FAQs

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

It depends on the books, but yes, we buy 'em! See our designated page on Selling Us Books for more information.

Do you accept book donations?

Sure do. Please call or email ahead if you're looking to donate, as we're a small space and often have to plan ahead to receive donations.

Can you sell my book on consignment?

We're currently closed to new consignors as we are regularly inundated with consignment requests. We'll be working on a formal consignment application process at some point in 2026.

Can you donate to my fundraiser or nonprofit event?

We receive literally hundreds of donation requests, and unfortunately cannot say yes to them all. While we work on a donation request process, we take requests as they come, prioritizing initiatives that 1) align with bookstore values, 2) are Indigenous-led, and 3) benefit our low-income neighbourhood of McCauley, Boyle and Chinatown. If your request does not fit with this criteria, it will likely be denied. Thank you for understanding!

Can you order a (new) book for me?

Very likely. We do stock new books now, although we're still setting up some of our accounts. Get in touch via email, phone, or in person, and we'll happily check for you about special orders!

Are you hiring?

Alas no, we are a very small operation and are not hiring, nor do we expect to in the near future. We don't have time to reply to every single resume that comes our way, but we do appreciate the interest.

Where do you get your (used) books?

All manner of places and people, from sales, thrift stores, estates, collections, and more. We often travel to track down top notch books too. Hundreds of books come and go every week, so we retain a solid backlog of incoming titles!

What kinds of used books do you sell?

The short answer is... many kinds! We now have a small selection of new books which you can browse online, but thousands upon thousands more used titles in our brick and mortar store. 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 :-)

How does your business benefit the community?

We live and work in a low-income inner city area, Boyle / McCauley / Chinatown, a feisty patchwork place full of creativity, camaraderie, 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 & coffee program (Good Neighbour Fund): 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. You can donate to this fund anytime you make a purchase. We use it regularly in service of folks in the neighbourhood who don't have funds for a coffee or book.

✦ Redistribution: As regularly as possible, 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:

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.

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Still got burning questions? Contact us here.