Tucked into two floors of an unassuming house off the NE 130th Street exit of I-5 in North Seattle is Collins Books, a longtime partner of the Friends of The Seattle Public Library and one of the gems of Seattle’s literary scene. Specializing in rare and scholarly volumes, Collins Books also helps the Friends with intake of especially large book donations.
“We’ve always had a great relationship with the Friends,” says Collins Books owner Bill Wolfe.
“If people want to benefit the Friends,” Wolfe says, “and have more than twenty boxes to donate, Collins Books staff will sort and sell the rare finds from the collection on consignment for the Friends.” The FriendShop at Central Library and the Georgetown shop have different audiences that that of Collins Books. Through various online marketplaces, and by quoting directly to institutions and other bookselling specialists, Collins Books can more easily move the valuable or esoteric finds that come in to the Friends. Recently, Wolfe held a training for Friends volunteers to help them identify potentially rare titles when they are donated, which amounts to a fun, intellectual treasure hunt.
Founded in the Bay Area in 1969 by Louis Collins, Collins moved his operation to Seattle in the 1980s. Current owner Bill Wolfe joined the staff in 2012, and when Louis Collins unexpectedly passed away in 2018, Wolfe took over the business.
“I actually transitioned from being a professional poker player to bookselling,” Wolfe says. Could he be the only person in the world who’s made this specific career change?
When asked about favorite libraries, Wolfe cites fond memories of perusing the stacks at Ohio University’s Alden Library in Athens, Ohio, but now his personal library of well over five thousand volumes is where he is happiest. He loves using The Seattle Public Library as a resource for music and frequents Broadview Branch with his daughter. In terms of bookstores—beyond Collins Books—Bolerium in San Francisco is “the best place on Earth,” Wolfe says. “They specialize in books about oppressed peoples of the world.”
In Seattle, processing book donations and sales is a constant part of the Collins Books workflow. “The new stuff never stops coming,” Wolfe says. Seattle is a very literate, book-loving place. That means frequent donations and acquisitions from retiring academics, estate liquidations, closing bookstores and the like. Luckily for this community, Wolfe “really wants every book to find its perfect home.”
Collins Books is currently remodeling, so open hours have been suspended for the time being, but you can still make an appointment to browse by emailing collinsbooks@collinsbooks.com. “If you’ve been here before,” Bill Wolfe says, “get ready for a different kind of experience when you walk in the door. We are excited about this new phase of our operation and hope that the serious collectors in the area pay us a visit to see the changes that we are making.”
If you have a large collection of books you’re ready to donate to the Friends, please contact Collins Books directly for a drop-off appointment. They can ensure that the Friends benefits from the donation of your collection.
Email collinsbooks@collinsbooks.com or call 206.323.3999 for assistance.
Special thanks to Bill Wolfe for being interviewed for this article.