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macintologist · 05:17 PM

My local library is having a used book sale tomorrow and I plan on going there. Books will be 50 cents or $1 each. I plan on using the Amazon.com iPhone app to quickly scan ISBN numbers and see if any of the books are ridiculously expensive online used (out of print hardcovers, textbooks etc) and will sell them on Amazon Marketplace. Is it unethical for me to take advantage of the library in this way and make potentially obscene profits based on this work? Should I be donating the money back to the library fund or something?

LegendaryPinkOx · Dec 13, 2010, 05:16 PM

If they were happy with selling the books for ¢50-$1 in the first place, then I find no moral dilemma in it.

turtle777 · Dec 13, 2010, 05:18 PM

Go for it. The library could do the same thing.

-t

Laminar · Dec 13, 2010, 05:19 PM

I wouldn't worry about it. Do you have a plan for picking out potentially good books or do you plan on scanning all of them?

SpaceMonkey · Dec 13, 2010, 05:20 PM

Agreed. I doubt you're going to find much though.

macintologist · Dec 13, 2010, 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by Laminar

I wouldn't worry about it. Do you have a plan for picking out potentially good books or do you plan on scanning all of them?

Hardcover textbooks usually are expensive online so I'll be targeting those. I only plan on spending 30 minutes tops scanning books for prices.

macintologist · Dec 13, 2010, 05:24 PM

Originally Posted by SpaceMonkey

Agreed. I doubt you're going to find much though.

When hardcover nonfiction books are out of print you'd be surprised how much they are worth online.

nonhuman · Dec 13, 2010, 05:59 PM

Get there early. There are people who do this for a living.

ort888 · Dec 13, 2010, 06:01 PM

Not unethical. Probably also not worth your time.

OreoCookie · Dec 13, 2010, 06:31 PM

No, I don't think it's unethical. My local libraries have also given away books that cost $$ or even $$$. It would be unethical if you suggest your library to sell the books to you at a discount so you can sell them with a high profit margin

If you want to do your library some good and increase your savings on your karma account, you can donate some of the proceeds back.

imitchellg5 · Dec 13, 2010, 07:19 PM

I think you're figuring that the books at that your library for sale will be books that people actually want.

alligator · Dec 13, 2010, 08:09 PM

If you had to post here and ask this question, isn't your conscience telling you something? Instead of the couple of bucks you'd actually make doing this, find something more productive to do for society. Volunteer your time or create something artistic instead.

macintologist · Dec 13, 2010, 09:56 PM

Originally Posted by alligator

If you had to post here and ask this question, isn't your conscience telling you something? Instead of the couple of bucks you'd actually make doing this, find something more productive to do for society. Volunteer your time or create something artistic instead.

Actually the last time I did this at another used book sale I sold some on Amazon for 50 each. But it was a private book sale not a big deal, whereas these are library books paid for by tax dollars thats why I'm having a dilemma.

imitchellg5 · Dec 13, 2010, 09:59 PM

Generally when libraries are selling books it's to make enough money to buy newer editions of the same book, or a better alternative. You're not hurting the library, you're helping.

GSixZero · Dec 14, 2010, 12:21 AM

Not unethical, but be careful and have fun.

Who Will Protect Us From the Roving Used Book-Buying Gangs? | Slog | The Stranger, Seattle's Only Newspaper

iMOTOR · Dec 14, 2010, 04:07 AM

I go to a lot of library book sales, and there’s always about 3 or 4 people with bar code scanning palm pilots furiously scanning books. So you probably wont be the only one.

turtle777 · Dec 14, 2010, 07:24 AM

Pam Pilots ? Seriously ?

-t

turtle777 · Dec 14, 2010, 07:26 AM

Originally Posted by GSixZero

Who Will Protect Us From the Roving Used Book-Buying Gangs? | Slog | The Stranger, Seattle's Only Newspaper

The classic arbitrage game, now at your local Goodwill store.

-t

Shaddim · Dec 14, 2010, 07:35 AM

Not unethical, but probably not worth the trouble.

finboy · Dec 14, 2010, 11:59 AM

Originally Posted by Shaddim

Not unethical, but probably not worth the trouble.

The library is likely selling titles that people have donated to them, and THEY have the opportunity to check the values of these books just like you do. So, no, there's nothing wrong with reselling library cut-outs. In fact, if you don't buy them, they will likely end up in Goodwill or a dumpster.

I've found some good titles at the Goodwill/Salvation Army stores before (including the original three-volume bound Mac guide, mint, for $4.99) but there's a lot to go through, and you have to keep up with what they have on a regular basis. And I've seen "gangs" of regulars there, but they were buying clothes that way, piling the carts with new stuff and then going through it. Whatever.

d4nth3m4n · Dec 14, 2010, 02:12 PM

If you really are having trouble with this, take a portion (~25%) of your proceeds (if you have any) and donate it to the library.

nonhuman · Dec 14, 2010, 02:36 PM

Originally Posted by turtle777

Pam Pilots ? Seriously ?

-t

Yep, the necessary software and hardware is very cheap and by using a locally stored database of books and prices (updated regularly) it's significantly faster to look up the prices of books than having to rely on a wireless internet connection. If you're trying to actually make a living doing this, the time saved is worth it.

Jawbone54 · Dec 14, 2010, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by d4nth3m4n

If you really are having trouble with this, take a portion (~25%) of your proceeds (if you have any) and donate it to the library.

Seconded, but only if you have trouble getting over your moral dilemma.

macintologist · Dec 14, 2010, 02:51 PM

Originally Posted by nonhuman

Yep, the necessary software and hardware is very cheap and by using a locally stored database of books and prices (updated regularly) it's significantly faster to look up the prices of books than having to rely on a wireless internet connection. If you're trying to actually make a living doing this, the time saved is worth it.

Except a lot of books on Amazon retail at $25 but are literally worthless and being sold used for $0.01

finboy · Dec 14, 2010, 03:06 PM

Originally Posted by turtle777

Pam Pilots ? Seriously ?

-t

One of our bookbuyers has an iPaq (or whatever the HP one is called), one has some proprietary thing (looks like a WalMart scanner) and one of them uses a Handspring with some kind of scanner in the Springboard slot. I used to have a bookbuyer in VA that was still using a Newton (in 2003).

CollinG3G4 · Dec 14, 2010, 04:14 PM

Originally Posted by macintologist

Hardcover textbooks usually are expensive online so I'll be targeting those.

Are you kidding me? When the publisher releases a new edition, the value of the previous edition plummets overnight.

andi*pandi · Dec 14, 2010, 04:21 PM

No worse than finding something nice at a yard sale. If you found a vintage baseball card or rare hummel figurine at a yard sale, and resold it, would you feel bad about stealing from the little old lady who was funding her retirement by selling her memories?

(

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nonhuman · Dec 15, 2010, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by macintologist

Except a lot of books on Amazon retail at $25 but are literally worthless and being sold used for $0.01

Amazon's probably not the best way to do it.