Guy using handheld to price used books?

I have noticed a couple of mysterious people with handheld devices hunting
through the stacks at our library's used book sale. They open selected
books and then key some information into their handhelds. In most cases
they return the book to the shelf. Sometimes they buy a book.

What the heck are these people doing? Does the handheld have a program for
evaluating used books? Does the handheld go online to search data bases?

I know about the online used book sites, but the search results are often
difficult to interpret. Most books are offered for sale at prices ranging
from very cheap to very expensive. Is there a service or a site that lists
prices that more closely reflects what specific books are selling for?

Is there specific software / web sites or services that are designed for the
limited capabilities of a handheld?

Thanks,

DaveC

Hi Dave,

It is probably just an in-computer database that tells them either what
they have in their collection or what they are looking to buy. I myself
simply use a printed (double columned, two sided) sheet listing what
books (or printings of books) of particular authors I am still trying to
locate. The font gets a little smaller with each change in the list.
(Somehow, even though I make progress the list gets longer.)


Francis A. Miniter


Dave C wrote:

I have noticed a couple of mysterious people with handheld devices hunting
through the stacks at our library's used book sale. They open selected
books and then key some information into their handhelds. In most cases
they return the book to the shelf. Sometimes they buy a book.

What the heck are these people doing? Does the handheld have a program for
evaluating used books? Does the handheld go online to search data bases?

I know about the online used book sites, but the search results are often
difficult to interpret. Most books are offered for sale at prices ranging
from very cheap to very expensive. Is there a service or a site that lists
prices that more closely reflects what specific books are selling for?

Is there specific software / web sites or services that are designed for the
limited capabilities of a handheld?

Thanks,

DaveC

Funny how that works. I have my own list in my wallet, small type. I feel
silly whipping it out in a bookstore (the list) so I always retreat to a
quiet stack to compare. I don't feel quite so odd now. Thanks!

Brian M.
www.theliberalmedia.org

"Francis A. Miniter" wrote in message
...
Hi Dave,

It is probably just an in-computer database that tells them either what
they have in their collection or what they are looking to buy. I myself
simply use a printed (double columned, two sided) sheet listing what books
(or printings of books) of particular authors I am still trying to locate.
The font gets a little smaller with each change in the list. (Somehow,
even though I make progress the list gets longer.)


Francis A. Miniter


Dave C wrote:

I have noticed a couple of mysterious people with handheld devices hunting
through the stacks at our library's used book sale. They open selected
books and then key some information into their handhelds. In most cases
they return the book to the shelf. Sometimes they buy a book.

What the heck are these people doing? Does the handheld have a program
for
evaluating used books? Does the handheld go online to search data bases?

I know about the online used book sites, but the search results are often
difficult to interpret. Most books are offered for sale at prices ranging
from very cheap to very expensive. Is there a service or a site that
lists
prices that more closely reflects what specific books are selling for?

Is there specific software / web sites or services that are designed for
the
limited capabilities of a handheld?

Thanks,

DaveC

I have noticed a couple of mysterious people with handheld devices hunting
through the stacks at our library's used book sale. They open selected
books and then key some information into their handhelds. In most cases
they return the book to the shelf. Sometimes they buy a book.

What the heck are these people doing? Does the handheld have a program for
evaluating used books? Does the handheld go online to search data bases?

I know about the online used book sites, but the search results are often
difficult to interpret. Most books are offered for sale at prices ranging
from very cheap to very expensive. Is there a service or a site that lists
prices that more closely reflects what specific books are selling for?

Is there specific software / web sites or services that are designed for the
limited capabilities of a handheld?

Thanks,

DaveC







This is a PDA handheld computer which can access information from Amazon.com,
and now ABE, to get real-time prices from those on-line sources. For Amazon,
you enter the bar code number from the book; ABE will let you enter either
that, the Library of Congress number or the title. The response lets you know
current prices being asked to also give you some idea of demand. This program
costs you a monthly fee for internet access to the program, and has been
discussed in the Bookthink.com newsletters.
Les

Thanks to all who replied. I will look into Les' lead.

DaveC

On Fri, 19 Nov 2004 19:07:44 UTC, "Dave C"
wrote:

I have noticed a couple of mysterious people with handheld devices hunting
through the stacks at our library's used book sale. They open selected
books and then key some information into their handhelds. In most cases
they return the book to the shelf. Sometimes they buy a book.

What the heck are these people doing? Does the handheld have a program for
evaluating used books? Does the handheld go online to search data bases?

I know about the online used book sites, but the search results are often
difficult to interpret. Most books are offered for sale at prices ranging
from very cheap to very expensive. Is there a service or a site that lists
prices that more closely reflects what specific books are selling for?

Is there specific software / web sites or services that are designed for the
limited capabilities of a handheld?

I made a cgi script that would give me a digest of ABE info and used
my smart phone to access it. I found that since the prices were so
cheap it was better to just buy it and get to the next book before
someone else does.


--
Mark Healey
marknews(at)healeyonline(dot)com

On Fri, 19 Nov 2004 19:07:44 GMT, "Dave C"
wrote:


Is there specific software / web sites or services that are designed for the
limited capabilities of a handheld?

Dave, it's likely that at least some of them are consulting their own
want-lists, or possibly want-lists from buyers. Or, if they're just
buying for general stock, their inventory database.

"Dave C" wrote in message . ..

What the heck are these people doing? Does the handheld have a program for
evaluating used books? Does the handheld go online to search data bases?

Once a month a guy comes to my office to buy college textbooks.
He scans the bar code, which tells him if the edition is current and
what a used copy goes for. He then makes me an offer based on
that information. It works for any book typically used in college
courses - not only text books. He told me he updates the database
of info frequently - I am not sure who provides the info in his database,
will ask him next time I see him.




jk

There were two or three teams of these guys at the Ithaca book sale, duking it
out with their phasers in the Engineering section (figuratively speakling).
They will probably Hoover up a collectible once in a while, but I can find five
good books while they're staring at their screen thingies, so not to worry.

And most Modern Library books seem safe fom thier predations, the older ones
having no ISBNs.

j b krygier writes:

Once a month a guy comes to my office to buy college textbooks.
He scans the bar code, which tells him if the edition is current and
what a used copy goes for. He then makes me an offer based on
that information. It works for any book typically used in college
courses - not only text books. He told me he updates the database
of info frequently - I am not sure who provides the info in his database,
will ask him next time I see him.
Bob
Print Matters! Used & Rare Books
http://www.abebooks.com/home/printmat

"Brian M." wrote
Funny how that works. I have my own list in my wallet, small type. I feel
silly whipping it out in a bookstore (the list) so I always retreat to a
quiet stack to compare. I don't feel quite so odd now. Thanks!

I keep a small-type want list in my wallet and take it with me wherever I
go.
Ya never know when you're gonna find that books you need!
--
Bob Finnan
http://bobfinnan.com