Half Price Books has been a haunt since the days when it was located in a building near the Capitol shared with a dry-cleaners and perhaps an early office of the Chron. Later, the branch on the Drag a bit north of campus remained the main attraction in Austin Half Price world. Half Price Books has always been the friend of the impecunious who have too much of their limited resources frozen in the illiquid form of books, magazines, and recorded music. Sometimes the buyers are more generous in their offers than at other times. Strong of will is the person who leaves without spending all the proceeds right there at Half Price Books. I visited the new “central” store, now at 5555 North Lamar, at Koenig. The stock seems to have shrunk a bit from that of the Guadalupe store that it replaces, but it is carefully chosen and the premises are very pleasant, with plenty of seating to encourage people to linger on the premises. The lighting is excellent, and sellers were receiving good offers. This remains an excellent source of stationery that’s in good taste but very cheap. Computer books were in good supply. It does now seem, though, that the store on South Lamar is closer to downtown and so more convenient as a destination for a noontime foray by central-city workers.