How do I find books, music and movies on Alibris?
What's the best way to search for books, music and movies?
Should I search for books by 10-digit or 13-digit ISBN?
Do you have autographs, letters, and ephemera?
How can I get more information on a listed item?

How do I find books, music and movies on Alibris?

If you know the title or the name of the author, artist, classical composer, director, or one of the actors, you can do a quick search by using the Search box on the upper-left of every page on our Web site. The default media type is Books so to find Music or Movies just select one of the choices from the pull down menu. Then, simply type in the author, artist, classical composer, director, or one of the actors, and click the Go button.

If you don't know the title and/or the author/artist name, or if you are searching for something more specific, you can use our Advanced Search feature. For some helpful tips, click on the Search Tips link found under the Search button on this page.

What's the best way to search for books, music and movies?

If you can't find the item you want by using the Search box on the upper-left of any page on our Web site, try using the Advanced Search feature for other ways to search. Here are some search tips:

Less is more: A few general search criteria will yield the greatest number of matches. If you're not sure about the accuracy of any of the fields, such as the title, then it's best not to enter it.

More is less: The more search criteria you provide, the fewer and more precise matches you'll receive.

Use wildcard power: If you add an asterisk (*) to a partial word, you will get back listings with words that contain that root word. For instance, "rail*" will yield items with titles that contain the words "rail," "railroad," "railways," "railroading," and so on.

Search by subject or genre: If you'd like to search for an item by topic, enter all the relevant keywords in the Subject field for books, or the Genre field for movies and music.

Should I search for books by 10-digit or 13-digit ISBN?

The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a 10-digit or 13-digit number (e.g., 0-940016-64-8 or 978-0-940016-64-4 ) used to identify books. It is found on a book's back cover, near the bar code. On our Web site, you may search for a book by either its 10-digit or 13-digit ISBN. Merely enter the ISBN in the Title/ISBN field of our search box, and click the Go button.

Do you have autographs, letters, and ephemera?

You can find all sorts of book related ephemera and other unique items on our Web site. We currently do not offer movie and music collectibles.

How can I get more information on a listed item?

On most of our items you can contact the seller for more information. Just click the Ask the Seller link on the listing to send an e-mail to the seller. Remember to let the seller know if you are inquiring about a hardcover or paperback book, CD, LP, DVD, or VHS, and be as specific as possible with your questions.