Damn Socialists...

...and their books and readin' and learnin' and stuff.

If David Kipen's knowledge of literature is encyclopedic, his business methods might be described as casually bohemian.

As sole proprietor of Libros Schmibros, a used bookstore and free lending library in Boyle Heights, Kipen cares more about helping readers broaden their literary horizons than about when, or whether, his books get returned.

Kipen loans books for free and for lengths of time that vary according to the number of pages and degree of difficulty.
[...]
If a customer wants to buy a book, Kipen charges $1 or $1.50, or at most half the list price if it's a high-quality first edition. He appears unfazed by the thought that a few people have walked out of Libros Schmibros carrying gems at fire-sale prices.