While in Baltimore I discovered the unicorn of bookstores. That's right, the mythical beast we all dream of but didn't think actual existed... a bookstore where everything is free! No seriously, it's real!
Located a bit off the beaten path, The Book Thing of Baltimore is an organization which collects donated books and offers them to anyone who wants them. Their mission is "to put unwanted books into the hands of those who want them." It's as simple and wonderful as that.
With a few winding rooms, The Book Thing is filled with hundreds and hundreds of books in every imaginable genre. There were classics, mysteries, travel books and so much more. There's no limit to how many you can take. Just like any used book store's inventory the quality of the books varies, but did I mention they are free?
Here's my loot. I found so many good books (about 20)! I had to contain my enthusiasm though, because I was flying home and they tend to have weight limits on the bags. So I tried to steer clear of huge tomes and hardbacks.
If you find yourself in the Baltimore area don't miss The Book Thing. Their website has all the details you need.
Photos by moi.
9 comments:
That is awesome. You got some great titles! I just picked up the same edition of the Cather book at my library's used book sale.
Wow that looks fantastic
That sounds like the best place ever, I dont know if I could limit myself
It was ridiculously hard to not take everything. But I love the whole idea of it. It's not located in the best neighborhood, so I'm sure there are a lot of people who might not have access to many books if it wasn't for The Book Thing. That made me feel better about leaving a few behind on the shelves.
Free books? I like the sound of that.
Wow! That's amazing! How do they pay the rent though?
Carolyn- I'm not sure. It was definitely in a shady part of town in a run down building. So the rent was probably cheap. They also have a page on the website mentioning people they want to thank, so maybe donations?
Oh MY GOD... Nirvana. And I'm in driving distance of Baltimore!!
Jenners- Let me know if you end up checking it out. I'd love to hear what you thought/books you found!
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