Books Tell You Why - Our Story

We are a seller of antiquarian books with a collection spanning more than five centuries. Collectors rely on our expertise and international service whether buying their first antiquarian book or enhancing an established library.
 
Although the idea began in the 20th century, we founded Books Tell You Why in its current form in 2002. Our home is in Charleston, South Carolina, where history has been written and re-written many times. 
 
What started with a few valuable books from personal collections has expanded rapidly; Books Tell You Why is now one of the leading sources for rare books in the Southeastern United States. Our international customer base continues to give us great marks for outstanding service and quality.
 

Projects - Support and Sponsorship

As part of our effort to sponsor research and educational efforts on a local and global level, Books Tell You Why is proud to actively support the Collegiate Book Collecting Championship. Beginning in 2016, Books Tell You Why offers a full tuition scholarship to Rare Book School for full or part-time librarians. Additionally, Books Tell You Why is dedicated to furthering local school projects in the area of literature, education, and internet commerce. Please contact us at info@BooksTellYouWhy.com for further information about active or passive participation in any of our projects.

Memberships

Books Tell You Why is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America (ABAA), the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB), the Independent Online Booksellers’ Association (IOBA), and the Antiquarian Book Dealers' Association of South Carolina (ABDASC). Key employees have personal memberships in the The Bibliographical Society of America and the Universal Autograph Collectors Club, Inc. (UACC)