LAHORE: Old books are becoming increasingly popular among book readers due to a number of factors including cheap prices, the desire for authenticity, and the perceived value of older editions.
Secondhand bookstores — such as Nazir Rare and Antique Bookshop in Lahore — are specialized in selling rare books which carry a wide range of old books, first editions, limited editions, and other rare or hard-to-find titles.
Talking to the Associated Press of Pakistan on Tuesday, a customer, Saeed Ahmed, said that old book shops can be a great place for book collectors to find rare or hard-to-find titles, as well as for people who are looking for an affordable way to build their personal library.
He said many old bookshops also carry other types of antique items, such as maps, prints, and other collectables which make them a destination for collectors of all kinds.
A student, Sara Aftab, said that many old bookshops buy books from the public and that becomes a good way for people to sell the old books that they no longer want and make some extra money to trade for other books.
She said old bookshops are a great resource for anyone interested in collecting or reading old books. She said old bookshops offer a wide range of titles at affordable prices and provide a unique shopping experience for book lovers and collectors.
A research scholar at Federal Urdu University of Arts, Sciences and Technology in Islamabad while commenting on the old books said that various publishers are offering up to 50 percent discount on the new books while owners of old bookshops purchase the books at a cheaper price to resell them to needy readers at higher profit margins.
When contacted by the press, the owner of an old bookshop in the F-10 sector of Islamabad, Nadeem Iqbal said they purchase used books at the quarter price and resell them at half price.
He said that the publishers offer a discount on the books which are printed in the bulk but such sales lack variety. He said that the collection of old book shops, variety, old editions, and rare collections make such outlets popular among the public.
