About Us

Since 1998, thousands of college students, as well as members of the local community have been “getting used” on the corner of Western Ave and Quail St. in scenic Albany, NY. Independently owned and operated by SUNY graduates, Mary Jane’s mission has always been to provide an affordable alternative to on-campus bookstores. We stock new and used textbooks primarily to the University at Albany, Hudson Valley Community College, and Schenectady County Community College; however the store does cater to the needs of other area colleges and universities through convenient special ordering.

Unlike other bookstores, Mary Jane Books runs an “over-the-counter” operation. This means that students don’t have to rifle through stacks of books in endless aisles — instead, students simply bring a list of classes or books and Mary Jane staff will fetch them from our textbook wonderland behind the counter. If that doesn’t sound easy enough, students also have the option to order books online at our excellent web-store and skip the lines when they come to pick their books up.

Additionally, Mary Jane has more than just college textbooks. The store houses tons of fiction and nonfiction titles, foreign language novels, and local author publications that visitors can browse through in the front of the store. We also carry school supplies, posters, umbrellas, tote bags, and the infamous Mary Jane t-shirts.

The Legend of Mary Jane

Our newest commercial from 2010:

Check out some vintage Mary Jane Books commercials!