SERVICE IN SUMMER 2021

We now allow patrons to visit by appointment. Masks are required. Additional terms apply; click for details and availability. Thanks for your continued support!

Scheduled Browsing

The Original SURPRISE ME! Bag

Tell us what you like, what you do for fun, what matters to you; give us a budget. We'll build a selection to suit. Let us surprise you (or a friend)!

Surprise Me!

FREE LOCAL PICKUP & DELIVERY

Shop by phone or email noon-7pm, Mon-Sat. Curbside pickup, delivery, & shipping available.

Iowa City area: When you get to Shipping Options at checkout, select "Curbside or Delivery". $0.00!

IOBA Member

You should be able to trust that we care about your books. When you buy a book from us, it will come from a collection curated for content and physical quality, and it will be shipped to you with the utmost care, regardless of price.

Selling Your Books

We are not purchasing books from customers at this time.

Walk-in selling hours: Fri-Sat 3pm-7pm. Donations accepted at any time.

Selling Tips

Scheduled Browsing Begins June 2, 2021

The Haunted Bookshop, Iowa City's oldest secondhand bookshop, carries over 50,000 used, rare, out of print and antiquarian titles in over 50 different subject areas, including poetry, fiction, plays, history, religion and philosophy, cultural studies, sciences and languages, art books, children's books, literary nonfiction, Iowa-related books, and more.

For the health of our patrons, staff, and brand-new baby, we are allowing browsing by appointment only; we continue to offer shipping, curbside pickup, and local home delivery on thousands of books, puzzles, games, and more. Have a budget and a theme in mind? Try a Surprise Me! bag!

Thank you for your support and caring. We could fill pages with the many generous things you've done to lift our spirits and keep us busy, and we hope we've helped you in return. We're excited to begin the next phase of reopening--we've missed you!

We are located in the Northside district in the historic Wentz House (1847), its rooms lined with shelves and comfortable chairs, its walls offering toys, games, cards, and more. Our friendly and quirky staff delight in helping visitors to find old book-friends and new, and we pride ourselves on resourcefulness and individual attention to our guests.

We're fond of avid readers, browsers, families, students, teachers, literary reviewers, artists, writers, and other good company; we welcome book groups and community organizations; and we delightedly encourage storytelling, reading aloud, book recommendation, puppet shows (use ours or bring your own), and spontaneous performances by visiting piano players.

Get Audio from an Independent Bookstore Supporter

When we found out that Libro.fm is an independent business committed to paying fair rates to authors, publishers, and independent bookstores, we joined. Now you can purchase audio books, keep and listen on any device (because it's DRM-free), buy specific books as gifts or give credits, and best of all, get reviews and new suggestions from indie stores across the country, including the inimitable crew of Haunted!

You can become a subscriber with a few clicks. Oh no, not another subscription...? But hang on! The terms are reasonable and the subscription is really worthwhile.

With a variety of gift options and easy wishlist setup, Libro also makes birthdays a breeze. We recommend the 3-month gift subscription!

Sell Your Books

If you want to sell your books, you can bring them to the shop between 3pm-6pm Fri-Sun, or call us for appointment options.

We strongly advise that you call ahead every time you plan to bring books in order to check wait times.

If you have mobility concerns or a large collection (>10 shelves/boxes), we may be able to visit your home/office. We do not travel outside Iowa City between September and May.