Do not buy a lot of second-hand fiction to put into the hands of the people.

You cannot expect them to keep their books clean if you start them out with dirty pages, soiled plates, and a general hand-me-down air.
Books for young people must be interesting.

No amount of excellence in other directions will compensate for dull books.
Do not trust too much to the second-hand dealer.

Avoid subscription books.

Do not buy of a book peddler; in nine cases out of ten you can find better and cheaper books at the stores.