Lawrence ("Larry") Joseph Dunphy
20Feb1938 - 28Nov2019
He was supposed to outlive all of us, damn it!
"When I have a little money, I buy books; and if I have any left, I buy food..."
-Erasmus
We have both books & nectar of the gods ... coffee! Along with the best conversation no money can buy - Come in today and enjoy us live & in person.
COVID-19 fight update:
Congratulations and thanks to all of you who are fully vaccinated and now boosted. This has made a big difference in the fight against this hard-to-understand virus.
As of 28 February 2022, please come in, shop, sit (or stand) and converse without requiring to cover your nose & mouth.
BUT, please respect our service team and fellow patrons who may want to continue to wear face coverings, keep a physical distance or do the safest thing for their & their loved ones' health & safety.
How to physically distance: Just stay 8 books laid end-to-end from your fellow booklover!
Whether you think the devastating effects of this novel coronavirus have been overblown or not, let's all work as a community to stay safe and keep our local businesses here for you!
Never before has a store so small fulfilled the needs of so many. We are privileged to be in business at this time in human history and technology, offering you, our customer, the choice of shopping for books online or in-store.
So, feel free to browse and buy here,** but do also come visit us for some face-to-face and a cuppa at
Have questions, comments?
Send us an e-message to chin@booksonfirst.com or call us during our open hours at 815.285.2665.
Oh, no, say it ain't so!
But there is an alternative before you try the website that got its start selling books and now has downgraded books in its priority list (below floor sealant!)
Thank you for your support!
For those of you not interested in ordering from that largest river in South America that rivals the Mississippi and the Nile, but BoF is out of stock at the warehouse, try our new affiliate, Bookshop.org, started by a Columbia University MFA who just wants to help the Indies out a bit while being able to put a meal on the table for himself and others.
No upcoming events available
Books on First
Our Instagram handle is @bookson1st 
We have Gift Cards. Get one to fit every reader's tastes., except the purchase of e-books online.
You can still buy titles in other formats (hardcover, paperback, audio CDs) with a Books on First gift card as well as buy a Books on First giftcard which we will send especially to that lucky recipient (free postage!).
AND AS 
ABANDONED OUR INDIE eBOOK PARTNERSHIP A LONG TIME AGO, WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO A NEW AFFILIATION WITH Hummingbird!
See more on our lovepop page, but even more at our bricks-n-mortar location!
More than a card.
More value than many other store-bought surprises (except a book!)
Put a 3D paper sculpture in a loved one's hands and see the spontaneous delight.
That's a lovepop.
We are always delighted when someone sees a movie in the book, because now, millions of more people know about the book! It might have been a great film or it might have been a total dud.
But, read the book yourself to see just how good or different the original is!
When is a Search not a Search?
When it's a Find!
Serendity is the word of the day.
Seek (a book by topic) and ye shall find!
