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What are your business hours?
City Books is open Wednesday through Sunday, 11 AM – 5 PM. As a sole proprietorship, the bookstore will close for unexpected family and personal responsibilities. Customers should always check social media (@citybookspgh) for emergency closures before making a trip to the Northside. Private browsing appointments are available on Tuesday afternoons.
What are your COVID-19 protocols?
City Books is still requiring properly worn masks for all customers regardless of vaccination status. When the weather permits, the front door is open to facilitate air circulation. Also, we have a medical-grade Austin HEPA filter than purifies the air every 15 minutes.
How much do your books cost?
Generally, contemporary hardcovers are $9 and softcovers are $7, but age and condition might make a book cost a little more or a little less. The average cost of a collectible or first edition is around $30. We do carry a small selection of new books which sell by the cover price.
Do you sell books online?
We post 4-5 used books a day to our Instagram account (@citybookspgh) where followers can claim a book by either commenting under the photo or sending us a direct message. No sale is final until it is confirmed by us. We also have a Bookshop.org storefront where readers can purchase new books for direct home delivery from the distributor. We do not stock Bookshop titles in the store. However, if a customer wants to browse on Bookshop (but not check out) then place a special order via email or over the phone, store delivery saves the buyer the cost of shipping.
Do you ship books?
Within the US, we ship books via Media Mail (a flat rate for printed & bound materials based on weight), which can take up to 3 weeks. The shipping charge is added to the cost of the purchase. Outside of the US, we can ship First Class Mail, but that is usually cost prohibitive for the buyer.
Does City Books accept donations or trade-ins?
City Books does not have the budget to buy books. We offer trade-in for store credit. Please contact us via email at citybookspgh@gmail.com if you have books that you would like us to take a look at. We may request photos of your shelf or stack so we can pre-filter what we are interested in. If you bring books to the shop without inquiring first, be prepared that we will send you home with the books that we are not interested in. We don’t accept text books for trade-in. DO NOT LEAVE BOOKS ON OUR DOORSTEP.
What is Concierge Curation?
City Books works directly with individuals or through designers to create a new or used book collection that suits any taste or style. Our relationship-based approach assures a selection that complements an existing library or establishes a new one. We can accommodate any budget and have existing private, corporate, and municipal clients. Our extensive network of publishers, distributors, writers, and bookshops connects readers to a virtually unlimited selection of reading material. Click this link to learn more about our Concierge Curation.
How can I get my book onto your shelves?
First and foremost, City Books is a used bookstore, so we are very selective about the new books we carry. Occasionally, we stock books by Pittsburgh writers and by writers whose books have a clearly defined regional interest. Authors should demonstrate a viable marketing plan that does not include Amazon, Facebook, or Goodreads before soliciting us for consideration. We do not carry self-published books.
Can I schedule a reading or an event at City Books?
City Books will not be resuming in-store events in the foreseeable future.