Chatham, New York: Librarium
In the greatest fantasy stories, there are mysterious paths, and signs that lead the astute traveler to hidden lands. One such place is Librarium, a bookstore surrounded by the foliage outside of East Chatham, New York.
We were in the area for a friend’s wedding. I was there with my girlfriend, who also reviewed it, in a more timely manner than I.
This bookstore is why I was willing to drive onto someone’s ranch in Arizona when I saw a bookstore advertised there on Yelp. Librarium is in a house on a large plot of land just outside Chatham. We didn’t go looking for it—we were leaving the area, about to turn onto NY–295 W, when we saw the sign that said it was nearby. We pulled up into the parking area, which is just a grassy driveway near a barn.
Then we had to knock on the door, because this is also someone’s home.
It is exactly what a used bookstore ought to be: rambling but well-organized, occasionally having to duck through tight openings, and filled with old books.
I wouldn’t be surprised if it occasionally blinks in and out of existence, so you might want to call ahead first.
Librarium
126 Black Bridge Road II
East Chatham, New York
May 26, 2014
| The Grapes of Wrath• | John Steinbeck | $1.50 | mass market paperback |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Common Ground Dessert Cookbook | $2.00 | unknown print | |
| The Complete Round the World Meat Cookbook | Myra Waldo | $3.00 | unknown print |
| The Complete Chess Course• | Fred Reinfeld | $3.75 | hardcover |
In response to The bookstores less traveled: These aren’t the bookstores people travel across the country to visit. But if you’re already traveling across the country, you’ll want to take advantage of the opportunity to visit them.
- Benson, Arizona: Mary Ann’s Mostly Books
- Set up in an old storefront, the place is very disorganized but worth browsing through—especially if you need a break from driving I-10.
- Librarium
- “Librarium is a second-hand bookstore in upstate New York, open since 1979. We have an open shop, and browsers are always welcome! You may want to call before you come for hours and/or directions.”
- Save Yourself—Visit a Bookstore—Librarium, New York—Review: Tiffany Rogét at Stride by Stride
- “Love this place. It’s easy to miss if you’re not looking for it, seeing as how it’s kinda out in the middle of nowhere. Beautiful, but still, honestly… middle of nowhere… nestled between the Hudson Valley and Berkshire mountains in upper NY state.”
More bookstores
- The Thrifty Peanut in Shreveport
- A great little bookstore in Shreveport off of I-20, and a great place to relax in the middle of a long road trip.
- New Orleans: Beckham’s Bookshop
- Beckham’s Bookshop is a musty must-stop if you’re in the French Quarter.
- Las Cruces, New Mexico: Coas Books
- Coas Books is a chain of two bookstores in Las Cruces, and well worth the visit.
- Palestine, Texas: The Palestine Public Library
- The Palestine Public Library opens their booksale room about once a month. If you’re in the area, it’s well worth a look.
- Buffalo, Texas: The Horse’s Mouth on Highway 79
- This tiny little bookshop and coffeehouse is worth stopping at if you’re on Highway 79 and need a browse, a coffee, or a shake.
- 18 more pages with the topic bookstores, and other related pages