The follow are suggested Book Condition Guidelines that may be used by booksellers on BookFair. However, they are not mandatory and individual booksellers may use their own book condition descriptions. If condition is important, please ask the bookseller about the condition of a book before buying.

NEW - Brand New Book. Never read. In some cases, the book may have some dust or scuffing from it's time in the shop.

EXCELLENT - Used Book with nil or few minor defects or faults which will be noted.

VERY GOOD - Used Book showing some signs of wear. Minor creasing to spine. Defects will be noted.

GOOD - The average used book that is totally complete and intact. May have moderate creasing to spine. Defects will be noted.

FAIR - A worn used book that has complete text pages (including those with maps or plates) but may lack endpapers, half-title page, etc. May have substantial creasing to spine. Defects or faults will be noted.

READING COPY - A used book that is sufficiently worn that its only merit is the complete text, which must be legible. Any missing maps or plates must be noted. May be soiled, scuffed, stained, or spotted, and may have loose joints, hinges, pages, etc.

EX-LIBRARY - Will always be noted, if applicable, no matter what the condition of the book.

BOOK CLUB - Will always be noted, if applicable, no matter what the condition of the book.

REMAINDER MARKS, BOOKPLATES, PREVIOUS OWNER'S NAME - Will always be noted, if applicable.

REMAINDER MARKS

In order to clear its warehouse, a publisher will often offer the unsold (remainder) portion of a printing at a discount. Such books are usually marked on the page edges so that they cannot be returned for a full-price refund. As with most changes made to a book after the initial printing, a remainder mark reduces the value of a book to less than the same edition would bring unmarked. Individual collectors differ in how distasteful they find a remainder mark to be, but the mark and its location should always be noted in a book description.

Some examples of remainder marks are shown below.

	Remainder marks are generally simple; they often look like random dots or streaks from a black or colored magic marker. Remainder marks vary from the discreet, to the flamboyant, to the apparently accidental.
	Sometimes symbols are used.Ace Fantasy uses a capital "B" on one edge. My favorite, Simon & Schuster, uses its logo "the sowing man." Not illustrated is the Random House icon of a little house.
	A remainder mark no longer in use that might be found on older books is purple dye sprayed over the entire top or bottom edge of the book, giving a speckled effect. At one time, this was used by Doubleday, Delacort, and possibly other publishers. Both of the books shown at left are Doubledays, from the 1980s.
	A remainder mark on the top of the book, however discreet, is worse than one on the bottom, because it can be seen when the book is shelved.
	While not classed as remainder marks, other stamps and markings applied to the edges of books usually reduce the value not only by their presence but often by what they represent. It is common to find a "used" stamp on one or more page edges of text books that are sold back to campus bookstores. In addition to the stamp on the page edges, these books are often full of highlighting, underlining, and marginal notes made by their former student owners.
	Libraries frequently mark not only the page edges of their books, but also many interior pages. Books discarded from library collections are not generally considered collectible. If the ex-library (sometimes abbreviated ex-lib) designation applies, it should always be included in the book's description. (Note that the term ex libris means "from the library of..." and usually denotes a book from a private collection. It does not mean the same thing as ex-library.)Books described as "ex-library, with all the usual markings" or similar language may contain some or all of the characteristic defacements.Due date slips and card pockets. If these have been removed, they may leave behind glue stains or torn and abraded paper.Ownership stamps. These will usually appear multiple times in a book. They may be found on the title page, text pages, upper or lower page edges, or the inside covers.Cataloging Information. Notes and codes used for cataloging the bookInventory control strips and withdrawn stamps. Books that are obviously from a library collection but that do not bear a withdrawn stamp should be purchased with caution, since they may not have been actually deacquisitioned.
	A NOT FOR RESALE stamp may be seen on remaindered books that have been distributed to schools, prisons or other institutions. This is generally thought to reduce the value of the book - although not quite as much as a library tamp.On the other hand, review copies may also be marked NOT FOR RESALE. This is one of the few cases where a page edge marking does not necessarily reduce the value. Some collectors consider having a review copy, which is identical to the portions of the same printing offered for sale, to be a plus.