The Bookmark Bookstore

Have been coming here for years, but for some reason I’ve been focusing on restaurant reviews. This place is the best, better priced and more interesting than Amazon, as there are no shipping fees and it’s an adventure to see what you may find. Definitely the best bookstore in the East Bay.
Last trip I found an unopened box of Steampunk Tarot cards for $ 6. I also found a book on an extremely obscure subject that I’m fascinated with, and have previously found close to no information on for $ 3…it made my entire month. There are no downsides to this place. Well, except for parking, and that really isn’t their fault, lol.

The best used bookstore in Oakland! My friend recommended this place to me and it was love at first site. The prices are great and so is the selection of books. I can always expect to find a great read and the staff is also extremely nice.

What a find! This place has a terrific selection and insanely cheap prices. I almost always find something on their $ 1 carts, and full price is usually only $ 3 — $ 5 for HARDBACKS. Crazy, right? All the proceeds go to the Oakland Public Library, which is an added bonus. The only down-​side is that — being volunteer operated — they have limited hours. But when they are open RUN, don’t walk to this little gem. Also, they are cash-​or-​check only, so be aware of that before heading there.

I was hesitant to even write this review, simply because I want to keep The Bookmark to myself… but whatever, I won’t be greedy, and honestly, every penny they get goes to a wonderful cause (supporting Oakland’s libraries).
I work at another independent bookstore, but love to patronize the ones in my neighborhood. The Bookmark has a fantastic selection of used titles, and their prices are the lowest I’ve seen anywhere in the Bay. They’re staffed by volunteers, so it makes sense. I walked away today with four pocket paperbacks (three of them old Vintage titles with great 60s covers, one of them a Peter Beagle sci-​fi novel with a cat on the cover) and a Paris Review anthology edited by Stephin Merritt. A fantastic mix of classics, contemporary lit, and genre titles. So glad to’ve found this place!

I wandered into the Bookmark during a break from jury duty at nearby Wiley W Manuel Courthouse. I’ve taken to keeping a list of «to-​read» books with me; I whipped it out immediately and started casing the well-​organized shelves.
All told, I walked out with seven books for under $ 25: Bel Canto by Ann Patchett; A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore; Summer House by Nancy Thayer; Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See; The Winter Vault by Anne Michaels; The Great Man by Kate Christensen; and The Giant’s House by Elizabeth McCracken. That’s pretty much the book bargain of the year!
Staffed by volunteers, Bookmark proceeds help raise funds for the Oakland Public Library. This place is such a gem. If you like libraries (and supporting them), books and/​or used bookstores, you’ll love the Bookmark!

Now this is a brilliant idea for a Friends of the Library Book Store! Not only are independent bookstores a dying breed, but to walk into one that supports the local library is ten times better! Furthermore, this shop is run by volunteers who spend their free time advocating their local library! Seriously! Every Friends Book Store should use this concept to not only raise funds, but lead the community back to their library! As a librarian, I am very touched because this kinds of commitment shows a lot of dedication and love. Well done The Bookmark!

I love the Bookmark and I’m hesitant to Unilocal about it because I think it’s one of Oakland’s best-​kept secrets!
Here’s my situation: I love reading books (yes, actual books, no electronic readers for me) and thus it would make economic sense for me to be an avid visitor to the library. The problem is that I like to read in bed and as a recovering germaphobe, I can’t stand the idea of bringing a library book (god knows where its been and in how many hands and homes) onto my pristine bed. Thus, I’ve been relegated to buying new books which is costly.
Enter the Bookmark! These are gently used books (and trust me, I really only buy the ones that look brand new — yes, I realize there can be germs on these too… shhhh!, but likely only one previous owner) for only $ 1 — $ 6! Can’t beat that!
The book selection is hit or miss, but that’s part of the fun. It’s like a treasure hunt every time — you don’t know what you’ll uncover as inventory is dependent on donations. At the same time, the Bookmark is WELL organized, so as long as you know what you’re looking for, you should be able to find it easily.
I also have to give props to the Book Book in NYCs West Village.
When I lived in NYC, that was my favorite place to buy books. Higher price points than the Bookmark (but still a great steal) for brand new books!

This is a wonderful bookstore, run by a dedicated team of volunteers. The space itself is very charming, and it’s always filled with a wide variety of books and other media; great for browsing and the prices are always great deals (especially the $ 1 carts outside). On top of that, all the proceeds go the Friends of the Oakland Public Library to help buy more books and other materials for the city’s libraries – I’m always happy to walk out of the Bookmark with a new bundle of books.

Cheap books!

Great little book store. I’ve found some of my favorite books on the dollar carts outside! I love that it’s small, but has really unique and interesting books.

Loved The Bookmark! I stumbled on this shop while wandering around my new city and I was so happy to find a bookstore! Even happier to find that the proceeds benefit the Oakland Public Library. I found several quality books on the dollar cart and even more great finds inside for very affordable prices.
The staff are a mix of volunteers and paid, I believe. The gentleman who helped me was very nice and gave me info for the OPL yearly membership that saves you 20% at the Bookmark. They have a sliding scale fee and once I get a job, I will certainly be looking into the family membership.

Time: 1:26pm/67°F intermittent clouds
Purpose: Pass by here on Sunday and it was closed saw a worker inside putting away books. Actually that old Royal typewriter got my attention.
Set-​up: A small old school bookstore that takes in donations of unwanted books, mags, periodicals, sign books that’s still in usable readable condition. I guess all proceeds benefit the Oakland public libraries.
Staff: A guy about late 20’s college type working to get through tuition. Nice friendly greeted me ask what I was looking for. No up sell or pushy sales just relax atmosphere for just the time of day.
Cleanliness: The older it gets the better. Just love that smell of what once was white paper printed on now after it’s aging effects turns yellowish that’s really nostalgia of book world.
Buys: Didn’t have time to see what I like was just too curious the previous day. However I still need to find out if that typewriter is for sale or not.
Products: Magazines, coffee cans, books, novels, some records, tapes, cassettes, antiques, vintage, old school, even telephone books. Most items circa around 1920’s-1980’s or after.
Punch Lines: Near police station, cafes, courthouse, old oakland, Chinatown, JLS, clubs, bars, grocery, restaurants, transportation hubs, freeway, hotels, schools, parks.
Final Thoughts: Who would ever thought that there are still some viable bookstores around with out depending on too much on technology. Here you will browse around be quiet even harsh footsteps will get stares. I will update on more of this place but for now don’t bother me let me flip some pages please!

Feel good about where the proceeds are going. The staff is very helpful, and I find lots of quality books at affordable prices!

Buying books at The Bookmark, you can feel good knowing you’re helping out the Oakland Public Library. The Bookmark is definitely worth a visit when you’re looking for a new read.
Used bookshops all have a certain appeal to me but too many of them devolve into disorganized rats nests of shelf upon shelf (or worse, pile upon pile) of books. I go into these shops excited with the prospect of encountering some wonderful forgotten treasure but then I shortly become overwhelmed by the search to find anything of interest to me and I leave.
The Bookmark isn’t like that. They have a reasonably good variety of books on offer and even if it’s not quite as thorough as you might find in a few other shops, it’s at least well organized. I did notice a few categories you might take for granted that were a bit thin at The Bookmark; they don’t have much of a poetry offering and the Latin America section had so few titles it wasn’t even worth giving them their own category. The foreign language section appears to offer books in a wide range of languages but it contains only a few volumes in any one of them. A small foreign language section is more the norm than the exception in most local used bookshops though.
Thanks to its lack of immensity and good organization I actually found two books at the Bookmark that I wanted to buy within just ten minutes, including even an Elena Poniatowska novel in Spanish. And the total for both was only $ 8.50.

This place is amazing! I was visiting Oakland from Brooklyn and came across this place after eating at the café next door. Boy, am I glad I went in. It was Sunday so that means it’s 50% off all books and I bought at least 25 books for $ 60 which would’ve been normally $ 120. Proceeds help the Oakland Public Library, too.

This used bookstore is awesome for so many reasons, but here are my top 5 reasons:
1. The selection is great and there is new stock every day. Sometimes there are even signed copies of books!
2. Most of the books are in near perfect or good condition and reasonably priced. There is also a $ 1 cart outside and a clearance section in the back left corner of the store if you’re looking for even more bargains.
3. All proceeds go to support the Oakland Public Library.
4. It is neat and well-​organized.
5. The staff is helpful and friendly. If you’re looking for something in particular, just ask and they will try to find it for you.
Also, for an annual fee of $ 25 ($ 15 if you’re 65+ or a full-​time student), you can become a member of the Friends of the Oakland Public Library and receive 20% off all purchases. The membership fee is also tax deductible. You can also donate books in good, saleable condition any time the store is open.
TIP: They only accept cash and personal checks. NO CREDIT CARDS!

I’ve only donated books here — welcome to what happens when you postpone your spring cleaning until the summer! — and haven’t bought any, but The Bookmark Bookstore is awesome. Helpful, informed and efficient all-​volunteer staff in a really charming and organized space gets 5 stars in my book!
And, if I could: 10 stars for supporting the OPL!

Bookmark Bookstore recently had a groupon offering or something similar but i didn’t partake. thinking not many titles available.
true, not titles that i wanted. but there are titles that i saw whie browsing i would be interested in
sightings;
rape of nakking (4)
–story of 0(1)-guess everyone read this book already
–moyers, :the world of ideas”(5)
booknotes:
–go with an open mind, someting worthwhile will show up.
–proceeds go to oakland library.

If I had any talent for writing lyrics, I’d write an ode to the Bookmark Bookstore.
Recently after an epic meal at Souly Vegan, we looked up any bookstore in the area that wasn’t a chain. We jumped in out of the rain into this really cool place! We were greeted at the door by a kind volunteer who was arranging some books, and implored us to please ask any questions if we had them.
All of these books have been donated, and proceeds go to the Oakland Library. The books are marked CHEAP! I’ve been meaning to pick up Fast Food Nation for my boyfriend… It’s about $ 25, and I picked up a hardcover version here for $ 4. $ 4!!!
I found some old «Hitchcock Presents…» books of short stories from the 50’s, as well as this cool old «How to Take a Great Photo» by Canon from the 1930s! I left with 6 books and 1 record and spent less than $ 20.
Mind blowingly cheap, relatively organized. Keep in mind that this ISN’T like a Borders, so don’t expect to go in and for them to have what you’re looking for. Think of it as a thrift shop. Check back often, there are definitely some good finds in here. Can’t wait to come back.

Run on volunteer power!
Wonderful bookstore with lots of treasures!
Books are very well organized and feature lots of appealing displays.
This is bad news for someone like me and my family who could easily start a bookstore of our own with all our books and don’t really «need» any more books – but I bought a stack anyway!
Support this lovely bookstore and you’ll support the Oakland Public Library.
And it’s next to the Cock-​a-​doodle Café – How cool is that?