The market for books: An analysis of the effect of online sales on the future of the rare book market

This thesis examines how the promulgation of Internet-based sales of rare books and has affected the overall market. It looks at the online auctions and aggregation sites and analyzes their sales results and data in comparison to sales through an auction house or rare book dealer. The purchasing habits of the modern day rare book collectors and special collections are also discussed, as well as their views on the Internet sales of rare books. Conclusions are drawn based on these discussions and the analysis of the data to attempt to determine what, if any, effect the Internet sales have on the overall rare book market, and the longevity of the role of the Internet within the rare book market.