more interested in nonfiction this isn’t the store for you.

I’ve only been here one time and we just happened to stumble into it on our way to get some Cold Stone ice cream. From the outside, it looks like an old library. Despite the «used bookstore» I wasn’t expecting to find books of interest to me, but I ended buying a handful of used books for a decent price. We also looked for children’s books for my daughter and we were a bit confused on what sorts of stories to focus on, but the bookkeeper Brin, was amazingly helpful in suggestions and recommendations. It is a definite plus when the workers share a passion for what they do. It definitely showed and we were very comfortable in the store. I will definitely be bringing back some books off my personal library at home to get some new reads, so I will definitely be back.

I’ve been to a great many used bookstores, and while the Dusty doesn’t have the selection of others, it has a great personality. Almost all the employees love books and can/​will speak about them, which is huge for me. It’s a comfortable place to chill out for a while, though bring your own coffee.
The selection is exclusively used books, and focus on bestsellers and romance (ack!). But the classics selection is decent, as well as a great children’s section and a respectable sci-​fi (often very picked over).
In general, I definitely recommend giving it a look.

Great little used bookstore — typical bookstore cats, knowledgeable staff, decent prices, peaceful atmosphere. One of my favorite shops in the area. Also has a branch in Lawrence.

Cute used book store that has a decent selection, but I feel that it’s higher priced than many used book places I’ve been. Plus, this place is in Kansas, so shouldn’t it be priced even lower for living costs here?
Regardless, I grabbed myself a nice used paperback Dean Koontz book for just over 3 bucks to read on my plane ride back to San Diego. Not bad.

Relaxed, pacific vibe inside this Aggieville establishment. Comfy chairs for leafing through pages & pages. Rather than dusty I’d say this is couchy with an expansive inventory. Really impressed with the children’s books selection. I found books here MIA @ Borders and Barnes & Noble in larger cities. Very helpful staff willing to seek out what you’re looking for whether it’s graphic or biographic. I’d definitely check out this shop again.

I love this book store but it does have a cat so anyone with allergies needs to be alert.

This is one of Aggieville’s (part of Manhattan) well known stores. The bookstore is heavily focused on fiction, history, classics, etc. though. It’s great if your looking for books like those, but it does not have a coffee shop or a large diverse selection of books. Though many books in the above mentioned categories. It has some character, but would not make my must visit list for Manhattan.

This shop gives Aggieville some rustic charm; It’s basically a book exchange site, you can buy and sell your used books. The selection is fairly diverse, and pretty well organized considering the amount of books they have lying around. In the center of the store is the children’s section.
It is a very decent alternative to buying new books for 20 bucks, unless you are just in a hurry to get it fast, because this store requires a little patience to find a specific item.
It’s perfect if you’re just browsing, because you’ll generally find something worthwhile.
The cats who live there provide the stereotypical library ambiance, especially when they’re sleeping on a giant chair or catching the sun through the windows.