The University of Denver Bookstore is a well-known establishment on campus, a place where students flock at the start of each quarter for assigned textbooks and overpriced DU merch. But did you know that there is another, lesser-known bookstore on campus where you can find more affordable options?
On the main floor of the historical Mary Reed building is The Book Stack, a tucked-away volunteer-run bookstore. With approximately 35,000 new, used and rare books in over 90 subjects, you’re bound to find something interesting, or simply enjoy browsing the many rows of stacks. Each book is modestly priced between one to four dollars and all proceeds benefit the DU libraries. Not to mention, there is a cart of free books in the foyer outside the store.
This little bookstore is a remnant of DU’s original library, Mary Reed Hall, and the association that helped DU libraries thrive over the years. In 1956, 25 years after the completion of Mary Reed Hall, DU couldn’t afford to purchase items needed to keep the library as vibrant as Chancellor Atler and the Board of Trustees wanted it to be. They assembled a group of women to address this need, who came to be known as The Women’s Library Association. Over the years, the WLA obtained financial support, book gifts and donors in an effort to fulfill “the premise that a great university must have as its heart a great library.”
Marion Hurwitz, the first Executive Chairman of the WLA, said that because the Mary Reed Library had been built mainly with the financial assistance of a woman (Mary Reed) that it was up to women to assist in its maintenance. The WLA did just that and more.
However, by 1970, Mary Reed Library was no longer adequate to house the many volumes of books, study spaces and storage needed for a library. Therefore, Penrose Library (now the AAC) was built as a replacement, and the WLA continued to support it.
Even after the move to Penrose, many unused, donated books still remained in storage in Mary Reed Hall. In 1996, DU awarded the WLA for its dedication to furthering knowledge in the DU community with a room in Mary Reed to sell these books to the public. Originally called the Book Room, it offered two major sales each year and mini-sales at various times. Eventually, its name was changed to The Book Stack.
Lane Hart, one of the volunteers at The Book Stack, took me on a tour of the stacks. Besides the room open to the public, there are three floors in total, consisting of mostly empty stacks that date back to Mary Reed’s library days, as well as a back room where donations are sorted. The Book Stack is the primary money maker for the WLA, which has since been renamed the Women’s Library Association and Friends of Penrose Library and continues to generate funds for DU libraries.
Despite its convenience on campus and affordability, many DU students are unaware of the bookstore’s existence. This is partly due to the fact that it only recently reopened, in the summer of 2022, after two years of closure due to COVID-19. As a result, there aren’t as many volunteers and the opening hours have been limited.
The Book Stack is open to the public throughout the year from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Wednesday. Unfortunately, despite what the sign outside the building says, it’s no longer open on Saturdays, since Mary Reed Hall and other campus buildings are closed on weekends.
If you want to volunteer and join a long legacy of DU library supporters, you can email ulabook@du.edu, or stop in during opening hours to talk to a volunteer. For donations, contact Nancy Clark, Community Relations Manager, at 303-871-3958 or nancy.clark@du.edu.
Be sure to visit and support this hidden gem located in the heart of DU’s original library. As Hart aptly put it, “you can always find some kind of treasure at The Book Stack.”
