DEAR SUN SPOTS: Since the closing of Mr. Paperback in Lewiston do you know of anyone in the L-A area who buys used paperbacks?

Really enjoy the Sun Spots each day. You have been very helpful in the past. Many thanks! — Richard Jensen, Minot, alomakuam@myfairpoint.net

ANSWER: As far as Sun Spots knows, the last used bookstore in L-A was set to close at the end of January. Storefronts are finding it hard to compete with the lower prices available online at places like Amazon.com (which allows you to resell your books) or half.com (owned by eBay).

Another option readers might find interesting is www.swap.com, where readers trade books (and other stuff) for the price of postage and a small fee. Just go to www.swap.com/books and set up an account. You list all the books you have on hand you’d be willing to give away. Then you look for books you want. If you find one, you request it, and the owner mails it to you. You don’t pay for the books, just a small fee (25 or 50 cents depending on the value of the item) for the services of swap.com. If someone requests one of the books you have on your “have list,” you send it to them.

Another alternative for used books is to give them to your local public library for their book sales.

And finally, there is a Christian mission to Africa that will take old books and encyclopedias, which are used to teach English. The Edwin L. Hodges Ministry (www.elhm.org) is based out of Decatur, Ala., and was started with the purpose of sending Bibles overseas. It has expanded to include other Christian literature, as well as textbooks, educational books, encyclopedias and children’s books. Anyone who has books to donate can e-mail Gina Mitchell, Jay, gnpmitch@localnet.com, or call 897-3078.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: At some point in time I read that some school was taking old computers to be used for learning how to work on computers. Do you know where that was? I have two towers, a monitor and speakers. One system still works — just outdated. Thank you for your attention. — Judy Bolduc, judypoohqq@yahoo.com

ANSWER: Students at the Lewiston Regional Technical Center at Lewiston High School fix up old computers and donate them to needy families at Longley Elementary School. Teacher Crystal Morris said students can upgrade the computers if they run Windows 98 or a newer operating system. Morris said that anything older than a Windows 98 machine is really too old. To contact Morris, call 795-4144, ext. 2334, or e-mail cmorris@lewistonpublicschools.org.

There are also some sites online where you can donate computers to charity, including www.computerswithcauses.org and www.recycles.org.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: As the owner of Top Dog Professional Grooming and Dog Wash, I was excited to see that your readers are looking for Kera Gauthier, who recently joined our staff. Kera is available Monday through Saturday to groom your dog or cat.

Please contact Kera directly at 577-3242 or call Top Dog at 782-1101. Top Dog is located at 120 Center St. (next to Gippers) in Auburn.

Thank you very much for helping us reunite your readers’ pets with the groomer they adored. — Sally Davis, davis9405@roadrunner.com

ANSWER: Sun Spots apologizes again for her failure to identify Kera in her original response. She’s not sure how she erred in her initial search, but she will strive mightily not to make that mistake again!

This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name (we won’t use it if you ask us not to). Please include your phone number. Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can also be e-mailed to sunspots@sunjournal.com.