Antiquarian Books on the WWW

[Ernest Perez]

Information that might be of interest to librarian Web surfers...


SEARCHING FOR ANTIQUARIAN BOOKS ON THE WWW
Ernest Perez, ernest.r.perez at state.or.us

You can now use Web search engines to do quick searches of multiple
antiquarian bookseller catalogs.  Nor do you have to browse or search
through the hundreds (thousands?) of individual bookstore Web sites.
Several .com (commercial) sites now offer free search engines that give
a fast approach for locating and buying antiquarian and used books via
the Internet. 

These sites include:
  * Bibliofind at <http://www.bibliofind.com/>
  * Booksearch Online at <http://bol.advinfo.net:8080/>
  * Antiquarian Book Network at <http://www.antiquarian.com/>
       (maybe a bit more suited to browsing)

These search engines are valuable and easy-to-use tools. They are also a
fast source for evaluating or pricing antiquarian materials, equivalent
to a no-cost, online, _American Book Prices Current_. (Remember, though,
these are list prices, not auction prices)

The first two sites quickly and efficiently search their databases of
catalog listings from numerous participating antiquarian dealers.  For a
little verification help, both services offer links to search the LC
catalog, direct from their search pages. You quickly locate multiple
copies of exactly what you're looking for, at a range of different
prices. It's the online equivalent of sending a want list in Antiquarian
Bookman. When you get your hit list of short titles and descriptive
information, another click takes you to information about the dealer
listing for specific items. On either service, you can order online
using credit cards (Well, if you trust the particular WWW security
methods). 

If they haven't got what you need, either service allows online entry of
want list items.  When you do this, you'll get e-mail price quotes
whenever a dealer lists a matching item.  

Here follows descriptive text from their Web sites....

Bibliofind  <http://www.bibliofind.com/> - "Bibliofind is the largest
site for the sale of books on the World Wide Web. In our database,
hundreds of booksellers from around the world list and describe the
books which they have available for sale. Anyone may come to our site
and, by going to the Search page, look for books they wish to buy. It
costs you nothing to search on our site and, when you find a book you
want to buy, you buy it directly from the bookseller offering it (you
can use the on-line order page for this purpose, which will email your
order directly to the bookseller). Neither buyer nor seller pays us for
any transactions that take place on Bibliofind, and our income is
derived solely from the fees which booksellers pay us to list their
books on Bibliofind."

Booksearch Online <http://bol.advinfo.net:8080/> - "The Ultimate Tool
for Buying and Selling Used, Rare, and Out-of-Print Books. A Service of
The Spoon River Press, a Division of BookQuote, Inc. Welcome to
Booksearch Online--the only full featured Internet-accessible book entry
and search service. Booksearch Online is a service of The Spoon River
Press which, for over twenty years, has been providing reference
information to antiquarian book dealers, book collectors, and
librarians."

Antiquarian Book Network <http://www.antiquarian.com/> - "Welcome to the
Antiquarian Book Network...premier service for finding antiquarian books
and information about the trade. If you are looking for a particular
item or bit of information, we suggest starting with the Antiquarian
BookWorm and searching its database of sites and catalogues from around
the Internet. Alternatively, you may browse the Antiquarian Book Network
by following the links below. 
<snip>
   The ABN is pleased to introduce the _Antiquarian BookWorm_, the
Internet search engine dedicated to the book trade. The BookWorm now
makes it possible to include any website on the Internet within the
ABN's high profile search engine. 
   The ABN launches the _Collectors Network_ offering website hosting
and interactive services for antiquarian book, print and map
collectors. 
     We are pleased to announce a new _Members Directory_ which
includes
dealers, collectors and auctions within the ABN's Mailing Lists and
Antiquarian BookWorm. Use the search form to locate members by name,
specialty and location. 
     The [Antiquarian Book] _Auctions Network_."


Cheers,
- ernest

Ernest Perez//Oregon State Library//perez at opac.state.or.us//503-378-4243
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that is lost in knowledge?       -- T.S. Eliot