"Since many local titles go out of print, a strong secondary market is often created for rarer titles. Oak Knoll has 971 old Delaware titles for sale on its Web site, ranging from a $1 church publication to a two-volume set of "The History of Delaware," a seminal 1888 book. The cost? $700."

"It's easy to understand the allure of a rare book, but booksellers say it's not as clear why Delaware books have such a hold on Delawareans. "It's kind of odd, because it's not true of every state," said Peggy Tatnall, who buys local-interest books for the Borders at Churchmans Crossing. "I think it's partly because Delaware is small and we have a strong history."

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