Halls of the Dark Muse

That's interesting. . . . I wonder if this reflects the reading habits of the people of frequent those stores?

Yes I did wonder if perhaps there is growing to be a greater number of people who are taking preference over more contemporary books than older or classical works, as usually when the store does buy backs and trade ins, they choose the books based on what they think is most likely to sell or what they are most in need of.

And one of the bookstores I frequent recently underwent new ownership so I thought perhaps they were just trying to "update" the store more, and perhaps give it more appeal, but I think it was the other store I often visit that told me about not accepting books in which the editions are too old.

I'm lucky the good old bookstores here seem to take almost anything, so I can often find books that I would have a really difficult time trying to buy anywhere else here, quite cheaply and in pretty good quality.
Might be a time to hunt for other bookstores. There are gazillions of second hand bookstores here. Many round your way?

I do have one other bookstore that is really good, though it is a little farther away, it is worth it, because all the books they have are donations to them. It is a bookstore that is associated with the library, and they will take any books because people just come and drop off any books they don't want anymore, and than they sell the books for cheap and all profits they make go to upkeep of the library. So they have a wide range and variety of books and there classics section is really good.

Groovy!
I got a lot of my books too from a theatre booksale here, and there were lots of old books donated by friends of the theatre.Very cheap and sometimes rare books were found there.
But I'll keep my eyes switched on for almost-but-not-quite second-hand bookstores near here too. I'm sure there must be a few.
I found a second-hand bookstore here that has a great poetry section, so I'll be shopping weekly there until I feel satisifed I have enough books, which will be never.

E-bay I believe is helping to kill the OLD used book stores. They are a dying breed in Ohio at least in my neck of the woods. I prefer going to bookstores as opposed to the hassle of buying on the computer since KI usally have my credit card maxxed. Of late I've been compromising having my book store order for me then I pay them. I can budget them in better.

When I buy books online I do it purely through gift gards, I can buy 25$ cards at Safeway for B&N than order online from them using the card to pay.

Tell me about it. All the thrift stores in CA now sell trash and only trash.

The one thing keeping me from getting a Kindle are those old book shops. There are still a few good ones about, and I need an excuse to go and rummage.