The more clear and definite your orders are made out, the more promptly and completely can your bookseller supply them.
An ideal bookseller, qualified to act as your agent, is one who has familiarized himself with the various editions of books, and will always make selections with greater stress on quality than quantity; who will not send you the second edition of a scientific work when a third is out; who will avoid sending you expensive publications (even though you may have ordered them) until he is satisfied that you want them; who will exert himself to get desirable books that may be out of print or issued by an out-of-the-way publisher; who will always be prepared to advise you as to the latest work on any particular subject, as well as the best work.
These points are of greater importance to the live librarian than is the percentage of discount.

Say nothing about per cents; to do so is misleading and unsatisfactory always.

No one understands you.
It is safe to estimate that your purchases of fiction and juvenile literature will average inside of $1 per volume.
A general list, including reference books, of say 4000v., would average about $1.25 per volume, or $5000.
Make your purchases with the needs of your community clearly in mind, securing such books as will be constantly in use, and thereby get returns for your expenditure.

The expensive publications and books that are called for only at rare intervals should be left to libraries with very large incomes, and to those making special collections.
Where possible to do so avoid buying large bills of books at long intervals.

It is better to spend an income of $600 per year in monthly installments of $50, than it is to buy twice a year $300 lots.
The frequent purchase will bring you the new and talked of books while they are fresh in the minds of people, and there is greater economy of time in cataloging and shelving them.
Second-hand books are rarely cheap at any price.
Have confidence in your agent, for your interests are always his..