hopping for something you don't necessarily need can feel like a treasure hunt. That's how I felt walking into Raven Used Books (263 Newbury St.), a bibliophile's delight at a time when bookstores everywhere are closing (let alone the ones in pricey neighborhoods like Newbury Street), and books are going electronic.

This Back Bay shop is nestled next to La Voile, in a garden-level plot full of flowers. Tables piled with classic titles (the conventional sort, made of paper with pages in them) line the brick patio. It's like wandering upon the yard sale of a very well-read individual.

When I feel like buying myself a present of the non-clothing variety, I buy a book. They usually cost less then a pair of shoes, unless you spring for a coffee-table tome. The library is always an option, of course, but I prefer to have my own personal library.

Raven is small enough that you won't feel overwhelmed, but it's still a perfect place to lose your thoughts. The shop focuses on scholarly texts, but boasts solid sections of travel, language, music, children's, early American and 19th-century history, and ever-pleasing fiction.

Most books sell for about half the list price, which means if you decide to sell, expect about half again of that. Certain titles hold their values better, such as rare philosophy books. Be sure to check the websitefor details. Raven also has a location at 52 JFK St. in Harvard Square.

Classic Chic by Mary Davis, about "music, fashion, and modernism," was especially tempting, marked down to $15, from $55 as was the Pop Art Book by Julia Bigham for $19.99. I ended up with a paperback bio of Serge Gainsbourg. Style and substance, for $5.99.