Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Ask Slashdot: Prioritizing Saleable Used Computer Books?

Posted by timothy on from the books-are-heavy-man dept.

g01d4 writes "I volunteer at a used bookstore that supports the local library. One of my tasks is to sort book donations. For > 5-year-old computer books the choices typically are to save it for sale (fifty cents soft cover, one dollar hardback), pack it, e.g. for another library's bookstore, put it on the free cart, or toss it in the recycle bin. I occasionally dumpster dive the recycle bin to 'rescue' books that I don't think should be pulped. Recently I found a copy of PostgresSQL Essential Reference (2002) and Programming Perl (1996). Would you have left them to RIP? Obviously we have very limited space, 20 shelf feet (storage + sale) for STEM. What criteria would you use when sorting these types of books?"

12 of 219 comments (clear)

  1. By Year... by DavidClarkeHR · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Although there are many good, reliable books that are several years old (on computer principles, logical logic and whatnot), you'll probably be better off sorting by year.

    You'll end up putting a few great books farther down the line than you otherwise would, but sorting by publication date will ensure that the vast majority of the books are still relevant.

    If you've got time, sort by quality. You're the expert, though, and your time is limited. Would you prefer something that is good enough - and done, or something that's perfect ... but not available.

    --
    - Nec Impar Pluribus, or so I'm told.
    1. Re:By Year... by sumdumass · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I might add, for the questionable books, put them in a box and list them on one of the online auctions for cheep or something- buyer pays shipping. There might be an admin out there that inherited something old and needs reference material or perhaps a kid getting a hand me down system and wants to make use of it.

      Try to make the same cash as you would selling it in store, but make sure your supervisor or someone else in charge knows about it so it doesn't appear like you are taking books and selling them on the side.

    2. Re:By Year... by Darinbob · · Score: 5, Informative

      I don't know, Programming Perl would be more relevant to more people than anything written in the last couple of years.

    3. Re:By Year... by Anrego · · Score: 5, Informative

      That book is great and has aged really damn well. I still dig out my second edition copy from time to time. The "gory details" section is great when you are trying to figure out some obscure incantation that some sadistic bastard left as a present for you in a legacy script.

      I'd still recommend reading that book cover to cover to anyone that wants to learn perl. You won't be a guru, but you'll have a pretty solid foundation.

    4. Re:By Year... by mwvdlee · · Score: 5, Informative

      I'd add a bit of rough categorization here based on my own buying patterns.

      Applications (Office, Photoshop, etc) have a very short shelve life. Anything over a couple of years old is useless.
      Languages (Perl, PHP, Ruby); throw away after a decade or so. It differs though; old C books may still apply, old Java books less so.
      Theory (algorithms, methodologies); should be good for a long, long time.

      --
      Slashdot social media options: AIM, ICQ, Yahoo, Jabber and Mobile Text. Why no MySpace?
  2. Give older editions to beginners, the curious ... by perpenso · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Recently I found a copy of PostgresSQL Essential Reference (2002) and Programming Perl (1996). Would you have left them to RIP?

    When I replace a book with a newer edition I set aside the older edition. Sooner or later a relative, friend, co-worker, someone will express an interest in learning to program or learning some new area. My old K&R The C Programming Language, Foley and van Dam Fundamentals of Interactive Computer Graphics, etc all found new homes this way. Why toss out a book that someone curious might want to take a look at?

  3. References become dated by Maow · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'd say the reference book has likely become outdated and current info is easily found on the internet.

    But books like the Perl Camel book - much more than merely a reference - those are valuable for long after their topic is upgraded.

    My 2 cents. Good luck...

  4. Sell it to Intellectual Property Law Firms by speedplane · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Patent lawyers trying to bust patents from the mid 1990s live on this stuff. Call your local friendly intellectual property law firm and see if you can unload the whole batch. They'd probably pay much more than $1.00/book.

    --
    Fast Federal Court and I.T.C. updates
    1. Re:Sell it to Intellectual Property Law Firms by WillAdams · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Interestingly, the last copy of the PenPoint Interface Guidelines I sold on Amazon was to such a law firm.

      --
      Sphinx of black quartz, judge my vow.
  5. Fundamentals by Purity+Of+Essence · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Save anything that is foundational or fundamental to any particular field. Any book that continues to be cited academically or has increased in value on the used market should probably be kept.

    My local public library system foolishly trashed some true classics in algorithms, graphics, and fractals simply because they were old. Now all you find in the stacks are books focused on instruction for specific software applications, books which are certain to be obsolete in a few years.

    --
    +0 Meh
  6. *Some* old ones are valuable by PapayaSF · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The APPLE II BASIC programming manual by Jef Raskin currently goes for $52 and up on Amazon. A few years ago I found a late-'90s book on embedded systems programming that turned out to be in demand and later sold for about $100 on Amazon. So look up anything unusual, specific, or that might have nostalgia value there or on Bookfinder.com before you recycle them or sell them for a buck or two.

    --
    Q: What does the "B." in Benoit B. Mandelbrot stand for? A: Benoit B. Mandelbrot
  7. Re:Let the market decide... by SQLGuru · · Score: 5, Informative

    Bookfinder.com is a quick and easy search that covers Amazon as well as several other used book sources. It's got an ISBN search so you can see how well a particular version is doing on the market. My wife and kids have used it to pick up college text books.