Friends Of The Library

I’m one of those people who love the smell of old books. There’s just something comforting about settling in and getting lost in a great novel. That being said, I love this place! Books are generally 50 cents to $ 3 most of the time. I can easily walk out of there with a basketful of books for $ 10-​$ 15. The staff is attentive and it’s pretty organized here. All in all, I always walk away with a few great finds. This is one of those places that is definitely worth checking out… You never know what you’re going to find!

Hands down, one of the BEST bookstores in the WORLD. Literally, books that cost around 20.00 USD normally? — about $ 2.00 USD EASILY. The day we found a stack of records in the garbage — a classic day — the books here are more than numerous, organized, ridiculously inexpensive, and this is worth the visit on every account.

After an intense spring cleaning session, I felt like my book collection appeared lackluster. So I hopped on Unilocal to find used bookstores in the area because I refuse to give Amazon ALL of my money! Well I reluctantly found this place and decided to pop in on a overcast Monday morning. A quick trip turned into 2 hours. I can’t believe that I stayed in this place for about 2 hours and I still didn’t explore all of the books! There is definitely a great selection of books! I found about 14 for $ 11. They have some amazing gems in there and most of the books cost about $.50-​$ 1.00. This is not a place for germaphobes, arachnophobes, or the claustrophobic. This place has all of the qualities of a TRUE basement. The books are organized by author’s last name and genre. I didn’t find any newer books, but they did have most of the books on my wish list.

This ranks among the best used bookstores in the world – and I’m not exaggerating. Yes, it’s a little dingy, located under a public library in Wheaton, with the smell of old books pervading the air, but that’s the idea. Who wants to go to a «new» used book store and pay for books 15% off the cover price?
You can find all sorts of great books on every topic imaginable here. It’s rare to find a book over $ 3. Most are priced between $ 1 and $ 3 or so, with coffee table books running in the stratospheric $ 5 range.
The best part about the place besides the books is the demographic of people who visit it. You’ll run into all sorts of nerds muttering to themselves as they brush by you without saying ‘excuse me’ because they lack the social skills to do so. I forgive them!

You can’t beat children’s books for 50 cents or popular fiction for $ 1.50 at the most. The selection is huge and you can spend hours searching through the selection.

I’m officially a book hoarder for life because of this place. There’s a great selection of books without breaking the bank, and that keeps me coming back! The workers are also really helpful.
Found on the first floor of the Wheaton Library, near the steps. There are shelves and shelves of paperbacks and hardcovers from $ 1.50-$ 2 each. Classics, YA, Mystery, Best Selling Fiction and Nonfiction, Test Prep books, they have it all. They are usually good with restocking books too, so it’s impossible to leave there empty handed! They give teachers discounts, and take donations.
It’s my home away from home.

Nice place, cheap books, friendly people.

We never leave the Wheaton used book store empty handed. I can always find books by popular authors, think John Grisham and others. One of my last visits I came away with 6 books for less than $ 10. I sometimes take a while to read a book so I like that I don’t have to worry about return dates. And if I can’t get into the story I just donate the book back to the library. Also like another reviewer, I’m a little funny about used books but I thumb through the book to make sure it’s clean before I buy.
We also take the granddaughter to the children’s section. She just bought 3 thick math workbooks for $ 1 each. A few pages are used but most of them are not. She also picked up a VHS tape (yes, we still have a combo DVD/​VHS player) for $ 1. I like that I don’t have to worry about her losing borrowed books and the resulting mad search to find them and get them returned to the library on time.

My husband is not a bibliophile and I strongly suspect the FotWL will lead to our eventual split. I just can’t stay away from the big sprawling mess of a bookstore located in the basement of the Wheaton public library. I can’t spend less than two hours in there. I can’t leave with fewer than half a dozen books.
I’ve never spent more than $ 15 there. However, that was an unusually intense book-​buying day and I could barely lug my purchases out of there. Really, the single $ sign for the price range there is too high. There should be a cent sign to indicate the price range at FWL is dirt cheep.
And the books I’ve found there! Yes, there are a lot of rubbishy books and discards from the library. But I’ve found pristine books (paper and cloth bound). I’ve found reviewers’ copies, a personal favorite. It is the first place I check when I need to replace a «classic» novel that I have read to death or was savaged by evil house cats. Since FWL ate Bonifant Books, I’d say the quality of books has increased considerably. Oh man, I feel the urge coming on again.

This bookstore is amazing. Shelves and shelves of used books at the BEST.PRICES.EVER. I got 12 books for $ 8.50! 4 of which were hardcovers in perfect condition. I am in love. I wish this bookstore were closer to me, but then, I would probably spend way too much money.
The bookstore is part of the Wheaton Library, and the proceeds go to the Montgomery County library system. So you are getting great books and the money goes to a good cause. Works for me!

Certainly one of the better bookstores in the area. Good selection (especially on the Classics), though I wish they had a larger art section.
Definitely keep an eye out for their periodical sales! Apparently that’s when they bring out some of their gems in the back. I just came from one over the weekend and managed to acquire (among lots of other great books) a heartbreakingly beautiful copy of Twilight of the Gods — 1924 first illustrated edition, with lovely lithographs and decorative elements in the Beardsley/​Golden Age of Illustration tradition.
I’m no book reseller (or one of those people who hack up rare books and resell the prints… for whom there surely awaits a special circle of hell.) Their volunteer staff understood that my appreciation was aesthetic and not mercenary and priced accordingly. This bookwhore and her wallet thanks you!

Ok, ok. I will give you that the books are really cheap. I defy you to find anything here, however.
And I mean that literally. This is older and more disorganized than the Rockville location.
The stock is also older, not cool-​old, but from the mid-​80s kind of old. Only one box of «vintage» maps in a musty corner, almost all of MD and VA.

I horde books. I admit it. One day, when I’m 78, living alone in my rent-​controlled basement studio apartment, my collection of 30,000+ books will topple over and crush me to death. Only the stench of my rotting body will alert my neighbors to call the paramedics.
All because of Friends of the Library.
Friends of the Library hosts a bookstore in the basement of the Wheaton Library… and if you haven’t visited this place yet, you’re probably 1) spending too much money on books or 2) illiterate.
Most paperbacks are below $ 2 (the average cost of a paperback is $ 1), and most hardcovers are around $ 5. Some items cost a little more — but definitely worth it.
Yes, these are used books — which normally skeeve me out, because I have a theory that people are more bizarre and perverted then I can ever imagine — but as the books are SO incredibly inexpensive… AND every purchase helps the library system… well, who can say no?
I’ve also found some great out of print books… and I even once found a 2^nd printing of Freud’s «Interpretation of Dreams»…in German. No idea if it’s worth anything (probably not), but it’s still neat, and I love having it on my bookshelf (it’s nice and heavy… I’m hoping this is the book that finally crushes all life out of me).
Yeah, I know — I’m a little morbid tonight (I’m watching Rush Hour 2, and Chris Tucker’s career always makes me question the purpose of existence, but that’s neither here nor there). Basically, I’m saying — if you like to read — visit this place. You will thank me later.

This location in wheaton is one of the best used book treasure troves in all of DC/​Baltimore. Located in the basement of the Wheaton Library, it’s a collection of all the retired library books and VERY generous donations from all of Montgomery County. Very well organized and highly visited, don’t pass on a book or you wont see it again!
This is my first stop on a book hunting weekend. Then I hit up Second Story Books in Rockville (see my reviews), and the other Friends of Library location which is a half mile from there. In just a few miles you’ve covered the mecca of used books in DC!
Monday –Thursday 10:00 am — 8:30 pm
Friday — 10:00 am — 4:30 pm
Saturday — 9:00 am — 4:30 pm
Sunday –1:00 pm — 4:30 pm”