Used bookstores thrive on customers bringing in unwanted books for cash or store credit. You can trade in your books for a nice chunk of cash, or even more store credit at almost any used bookstore. Here’s how to get the most out of your used books.

First, find out which books you want to get rid of. Take all the books off your shelves that you won’t or will never read again. Don’t forget the cookbooks you never use and the children’s books your kids have stopped using. Then do some research to find out what your local bookstore specializes in. Do they mainly broadcast fiction and poetry? Or do they like biographies and self-help? Depending on what you have in your personal library, you may need to find more than one store to take all your books. Outdated reference books, such as atlases and encyclopedias, will likely be rejected, unless they are unique or collectible in some way. Most bookstores will pay more for recent releases in good condition, with the exception of extremely popular older titles from authors like John Grisham or Dan Brown, as they usually have tons of those already.

Once you’ve selected the books for your collection, make sure they’re clean and in the best condition you can receive them in. Take a moment to dust them off, check for worn pages, erase pencil marks, and remove any Post-its stuck to the pages. Most stores don’t want highlighted or annotated text.

Call the used bookstore ahead of time to check when they accept customer trades. Often they will only accept them on weekdays as weekends are busier. Sometimes they have a special buyer who is only in the store on certain days of the week. Some only accept books by appointment, especially for a larger number of books. As you figure out when to bring your books, also ask which types of books are most welcome and which are never. Some stores don’t accept cookbooks, while others avoid fiction. Do your homework and be prepared to go to more than one store to download all your books.

Decide if you want cash or store credit for your books. Some stores offer credit exclusively, so be prepared to trade. Other stores offer a better return rate if you choose credit, often up to 25% more than cash. If you’re a frequent book buyer, then credit might be a better way to go. On the other hand, cash is cash.

The day you are going to take your books, take a look at the time. If it’s raining, it’s not a good day to bring your books. Some booksellers do not accept books on rainy days, as the process of getting them from the car to the store can get the books wet. Save this bug for a sunny day.

Put books in sturdy bags with handles or small boxes for easy transport. Even if you only have a few, transport them in a bag to protect them on the way to the bookstore. Ask a friend to help you if you have a lot of books. The bookstore staff will not help you transport the books to the store.

Make sure you understand how the bookstore staff is evaluating your books for resale. Often they will offer you a percentage of what they think the book will sell for, not a percentage of the cover price. Ask what their formula is before you start. If you think you can get more for a specific book elsewhere, don’t be afraid to haggle. However, the bookstore employees are experts in pricing and know what the market is for each type of book, so when in doubt, use their judgment.

Don’t forget to be nice and polite to all the staff at the bookstore. Your books are more likely to be accepted in the future if you maintain a friendly and professional demeanor. Take pride in the fact that you are allowing your books to find new homes and freeing up space in your own home. If you traded your books in for store credit, don’t forget to use it! Even if you don’t need a book, used bookstores can be great places to find unusual gifts.