FAQs

What kinds of books do you sell?

The short answer is... many kinds! See the About page for a snazzy blurb which might give you a glimpse of our book holdings. We have fiction, nonfiction (memoir, philosophy, theory, politics), poetry, children’s books, art books, cookbooks, sci-fi, fantasy, graphic novels, strange and wonderful ephemera, and more. We have many contemporary books, as well as those considered “classics” or canonical through various eras. We aim to “complete the canon,” in Felicia Rose Chavez’s words, and intentionally incorporate writers traditionally marginalized by mainstream literature (BIPOC, queer, etc.). Our curation leans towards the curious, striking, and inclusive, and has been called "eclectic" and "exceptional," in the kind words of customers. Come visit us and find out for yourself :-)

Do you sell new books?

Currently we only sell used books, with the exception of books by local writers sold on consignment.

Can you order a (new) book for me?

Not yet... sorry. But hopefully down the road!

How does your business benefit the community?

We live and work in a low-income neighbourhood, Boyle McCauley, a feisty patchwork place full of creativity and heart. From the beginning, we've worked towards ways to ensure our business can benefit our neighbours and neighbourhood, including keeping prices on the lower end, and a flexible holds policy for folks on AISH. We include our initiatives here, both ongoing and planned, to be transparent about our commitments.

INITIATIVES CURRENTLY IN OPERATION:

✦ Suspended book program: This is inspired by the Italian caffè sospeso model, where customers of a café can anonymously buy a coffee in advance for someone who can’t afford it. But with books, instead of coffee!

✦ Redistribution: Each month, we give a portion of store profits to local community organizations doing important work in our area, with a focus on grassroots and Indigenous-led initiatives. Here are some of the programs and organizations we've supported so far:

✦ Toonie community resource library: We've started collecting books on a range of topics requested by folks in the neighbourhood, including sobriety, substance use, harm reduction, healthy relationships, trauma and healing, etc. We will be pricing these low ($2) so as to be accessible to the people looking for them. We welcome donations to this initiative.

FUTURE PLANS:

✦ Bookshelf back: In recognition that we live and do business on Indigenous land, we waive our portion of the consignment percentage for Indigenous writers and artists so as to facilitate the full proceeds of sales. If you are a local Indigenous writer/artist and have a book, zine, or chapbook that you think would be a good fit for the bookstore, please get in touch!

✦ Teach-ins, readings and events: Our dream for the bookstore is for it to become a thriving community hub, where we can host readings, teach-ins, and panels that reflect the bookstore’s ethos, our vibrant and eclectic neighbourhood, and annual events like Indigenous History Month, Lunar New Year, Black History Month, and Pride.

✦ Book drives and creative writing workshops: We hope to run book drives and host creative writing workshops (onsite or remotely) in partnership with community organizations serving houseless and/or low-income folks in our area. 

We welcome your ideas too! If you’re connected to the neighbourhood, a local organizing group, community organization or nonprofit, please get in touch using the Contact page or by emailing us at paperbirchbooksyeg@gmail.com.

I have some books to sell. Do you buy books?

Sure do. Please see our store policies for more information on book buying.

Can you sell my book on consignment?

Please see our store policies for more information on consignment.

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Still got burning questions? Contact us here.