“We read to know we’re not alone.”

William Nicholson

Visit Vinalhaven’s bookstore: Second Hand Prose!

Second Hand Prose, on Vinalhaven’s Main Street, is operated by the Friends of the Vinalhaven Public Library. Every purchase supports the library and our mission!

Second Hand Prose is a used bookstore run by Friends of the Vinalhaven Public Library. We sell gently used books of all genres, DVDs, audio books, current magazines, music CDs, jigsaw puzzles, and board games. We also carry a selection of new books from the Vinalhaven Historical Society. Gift certificates are available and make a great gift!

All of our merchandise is donated, all our staff members are volunteers, and all our proceeds are used to support the Vinalhaven Public Library and the Friends’ mission.

Second Hand Prose is located at 54 Main Street on Vinalhaven, Maine, just a short walk from the ferry terminal. From the terminal parking lot, turn right and continue straight into town. Second Hand Prose is on the left. Look for the OPEN flag!

More information about the ferry service.

An elderly woman with white hair and glasses hanging on her shirt, wearing a dark purple jacket, blue jeans, and brown shoes, is raising a large flag outside a bookstore named Second Hand Prose. The bookstore window displays various books and signs, including a pink sign showing early spring hours.
Logo for Second Hand Prose Book Shop in Vinalhavan, Maine, featuring a circular design with a leaf and branch motif.

Winter Hours

Wednesday - Saturday

10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

 

Want to volunteer at Second Hand Prose?

Click here to learn more

Have books to donate?

All of the merchandise at Second Hand Prose is generously donated by our patrons. We gratefully accept 3 boxes of books or other items in good or better condition per person/household per day. Donations should be brought to the store during business hours and not left outside the door.

Unfortunately, due to the small space, we cannot accept all donations and must recycle books we know we cannot sell. Generally, we cannot sell and therefore do not accept:

  • Musty, moldy, dirty, and damaged books

  • Textbooks and encyclopedias

  • Readers Digest condensed books (and other collection volumes)

  • VHS and cassette tapes

  • Magazines older than one year

  • Help and guidance books (for technology, medicine, travel, etc) older than five years

You can bring these items to the Vinalhaven Transfer Station, where they can be recycled.

For more information, please contact Colleen at friendsofvhlibrary@gmail.com

A street fair with people browsing through tables filled with books outside a storefront marked 'BOOKS'. The sky is clear and blue, with residential houses and a crowd of people in the background.