About Madison:
Helene's Downtown Madison Bookstore Crawl
WAAL – Our Capital Convergence
April 19-22, 2005
Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center
Madison, Wisconsin
Welcome
› Registration PDF or Word
› Housing & Travel
› Monona Terrace
Call to Conference (Program)
› Tuesday, April 19 (WAAL Board Only)
› Wednesday, April 20 (1st Day)
› Thursday, April 21 (2nd Day)
Post Conference
› Friday, April 22
Conference Sponsors and Exhibitors
About Madison
› Downtown Restaurants
› Coffee, Cocktails, Conversations
› Livelier Nightspots
› So Many Libraries, So Little Time
› Helene's Downtown Bookstore Crawl
› Uniquely Madison
› Discover
Downtown Madison
› Event
Calendar
› History
of Madison
› Weather
in Madison
The following is provided by:
Helene Androski
UW-Madison Librarian and Book Lover
Madison is a book collector’s dream. Within a few blocks of the Capitol Square are some of the finest used bookstores and independent booksellers that you will find anywhere. You’ll never settle for a Barnes and Noble again. Here is a guided tour from someone who visits them regularly.
Heading from Monona Terrace, go clockwise around the Capitol Square. At 18 N. Carroll you come to SHAKESPEARE’S BOOKS, its cavernous interior filled with an almost overwhelming collection of used books in all categories. If you’re willing to dig, you can probably find that long out of print obscure title you’ve been hunting for here.
Next head down State Street and take a short detour by turning left on Johnson Street. On that first block you come to A ROOM OF ONE’S OWN, 307 W. Johnson, a feminist bookstore with an excellent selection of fiction and nonfiction as well as music CDs, calendars and postcards and children’s books. They even have books written by men!
Head back to State Street and continue down until it’s time for another short detour. Turn left on Gorham St. and you come to AVOL’S BOOKSTORE, 315 W. Gorham, another used book store with a good selection of nonfiction and literary fiction.
Back again to State St. and continue down until you turn left on Gilman. On your right is RAINBOW BOOKSTORE COOP, 426 W. Gilman. The term “right” is for directional purposes only because this is a radical leftist bookstore. Find your Noam Chomskys and Howard Zinns here.
Return to State St. and go two blocks until you reach PAUL’S BOOK STORE, 670 State St, on your right. This is the grandaddy of all used book stores on State Street and wears its mantle well. A fine selection of fiction and nonfiction plus, if you’re lucky, the owner’s Yellow Lab will be there to greet you.
Return to State St. and cross Lake St. onto the Library Mall. On your left is the UNIVERSITY BOOKSTORE, 711 State St, which has a selection of general fiction and nonfiction as well as textbooks and supplies for students.
And now you’ve come to the end of the crawl. Fortunately, there are plenty of recommended coffee shops and restaurants to fortify you on your way back up State Street to Monona Terrace.
NOTE: a bit further afield at 2701 University Avenue, is BOOKED
FOR MURDER, specializing in mysteries, including a good selection
of British imports. Well worth the trip.
