Selling to Second Story Books
Off-Site Purchasing
In-Store Purchasing
Please note the buying hours at each store are different.
Dupont Buying Policies
Rockville Buying Policies
To help our small team of book buyers keep up with the volume of books brought in each day—and to ensure we give each seller’s books the attention they deserve—we operate on a capacity-based buying system.
Please read the instructions for determining how to proceed with selling your collection below before visiting the store.
Walk-In Buying (No Appointment)
Sellers are limited to 20 books per customer.
We have a daily cap of 10 sellers a day. Walk-ins are paused when we reach this ceiling or our intake capacity is reached.
Sellers may call ahead on the day they intend to visit to guarantee a slot during the walk-in hours, regardless of whether the daily cap has been reached.
Calling ahead is advised as walk-ins may be closed due to store operations or staff limitations.
Walk-In Hours
Mon–Fri • 10am–12pm
Sat–Sun • 11am–2pm
Walk-in Buying in CLOSED on all federal holidays. Please instead arrange an appointment in accordance with the guidelines below.
Medium Collections (20-100 books)
Sellers need to make an appointment with a buyer to review a collection of over 20 books.
Appointments are required, photo samples are required
Please, PLEASE, do not send a list. Lists are next to useless. Photos are easier and provide better information.
Appointments must be made by emailing dylan@secondstorybooks.com
Please note that we’re not able to schedule drop-offs until after we’ve reviewed photos and confirmed that the books are a good fit. Please wait for confirmation from a buyer before coming to the store.
Questions and inquiries may be directed to Dylan at 301-770-0477 Extension 18.
We cannot accommodate same-day walk-ins with over 20 books.
Large Collections (100+ books)
Photos are required to be scheduled.
Drop-offs are by appointment only.
Appointments must be made by emailing dylan@secondstorybooks.com
Please note that we’re not able to schedule drop-offs until after we’ve reviewed photos and confirmed that the books are a good fit. Please wait for confirmation from a buyer before coming to the store.
Review of drop-offs may take up to 3-4 business days. Not all collections receive an offer
Questions and inquiries may be directed to Dylan at 301-770-0477 Extension 18. Voicemails left over the weekend will be returned on Monday. Call the front desk for immediate inquires during the weekend: 301-770-0477 Ext 0
Buying is subject to staff capacity. Intake may be limited when maximum capacity is reached.
Please bring books in sturdy boxes (boxes are available for free from Montgomery County liquor stores or large wholesalers like Costco).
Thank you for understanding and for supporting Second Story Books.
What We Buy
We do not buy any and all books indiscriminately. We buy according to our needs. We primarily look for books that will sell reliably, quickly, and at a good market price.
Books must be in saleable condition to be considered. Please do not bring:
- Broken or damaged books
- Books with pen, highlighting, or marginalia
- Books removed from Little Free Libraries or their equivalent
- Computer books published before 2023.
- Textbooks or test-prep materials
- academic or trade journals, no conference materials.
We also buy media (LPs, CDs, DVDs, and Blu-Rays) but are highly selective. Preference is given to
unopened, shrink-wrapped CDs and DVDs
LPs in excellent condition, regardless of age.
Here is a sample of what we are looking for:
Fiction Books: contemporary literature, classic literature (if in a recently published edition), graphic novels, science fiction & fantasy, horror
Non-fiction Books: history, philosophy, popular culture, modern music, occult and the paranormal
"Rare" Books: condition of the book is paramount, the author or subject must have cultural or world-historic significance in order to sell
How to make an appointment
Please do not send us a list of books and their condition or publication dates. A list is next to useless for our purposes.
Please instead send photo samples to the following email to determine if your books meet our buying criteria: dylan@secondstorybooks.com
If you are bringing books to the store to drop-off, please bring your own boxes or sturdy bags (no trash bags).
Book Buying Questions and Answers:
Can I come in at any time to do a Book Buy?
Our book buying hours have recently changed:
Book Buying hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday between 10am and 12pm.
Saturday and Sunday our buying hours are between 11am and 2pm.
This is for the Rockville location (12160 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, MD 20852).
What happens outside those times?
We are allowing a temporary grace period for customers to drop off up to 3-4 boxes of books while we transition to an appointment-based system. The grace period ends February 10, 2026, after which we cannot accept unscheduled drop-offs after book buying hours. If you have questions, please speak to a manager, however, a manager may not be on the premises after 5pm.
How many books can I bring during a Walk-In Book Buy?
Our limit is 20 books. Please keep it 20 per visit, not per person.
What is store credit?
As of January 2026, purchases made with store credit at the Rockville Warehouse are now included in the 50% off discount.
Store credit is a way to purchase books from Rockville stock at a 50% discount from our penciled price. Credit is usable at the Second Story Dupont Circle location as well, at no discount to the penciled price.
How do we determine your offer?
We make offers based on experience. Our buyers use wide-ranging knowledge on publishing houses, customer demand, and observations on the condition of the material. They select books and make offers based on how quickly a book will sell and at what retail price it will sell, after the our overhead costs.
We primarily source our inventory through large volume collections. Our offers for smaller collections of common variety books are made with this in mind.
What happens to media you do not want?
We take them to further reduced price markets, such as our flea market at the Dupont location or the nonprofit Friends of the Library, Montgomery County.
What if I don't want anything in return for my books?
We suggest taking your books to Friends of the Library (4886 Boiling Brook Parkway, Rockville, MD 20852).
I have more than 20 books. What should I do?
You must email a sample photo to dylan@secondstorybooks.com. A photo of book spines is sufficient for a sample. Call (301) 770-0477 extension 18 and leave a voicemail with questions.
What if I have something that could be valuable?
Email a photo to dylan@secondstorybooks.com and we can advise you.
Second Story Books does not guarantee books held will be purchased or traded for credit. Upon notifying the owner and receiving confirmation from the owner of purchase, Second Story Books will send payment or apply credit.
Any items rejected by Second Story Books must be picked up within 30 days of notification or Second Story Books reserves the right to recycle the books.
Sorry, we cannot make any offers or estimates over email or phone. Photo samples are for verifying books are eligible for sale, not what we will sell them for, hence we cannot make offers until we have books in hand.
Questions can be directed to 301-770-0477 Ext.18
Selling through Second Story Books