678 E Main Street, Hobart, NY

Liberty Rock Books is located in the heart of Hobart, a town in the western Catskills that features a number of bookshops. As does this building, which had signage for a few shops out front, not all of which seemed evident inside. But I’m sure the store has evolved over the years. There’s certain space enough inside for a couple, and what I did find inside kept me browsing for quite a while: a meticulously organized collection with loads of art, music, fiction, history and more.

The main room, which seems to be Liberty Rock Books itself. It feels specious, clean, and organized, and the first few sections I browsed through had plenty of art books large and small, and music covering everything from opera to jazz to modern memoirs. The further back I went, the more precise and detailed the organization became. The history and children’s sections are robust, with plenty of hard-to-find editions that I’m sure are out of print, but are still worth investigating. The range and depth are impressive, covering everything from plays, ballet, humor, and essays to poetry, religion, law, and tons of biographies.

I even found am impressive collection of older sci-fi and fantasy paperbacks in very good shape, from publishers like Del Ray, Bantam, Pocket, DAW, and others. The organization almost feels like a library, with larger subjects broken down into smaller and smaller categories. It really was a treat to explore the more esoteric subjects. And aside from older paperbacks, the shop also had some older classics in handsomely bound editions well worth checking out, plus consignment books from Brooklyn’s Ugly Duckling Presse.

I found a different “shop” in a side room with darker flooring and a very different style of organization. Signs noted the room is for JQR Books, but there wasn’t a different clerk inside. However, they had a row of nooks with all manner of fiction, mystery, sci-fi, a smattering of children’s, and a decent amount of nonfiction like bicycle books, biographies, baseball, and more all somewhat shelved together. Not hodge-podge, but I found multiple sections of those mentioned throughout, especially fiction and mystery, so it felt more like the kind of shop where a good book finds you instead.

All in all, the store has a lot to offer, and while the number of shops within may evolve of the years, what you find should keep you busy for a while as you sift through the shelves for that hidden gem. Enjoy!

Atmosphere — A spacious, one-floor shop with an organized blend of newer, vintage, and esoteric titles, with a wing or two dedicated to what seems to be separate shops in one building.

Quality — The books were mostly used but of high quality, some older editions in both paperback and hardcover, and some vintage titles have appropriate aging.

Quantity — They have a large selection of books. You’ll be browsing for a while here.

Diversity — This shop hits most of the main categories and genres, with plenty of art, history, older children’s titles, and a lot of literary and nonfiction sub-categories that you may not always find in other shops.

Affordability — The prices seemed fair, with more unique books priced higher.

Amenities — I saw a few chairs and tables around the shop, but it felt more like a place to browse than hang out. Just my opinion thought!

Location — This shop is in the middle of town in a building with plenty of bookshop signs in the windows out front.

Customer Service — The clerk who greeted me gave me a brief tour and was very police and helpful.

Overall — A bookshop with plenty to offer, and depending on where you are, with plenty of precision in how it’s offered. There are gems galore within, so be sure to give this shop time to open up to you!