The Book Rack is a well-loved used and new bookstore offering a large selection of approximately 70,000 books across most genres, including a wide range of children’s titles and local authors. Customers can trade in their used books for trade credit—usually a quarter of the cover price for paperbacks—which can be used to purchase other books at half the cover price, making used books very affordable. The store also stocks new books, many of which are discounted by 20%, and can order nearly any book in print. The staff are friendly, knowledgeable, and eager to help find what customers are looking for, whether browsing in-store or shopping online. Visitors appreciate the helpful service, reasonable prices, and the dynamic, ever-changing shelves. Many enjoy the trade credit system, especially those with large collections of used books. The store is praised for its cleanliness, organization, and welcoming atmosphere, making it a favorite spot for book lovers in the area. While space limitations mean inventory isn’t as extensive as some might wish, the store’s quality and prices remain highly recommended. Overall, The Book Rack is considered one of the best used bookstores in the local area, perfect for browsing, buying, or trading books.
I'm a Quad City native and always forget about the Book Rack, until I went for the Iowa Indie Bookstore Trail. The store is very well organized and has a wide selection of used books. The staff are friendly and helpful. I'll definitely be back in the future!
July 2026
Good cross section of books at okay prices. Not crazy about the fake cats used as decor, though.
June 2026
They have a great selection. I like to take my dad here who reads 5 to 10 books a week. He likes to peruse the $1 hardcovers, and the $0.10 paperback clearance section
