"When Berkeley's Black Oak Books closed its North Beach branch in San Francisco this summer, there was no hassle dealing with the thousands of volumes that made up the used-book inventory. "

"Black Oak cut a deal with Powell's Books, the world's largest independent purveyor of used books. Powell's has eight stores in Portland, Ore., making the city a mecca for used-books lovers, and a Web site (www.powells.com) that's become the go-to destination for anyone seeking a hard-to-find tome. "

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