Book Buying Chat & Toronto Public Library Sale Vlog

I attempted (and failed) to visit the used book sale at the Toronto Reference Library. This is a look at the crowds that showed up and a chat about book buying.
Click [CC] for subtitles.

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[SheWantstheDiction]

I've never been to a library sale but your points about not needing to own and if you do, wanting a nicer copy, totally resonated with me. that line looks RIDICULOUS.

"you can use it to kill centipedes!"
this should be your new answer whenever someone asks you why you like reading 😂

[lilliannieswender]

I find this very interesting Jen, mainly because we hear so much about no one reading anymore.  I have been to many library sales in my time, but there were never long lines like that, it makes me feel good to know that reading is far from being dead.  Thanks for this video Jen.

[CravingBooks]

The vlog portion is nuts! I remember going to library sales growing up, which were busy, but never to that extent. YIKES. Although the prices were comparable and I miss them. My library system doesn't do them anymore, which is a little heartbreaking. They donate their books to an online 3rd party seller and get a small portion back. I do think they would have more success running a sale every year and raise more money.
Lovely video!

[elizabeth-betsyjohnson]

I've been binge-watching your videos for a day.
(not in a creepy way 🤣) Your commentary is incredibly insightful & thoughtful & I enjoy listening to you.

[PlanetShannonTV]

Thank you so much for this video Jen, and for sharing what the sale (and line!) looks like for the annual book sale. I had opted out of going last year because I was concerned about the wait time, and now I'm glad I did because I wouldn't have lasted 2 hours. I know some people do the annual sale as they have some limited/special edition stuff and also other media like records and stuff. Sorry to hear that you didn't get to go to the actual sale, but feels like a wise choice. Although the prices are amazing, the permanent book store prices are also pretty good at most books being a $1, which still feels like the best deal in town.


And omg, I love the argument that a book can kill a centipede, but an idea can't. Spot on!

[AlwaysDoing]

I don't think I would have waited either, especially not outside! _~shivers~_ I wonder what time the first people in line arrived... it must have been something.

[BookieCharm]

Wow that line for a library sale is insane! I probably would’ve left too. It’s been a long time since I’ve gone to a sale myself.

[Nyledam]

Three hours seems crazy! Although it's nice to see so many people still so passionate about books that they are willing to wait that long. :)

[Juanfox]

I totally agree with you about the consumerism thing. I usually just buy a new book when I have nothing else to read. It's very tempting to go on Amazon and just get a bunch of books though.

this is the 2nd video I watched from your channel so far (the 1st being the newbie tag) and I gotta say its entertaining to listen your take on things. I'll be on the lookout for your new videos!

[lindseyreads]

Wow that line looks insane! I’ve been to a couple library sales. They were worlds apart from your experience although they weren’t massive libraries in big cities. Having gone to those library sales, I agree with you, in that if I’m buying a book I want it in a reasonably good condition if it’s something I plan on keeping. I haven’t gone to a sale in years; however, I’m constantly using my library for ebooks so I’m still supporting the library.

[patricejones]

I go to The National Book Festival each year in Washington D.C. and there are long lines for signatures and long lines to purchase books for the authors to sign. I actually love it. I think meeting the authors is the big draw for me.

[lostinabookbrb]

Books are my favorite physical weapons. :D And that is such a long line. I would have given up too.

[PrettyBrownEyeReader]

Wow! That is a really long wait! I probably would have turned around outside. LOL Our library has a sale coming up in April.

[josmith]

Holy Moly, I wouldn't have queued up either! I just walked into my last library sale and it was a fill a bag and leave a donation but then my closest town has only 80000 people. I think most of the consumerist guilt is tied to not having read all the books we own, kind of like buying a pair of shoes you don't wear- I'm guessing. However, if there was no guilt involved then we wouldn't have multiple amusing booktube videos where people talk about book bans and having rules for not buying books and than a week later, throw the rule book out the window 😆

[RachelMauro]

It's been awhile since I've been to a library book sale, but a 2 hour wait?! That's what I expect out of comic conventions!

[LauraFreyReadinginBed]

Dang!! Our library sales are busy, but I've never had to line up. I've had to ban myself from library sales, they're too dangerous. I feel the same way, I can just borrow a book, and if I own it, I'll get the edition I want. Though I'm finally reading a copy of The Little Friend I got from a library sale, and noticed it's a first edition, so that was kinda cool. And I think those consumerism discussions are coming from YA booktube where there are a lot of younger people spending their (mucho disposable) income on new books. I used to do that too, before i had, you know, bills. Haha.

[TowelTroi]

Mannn. I love library sales, too. Have never been opposed to sifting through books along a crowd of readers. But THAT right there is a whole different animal. Two hours!? We'll pass. Lol.

[ammalyrical]

Library sales were a thing I'd never heard of before I heard some American BookTubers talk about them. I think they are a bit more of a rarity here (or just extremely poorly promoted). This could also be because the libraries I know do regional book sharing. If my library doesn't have a book, but another one in the shared group does, they'll be able to order it and I could pick it up in a couple of days. But this also means they can't just sell the books. Someone 50 km away might still order it to read and then they need to have it stocked somewhere.


Having said that here's more of my opinion instead of explaining libraries here.
I like books and owning them, because of how beautiful they can look on the shelves. This is often the reason I'll try to find as cheap a copy as possible (a lot of what I want to read I can't easily get from my library. I tried multiple times. My library membership would also easily cost me 60EUR per year, so it's not free and might be more expensive than buying a couple of cheap books). If I like the book enough I might end up buying a nice copy down the line so I can love it inside and out. When I want to try a series I tend to look for book 1 cheap or free (borrowing from friends or family is a thing too) and when I like it I'll invest in copies I like the cover off so I don't need to look at covers I find ugly.

[ajourneythroughbooks]

Oh good heavens! I have a thing (some people call it a problem) for buying books, but I would not have stood in that queue for anything. I save queues like that for voting and voting only.

[crflamesfan]

Wow..that is a long wait. I wouldn’t wait that long either. The only book sale I wait for is the big one at the curling rink and the only reason I wait is to get decent parking. Did people have suitcases there too to put their books? Have a great week.