I have no aptitude to find value in old books. Without a scanner and database I would be useless and loose more money then I make.... always brought home penny books when I used my gut feeling. Upgraded to a smart phone over a year ago. Nice for a few scans at Rummage Sales, but takes to long. It's perfect for ebay values on other items though. Having the internet at your finger tips really pays for the $30 a month it costs.... And then you can write off the $30 a month as a business expense. Always found the right tool for the right job really helps TONS.