At Cat on the Shelf we strive to do what many in the used book business would consider impossible... Provide the amazing prices of a massive distributor, with the service and quality of a "mom and pop" boutique.

Unlike the massive booksellers that dominate the online market, we don't use stock photos in our listings. Every single book in our store is photographed by hand, so what you see is what you get. Any true collector knows that cover art, dust jackets and editions can vary greatly, often affecting the value and desirability of a book. You can rest assured that the photo you see on the listing is the exact copy you will receive in the mail, or your money back.

We keep our warehouse at the same standard of a library or historical archive. Vintage books and paper collectibles are very delicate items. Humidity and temperature changes can take a major toll on the condition of a book, not only damaging them, but causing dangerous effects like mold and mildew. Our warehouse is kept at optimal conditions year round in a 24/7 climate controlled environment. The temperature is always maintained at 68° Fahrenheit, with humidity constantly monitored and maintained at 45%. Not only that, but we run air purification and wall mounted oscillating fans to keep the air flowing, mitigating the potential for mold and dust.

One of the biggest dirty secrets of the big online book sellers is to buy pallet sized bins of books, dump them on to an assembly line and toss out anything that's too obscure for their processes. Not only do thousands of good books get destroyed in the process, but these pallets of books are mixed in with all sorts of trash, cockroaches, and even dead rats... YUCK! Their massive operations are unable or unwilling to "waste time" checking for first editions, or signatures and will just throw away a book if it is too rare or obscure for their liking, sacrificing many priceless pieces of history to a dumpster. Unlike many others, we source all of our books from individual collections, box them by hand and carefully sort through them. We have a real PASSION for books and preserving history, which is why with us you will always find rarities and oddities that you won't find anywhere else.