The Book Collector

The Book Collector is a used bookstore located in Midtown Sacramento. We've been in business since 1995, celebrating our 12th anniversary in February, 2007.

The Book Collector is a general bookstore with books for readers and collectors. The name does throw some people off, since it suggests a store full of collectible books. We were a book dealer cooperative when we first opened and back then we did focus on collectible books (hence the name.) But for the last eight years we've been a general bookstore emphasizing affordable books in categories like literature, poetry, art, history, religion, children's, cooking, and science.

Our emphasis is literature and poetry. And we pride ourselves on having one of the largest selections of local writers and poets in the Sacramento area. In 2004 we received a Best of Sacramento nod from the Sacramento News and Review as the "Best place to buy Local Poetry."

EVENTS & READING SERIES: The Book Collector is home to two regularly scheduled poetry readings in addition to other occasional readings, book signings and an irregular fluxus aktion or two. The Rattle Snake Press holds its monthly reading every second wednesday of the month (7:30pm). The Poems-For-All Second Saturday Series (8pm) features poets during the monthly Art Walk held in midtown.

HOME OF THE SNAKE: TBC is the proud "home of the snake." Spearheaded, masterminded, and inspired by poet/publisher Kathy Kieth, Sacramento's-own Rattlesnake Press represents an amazing outpouring of energy in the name of the literary arts. Available for sale at the store are over 22 titles in their Rattlechaps Chapbook Series ($5) including poets like Joyce Odam, Susan Kelly-DeWitt, James DenBoer and Victoria Dalkey. Also available are titles from the Snakerings Spiralchap Series ($8) featuring poetry with visuals in a larger, spiral-bound format. And pick up the many free publications offered by the press, including: Rattlesnake Review, the quaterly journalzine of poetry, arts, photos, reviews, and articles; Snakelets, a magazine of poetry by and for kids ages 0-12; Vyper, a journalzine of poetry and art from teens 13-19, and; littlesnake broadsides, issued monthly.

POEMS-FOR-ALL:

The Book Collector is also the headquarters of the Poems-For-All miniature chapbook series. To date over 600 chaplettes half the size of a business card have been published, featuring poets and writers from around the world. On most occasions, a selection of PFAs are available for you to take (free) when you visit the bookstore.

OTHER BOOKSTORES:

We are happy to recommend the other general used bookstores in the downtown/midtown area. Just a few blocks from us is Time-Tested Books at 1114 21st Street and there's Beers at the new location on 10th & S Streets. Both are exceptional used bookstores worth repeated visits!