Sell or Donate Your Used Books at These Local Bookstores

If you received any unwanted literature for the holidays or are looking to pare down the home library, selling or donating to a used bookstore is one of the best options for parting with beloved — or hated — texts. Here are the best local Denver area bookstores worth visiting, whether you're wanting to subtract from or add to your collection.

Before loading up the boxes and hitting the road, there are a few pointers to help you get the most out of your selling/trading experience. First, call in advance if you plan to sell your books, as some stores buy books by appointment only. Second, if there are any books you feel might be of extreme value, it's worth it to do some light internet research first: EBay and similar sites could help you get the most for your rarer items. Finally, no place on this list — and very few bookstores, for that matter — accepts textbooks, encyclopedias or any other reference materials/periodicals. So if you're looking to get rid of Grandma's Better Homes and Gardens stash, it's probably best to just put it in the recycling bin.

The Book Stop
10840 West 44th Avenue, Wheat Ridge
The Book Stop is the best option for a quick books-for-cash transaction. While other stores offer cash as one of several options, it's the only option at the Book Stop — no in-store credit here. You can always donate books, too, if you're not interested in receiving payment. The average paperback will bring up to 75 cents; hardcovers will get you up to $1. If you're looking to sell, you'll need to stick around while your books are evaluated; the store promises it won't take long (around fifteen minutes, depending on the amount). Books that are being donated can just be dropped off.

The Printed Page
1416 South Broadway
There is no set price at the Printed Page for used books, so there's the potential to earn more for your collection, whether in cash or store credit. The store also accepts donations, which are used to supply nonprofits such as the St. Francis Apartments at Cathedral Square with books. The biggest perk of the Printed Page is that it also does house calls to evaluate collections. No appointment is necessary at the shop, which tends to prefer hardcover books over paperbacks. The store doesn't buy books in bulk, but there is no daily selling limit for customers, which is a definite plus.

West Side Books
3434 West 32nd Avenue
This purple, pink and yellow building can be a great new home for your collection, but it has a few stipulations. West Side Books only evaluates books on Tuesdays by appointment, and book offers can be cash or double that amount in store credit. Intake evaluations are handled by the store's owner and are limited to three boxes per visit. West Side's website offers catalogues of new, audio- and e-books along with titles available to order online, so you can plan ahead and bring items you know it doesn't already have.

Black & Read
7821 Wadsworth Boulevard, Arvada
Black & Read is located in an Arvada shopping center, and is absolutely worth the visit. Not only can you sell your books here, but you can also lighten your load of movies, board games, video games, albums and LaserDiscs — yes, LaserDiscs. Payment for goods varies depending on the item, but this isn't a bad place to rack up store credit, either. You can also schedule an in-home evaluation of your collection.

Tattered Cover
2526 East Colfax Avenue
The Tattered Cover chain of stores accept fifteen books per visit and offer in-store credit only. Appointments can be made to have larger collections evaluated. The fifteen books can be left with the store for evaluation; once they've been processed, you'll be notified by email and issued a digital voucher for store credit. You can choose to pick up any unselected books within two weeks, or they will be donated for you.
The following stores only accept donations:

Colorado's Used Bookstore
3461 South Broadway
This aptly named cozy location has great prices (almost everything is under $5). You may not find any particularly rare books among the shelves, but the friendly service and abundance of deals might just turn you into a repeat customer. The store currently only accepts donations of one or two boxes per visit, and is in need of graphic novels.

Park Hill Community Bookstore
4620 East 23rd Avenue
This volunteer-run store takes donations of books to stock the nonprofit business. You can also purchase memberships at various levels to help support its services. The average book costs between $2 and $4, and the stock is also available through Amazon Marketplace. No appointment is needed to donate books here.

Capitol Hill Books
300 East Colfax Avenue
The last on the list might be one of the most important. Capitol Hill Books accepts donations and store credit for books, but after a major accident wiped out storefront windows and over 100 of the store's rarest goods, it's in need of community support more than ever. Although the shop is not currently accepting donations of books, it's a great place to find quality used books, many for less than $5. You can place online orders or shop at the store.