The nights are getting cooler in Montreal, and the kids went back to school this week. It’s officially back-to-school season, and we’ve run out of things to read. A beach (or lakeside) novel and a fall novel aren’t the same thing. We want a little magic, a little gothic, a love story, and maybe some bloody revenge. We want what we want, but most of all, we want to read. On paper, please.
In recent years, we’ve seen a global resurgence in reading books (even if it’sromantasy like*Heated Rivalry*, even if it’s read on a Kindle or as an audiobook). Girls are reading the Nobel Prize in Literature winner just like Dua Lipa, andmillennials are rereading*Wuthering Heights* in the bath.
The BAnQ’s Great (Used) Book Sale, where Montreal’s finest library sells off its archives and duplicates, is a back-to-school tradition for Montrealers who love to read. Novels are $2, CDs are $1, and dictionaries are $3.
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THE BIG MARKET OF THE FRIENDS OF THE BAnQ
The BAnQ is the Bibliothèque des Archives Nationales du Québec. It’s a fairly new library, dating back to 2006, but it was created from older institutions. The BAnQ is the result of successive mergers that brought together the Bibliothèque Nationale du Québec, the Archives Nationales du Québec, and the Grande Bibliothèque.
It’s the nicest library to go to for research or work, and its collection of DVDs, books, and photographs is exceptional. You can even rent a telescope there.
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From time to time, the BAnQ sells off part of its immense (and triple) collection at rock-bottom prices—and a portion of the proceeds goes to the Friends of the BAnQ Foundation to fund the literary outreach program in youth centers.
There’s something for everyone, and the price points are super low;
- Beautiful books: from $5 to $20
- Dictionaries: $3, $5, and $10
- CD: $1 or 10 for $5
- CD box sets: $5
- Children’s books (preschool, fiction, and nonfiction): $1
- Children’s Comics: $4
- Adult Comics: $5
- Manga: $3
- Cookbooks/Food: $4
- La Pléiade Collection: $30
- All other books: $2 or 10 for $10
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PRACTICAL INFO
Where? Grande Bibliothèque, Level M, via the staircase near the Auditorium / BAnQ, at 475 Boulevard de Maisonneuve
When? September 3–5, 2026
- Thursday, September 3, from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- Friday, September 4, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Saturday, September 5, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
What? Free admission / new titles added continuously / payment by credit/debit card or cash / bring your own bags
