About Us
Who We Are
Jane Austen Books was founded in 1986 by Pat Latkin. She built a collection and a group of faithful customers that followed her business through catalogs and appearances at Jane Austen Society events and conferences.
In 2008 the Jane Austen Book
s torch passed to Jennifer Weinbrecht and her daughters Beth Dean and Amy Patterson, lifelong Austen fans and longtime customers of the bookstore.
The move meant packing up an extensive collection located in Chicago and driving it to its new home in the quiet rural hills of Geauga County, near Cleveland, OH. It also came just as The Daughters were embarking on Parenthood, with grandchild #1 born the same month as the hand-off took place.
Over the years Jennifer, Beth and Amy have relished the opportunity to travel to Jane Austen functions (and an occasional Dickens sale!) to sell books and proselytize Austen Mania to the masses. Amy is also a contributing editor at Jane Austen's Regency World Magazine, and Jennifer, Beth, and Amy are active in their local Jane Austen Society Region, so there is much good news to spread about Jane.
Events
Follow us on social media to see where we will pop up next! We are privileged to be asked to return to the Jane Austen Society of North America Annual General Meeting, where you can find us most Octobers selling books from morning til night and trying to keep it together until the ball.
If you are curating an Austen-related event, or any other literary event for which you think we would be a good fit, Contact Us and we'll see if we can make it work. We have been doing our popup bookshop for several years now and we are always happy to work with any group, large or small.
Our Shipping Rates and Methods
Our standard shipping rate for Books, CDs and DVDs is USPS Media Mail at a flat rate of $5.50 per order with a $0.50 handling fee per item.
For orders including non-media merchandise (gifts or apparel) a $1.50 handling fee per item will be added to our $5.50 flat rate.
Some oversized or valuable items may carry a higher handling fee. Handling fees are noted on each item.
International Orders
International Orders will be quoted after your order is complete. Place your order and complete checkout, and we will contact you with a quote for your shipping costs.
Why do we do this?
We have learned over the past several years that no matter how often we pre-weigh our books, any attempts at estimating international shipping rates using the tools provided by various Postal Services can end up with either ourselves or our customers paying sometimes up to twice as much as our initial estimates. In order to provide you with a shipping price that comes closest to what you will actually pay, we find it's easiest all around to have the shipping quoted once the final order is assembled with packing materials included.
Alternate Carriers (UPS/FedEx)
If you would like to request a non-standard shipping method or a different carrier, please select the "alternate carrier" method at checkout and we will provide you with a quote after you complete your order. Due to the fluctuation in carrier prices, we cannot provide a flat rate for using private carriers.
Our Shipping and Handling Methods
We wrap our books in plastic bags and pack them with shock-absorbing packaging material, except in the case of very small books or magazines which can be sent in a stiff padded envelope. We want to be sure that our books are preserved as best as possible for maximum enjoyment.
We Buy Books
Are your books taking over your house? Have you inherited a collection and don't know what to do with it? We buy books from dealers and individual private sellers. Simply contact us with details about the books you'd like to sell and we'll start the process. We buy everything from rare and valuable antiques to your aunt's old copy of Northanger Abbey.
We also purchase old copies of JASNA News and JASNA Persuasions, as well as Jane Austen's Regency World Magazines and other Austen-related books and merchandise.
If you have an item you think we would be interested in purchasing, Contact Us through our site or by using our email address. It's easiest if you attach a list of your items that describes their condition, and if you can attach photographs.
I cannot comprehend the neglect of a family library in such days as these.
More Austen
Can't get enough? Not in the mood for books today? There is more to the Austen universe than our store, of course. Please feel free to explore. (Check back - this link list will grow!)
The Jane Austen Society of North America
Other Jane Austen Societies worldwide can be found at their Links Page
Jane Austen's Regency World Magazine
Contact Us
You can reach us any time at austenbooks@gmail.com.
Jane Austen Books can be reached at 440-655-6000 during US Eastern Time business hours.