All posts by trav

At the heart of it all, I’m a fan. A fan of books and bookstores. A fan of fiction and non-fiction. A fan of authors and publishers. And most of all I’m a fan of great conversations sparked by books. All that to say - I really need more bookshelves.
Bookstore Tourism

The NewSouth Bookstore – Montgomery, AL

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The NewSouth Bookstore is located in the heart of downtown Montgomery, AL and is a wonderful way to spend an hour. The shop is a fantastic mix of used and new books. I love the mix. They have all the new books you’d expect to find, but with added bonus of stumbling across a book you’ve never heard or seen before. I thought the prices were very fair based on a book’s condition and rarity. Be sure to look for the bins and shelves of $1 books as well.

As soon as you walk in you’re greeted by Staff Picks and bookcases of classics. If you like good literature, it will take you a long while to work that room before you get back to the meeting room with all the non-fiction. Such a fun visit.

It’s worth following The NewSouth Bookstore’s Instagram feed as well just to keep up with all of their author events and book signings. Below are a few of the photos I took during my visit.

The NewSouth Bookstore
105 S. Court Street
Montgomery, AL 36104

Hoover, library

Hoover Library’s Libby in the Wild

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I finally got to meet Libby from Hoover Library while at the Alabama Library Association conference this week.

Libby (who started in August 2023 as their first canine librarian) was introduced as a “facility animal” here at the conference and helps out with programs at the library. The Hoover librarians were here leading a session to help other libraries figure out how to start animal-related programs like theirs.

I realize that zero folks outside of Birmingham will be interested, but it’s always cool to see neighbors while on a work trip!

Bookstore Tourism, Bookstore Travels

Dauphine Street Books – New Orleans, LA

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I made sure to swing by Dauphine Street Books after learning that they had recently bought Beckham’s Books a few blocks away.

It was so fun to see how many people were in there. No doubt this is due as much to the neat categories of books they carry as well as their location. (When we walked out there was a Second Line parade making its way down the street. So fun!)

Dauphine Street Books is that quintessential indie bookshop that you think of in the movies. It’s piled and packed with books and every category seems to have the wonderfully specific subcategories. While here you feel equal parts tourist, book lover and archeologist.

This shop is definitely one for folks who love used books and are looking for something truly unique, with really fair prices. Don’t miss it if you find yourself down in the Crescent City.

818 Chartres St
New Orleans, LA 70116
www.dauphinestreetbooks.com
504-529-2333

Bookstore Tourism

Beckham’s Bookshop – New Orleans, LA

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I recently got to spend a few wonderfully misty days in New Orleans. Beckham’s BookShop is usually my first stop as they’ve always had a robust essays section, and as soon as I walked in, I could tell something was different… they’ve been sold! Fortunately, the new owners are the same kind souls who own Dauphine Street Books a few blocks away. So all will be good (phew!) and the prices are exactly what you want in a good used book store. While many shelves were in a state of transition and the upstairs closed, it was still a great visit. Hopefully, they’ll keep the essays section. The new owner was undecided when we spoke. Here are a few photos from my visit.

Beckham’s Bookshop
Address: 228 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70130
Hours: 10am – 4pm; Seven days a week

While walking back to the hotel, I also stumbled upon a new-to-me bar with a literary bent called Backspace Bar & Kitchen. It was wonderfully dark and cozy on a rainy evening. I got to eat and drink in front of the working fireplace and read for a bit before heading back out. Backspace was a fun spot, and I’m looking forward to going there again.