Carpe Librum Pop-Up

Carpe Librum is a pop-up used bookstore on the second floor of Union Station. Because of its location, it's hard to find, but when you do, it will become your favorite shop in Union Station. It just makes sense- train riders want a good book to read.

All the books are on pop up shelves and are used keeping the prices low. They have thousands of books and every section has a healthy amount of books. Even the kid section had dozens and dozens of books to choose from!

If you're in Union Station, stop by this used book store.

Discovered yesterday while out for a walk, this bookstore closed down in my area and is looking for a new home. The building that houses Carpe Librium also houses Naan & Beyond on L Street snd which also closed down its door the same time. I am heartbroken that two of my favorite places near my office had closed down. It's a prime location just a block or two walk near the White House so I suspect the high rent could be the culprit.

The Turning Page - Carpe de Librium - is looking for a new location so I hope they find one soon for I miss browsing through good reads.

As for Naan, the one on Pennsylvania Ave West of the White House, I hope is still there. I'd have to walk there next time i'm in the city for sure.

What's not to love about this local gem!?!? You can't beat the prices (everything ranges from $1-$4 excluding tax), there's a wide selection, books are in good condition, the store is well organized (by section and then alphabetically), and the proceeds go to a non-profit to promote children's education. They even have a color-coded system so you can quickly recognize recently added books. Carpe Librum also has variety of CDs, DVDs, and records. They accept cash and credit cards (no minimum), and there's even a Yelp deal worth checking out.

This was my first time at Carpe Librum, but it was so easy to navigate and the atmosphere was so inviting that I felt like a regular - and now, I plan to be!

Awesome bookstore that you gotta come check out! The prices aren't dirt cheap like the signs that draw you in advertise, but once you're in, you'll spend a long time perusing the titles to walk away with SOMETHING if not ANYTHING.

I came in to grab a vintage and walked away satisfied. I also walked away with a cheap book to read on my plane ride-this is the perfect place to find one to beat out the crazy-priced airport books.

Sure it's small and it's not a giant franchise book store that'll carry all your favorites. But it has hidden gems and it has a good number of best sellers as well. Think of it more as a charity bookstore and everyone will be happy.

Cute name, love it! In a world filled with electronic books, this store is a great place to reconnect with the magic of reading books by the turned page.

There's a variety of every type of genre here. They also have first edition and vintage books. There is also a shelf with books from different countries. Some examples include Arabic, French, Spanish, and German books.

Used bookstores are one of my favorite places in the world; with that being said, Carpe Librum did not disappoint.

I spent several hours browsing and left with a bag full of about a dozen books. Pricing is reasonable and the proceeds go to a non-profit.

I was impressed with the wide selection of books. I found a few vintage sociology/political gems which was pleasing as these types of books are hard to find at most bookstores. One of the most impressive things was the children's books section. This would definitely be a good place to bring the kids and let them explore.

I will definitely return to this store!

I am going to be honest here as I bibliophile. I was extremely disappointed in this bookstore.

I made a day trip to DC and Carpe Librum was on the top of my list, hoping to find the reviews and store equal. They weren't.

The selection was hit or miss, not very extensive and on this particular Saturday afternoon the staff was hardly engaging. I am a big book collector and I have tons of used bookstores in which to compare this place to, and it simply didn't measure up.

That said, I root hard for these type of establishments, and that doesn't mean the day you visit the selections wouldn't be reversed. That's the nature of these places. One day hot, the next not so much. There's likely to be gems on the shelves. On this day the mystery selection was lacking.

Give it a go ... leave high expectations at home and if you come away pleasantly surprised, that would be great. Then I'll gladly bump up my review a notch.

Super convenient location right by Farragut north metro. They have a large variety of books for really low prices- especially with the yelp $5 for $10 deal! You can also use Facebook or Twitter to get 10% off. The staff members were really pleasant and I ended up finding 4 books that I've been wanting to read (for $5 total)! I will definitely be back.

I've walked past this bookstore a couple of times right by the Farragut North metro station and not gone in because, well, used bookstores can be very dangerous for me! But I finally went in this week and yes - there are SO MANY books I want, and at really low prices (I got a fun mystery to read for $1 and the most expensive book is $4). It's not one of those used bookstores where a book is still like $12, hooray! It seems like there is a rapidly rotating stock of books and plenty or variety. It's also well organized and has some awesome sections, in addition to the standards (my favorite is Aches & Pains). The kids section seems pretty big for a used bookstore. I was hoping for a particular book, even though that rarely works at a used bookstore, and the person working there was helpful and funny. People were happily reading away and it was a nice place to be and browse. I will be going back!

I like it that the proceeds go to support kids reading/nonprofit Turning the Page. Oh! and I rarely buy DVDs but it seemed like they have a great selection - movies and very current TV series. And there are also books in different languages - lots.

I understand there is also a popup in NoMa that doesn't show up so well on Apple maps - at 1275 1st St. NE. Excited to check it out!

Arrived here at their posted Saturday opening time of 11:30 to find the place still locked up tight with nobody inside. Waited for 20 minutes because I came here to spend my money at their store and it still never opened. Posted hours obviously mean nothing at this place. I'll take my business elsewhere in the future.

I counted no less than half a dozen people try to shop here in the time I waited waiting. All left with hands in the air becuase the place is supposed to be open. It's a wonder a business can stay alive with this kind of service. It's a shame there aren't any stores closer.