If getting lost for hours among shelves of old books sounds like an excellent afternoon to you, there’s a discount bookstore in Springfield and Virden, Illinois you must visit. These used bookshops are all about good deals and a wide variety of topics that will have you reading your heart out. Local book lovers don’t want you to know about this treasure trove, but this place is just too wonderful to keep secret. Scroll on for more details.

Books on the Square in southern Illinois is a little-known, budget-friendly bookshop that has been in business since 1993. It has two locations in and around our state's capital that are both worth a visit.
Facebook/Books on the Square
The original discount bookstore in Virden (just south of Springfield) contains three buildings full of used books and other mixed media. There are more than 50,000 titles found on the shelves at this location.
Facebook/Books on the Square
Hours at this location are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
The Springfield location opened in 2017 in a historic building from 1854 known as the Enterprise Building. This location hosts monthly book club meetings to discuss different themes in literature.
Facebook/Books on the Square
Check the store's website (link below) for the full schedule of meetings. Hours at this location are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

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Among the myriad of books found at both locations are a mix of new, used, and rare titles. This discount bookstore is an excellent place to find collectibles of all sorts.
Facebook/Books on the Square
Books on the Square specializes in history titles. It offers more than 1,600 books about the state of Illinois as well as 15,000 about Abraham Lincoln. Further, you will find a plethora of books about the Civil War at this rustic shop.
Facebook/Books on the Square
If you're an avid reader, you'll definitely love this bookshop. The deals on these titles will keep you coming back for more as soon as you've read through your latest haul.
Facebook/Books on the Square

To get more details about Books on the Square, visit its website or Facebook page. If you’ve ever been to this discount bookstore, we’d love to hear from you. Please share your experiences and photos with us below in the comments.

Address: 153 East Jackson Street, Virden, IL, 62690

Address: 427 East Washington Street, Springfield, IL, 62701

For more like this, check out six glam things you can do in Illinois on a budget.

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