Strand Kiosks

Reminiscent of the green wooden bouquinist stands that line the Left Bank in Paris, the Strand Kiosks at Central Park offer a nice selection of used & reduced-price new books to take strolling down the leafy colonnade of Poet's Lane, or on your rowboat in The Lake. The kiosks are open May through October, weather permitting. Plus: They even take credit cards, thanks to hand held machines also reminiscent of Paris restaurants.

Urban Center Books

Located in the leafy courtyard premises of the Villard Houses (the storied, long-time home of publishers Random House), Urban Center Books is a jewel box of books and journals on architecture and design. Stacked to the ceilings with nearly impossible to find titles, this airy, be-laddered shop turns browsing into a visual education. Plus: Urban Center events will put you at the center of discussion on architectural matters in the city.

New York Society Library

Why, you may ask yourself, would I pay $200 a year to go to a library? Because it's the New York Society Library, and the membership cost seems absurdly low to have access to such a quiet, beautiful book lover's haven in Manhattan. The books aren't your standard library issue, either. You can see for yourself on the Society's cover scan page, located on their website. The Library is the oldest in the city, and was founded in 1754 by the New York Society, a civic-minded group formed in the belief that the availability of books would help the city to prosper. It now contains nearly three hundred thousand volumes -- the result of the tastes of its members over almost the last quarter millennium. Members may borrow books and have the use of several reading and study rooms on the upper floors; they can also browse in the stacks. Non-members are invited without charge to use the ground floor for reading and reference. Plus: The Library's location, situated between the Whitney and the Met, means your weekend is planned.