Upon arriving on campus as a freshman and wanting to explore every inch of campus, I stumbled upon the Book Stack, a quaint used bookstore on campus. It is located on the main floor of Mary Reed. For those who may not know, Mary Reed is nestled behind Korbel on the East side with the roundabout that exits onto University. As I wandered inside, I was met with everything a used book store should be – crowded, random and enticing. I have visited multiple times this year, but I had not purchased anything until this Wednesday. I got a copy of “Beloved,” “Sophie’s Choice” and a special illustrated edition of “The Da Vinci Code” for a ridiculously low total price of $4.31. The women volunteering were willing to hold my choices until I could come back with my wallet, and they offered me a cookie and some candy on my way out.
Immediately when you walk in, you will be greeted by a few women who are the sole, proud staff members. The Book Stack is run by the University Library Association, and all proceeds go directly to Anderson Academic Commons. They explained that the Book Stack houses only donated books sold by a group of women who work solely as volunteers. One can also find a modest collection of CDs and records, if interested. The current location has been there for approximately 30 years and, hopefully, will be there for many more. Their hours of operation are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.
The Book Stack offers tremendous deals, and the lovely ladies there are willing to wager. Other than extremely discounted prices, they always have a few racks of free books in the foyer. They also offer a $3 bag special once per quarter where perusers can fill a grocery bag with as many books as they can fit and pay $3 for their finds. The Book Stack is certain to provide a fun few moments, minutes or hours of dreamily poring over every shelf for any bookworm. The next special discount event is from May 23 to May 27, when the entire store will be half off. Be sure to stop by and not miss the opportunity to explore this little gem on campus.
