The haphazard aisles of Green Apple Books on Clement Street can almost always be found lined with people on the hunt for their next perfect read.

Some might have randomly wandered in to escape the ubiquitous bustle of the Inner Sunset. Others know it by reputation as one of the finest of the 41 independent bookstores listed on the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association Web site.

"I only shop at independent bookstores," said Ken White, general books manager of the SFSU Bookstore, an independent, nonprofit bookstore. "I like them better for their character. They are getting away from the cookie cutter style of any big store."

For browsers at several independently owned bookstores scattered throughout San Francisco, atmosphere, passionate staffs and extensive selections were uniformly given to describe their unique allure. Inside their walls the process of buying a book becomes an enriched experience.

Part of Green Apple's particular charm is the building itself. What began as a single storefront in 1967 has expanded over the years into a sort of literary maze in every direction.

When asked about the store's cult following, co-owner Pete Mulvihill says they are very proud of it, but they prefer to focus on the books. "Something about being cool is not trying to be cool," Mulvihill said.

For Carolyn Morton, 21, a classics major at SF State, it is all about the overall experience.

"Borders is very sanitary and touristy,” said Morton. “Going into a used bookstore is more like going into a library where you can explore.”

Other book aficionados appreciate the extensive selection of unique and hard to find or out-of-print books offered by the independents.

“There is a better chance of books getting released by independent think tanks,” said software trainer Jaery Sanders, 38, outside Bay Area staple Cody’s Books. In the thick of the downtown clamor of their Stockton Street location, opened in 2005, a cool, quiet and pristine oasis of books is offered.

“It’s the Costco effect. The big stores might carry 15,000 books and the independents might carry 5,000, but they are better,” Sanders said.

At Cody’s, like at most independent stores, the book buying and displaying processes are interactive.

“What I hear is that at Border’s everything is dictated from New York and the staff cannot get involved in ordering,” said Cody’s manager, Jude Savoy. “Here we run in a much more egalitarian way.”

Nonprofit worker Victoria Gevlin, 23, appreciates the added effort and what that means for her buying experience.

"I feel like chain stores might have a greater selection but it is harder to find what you want because the displays are not as interesting or as well done," she said at Dog Eared Books on Valencia Street. Here, large art pieces and red couches make the small corner spot feel like a painter's book-heavy studio.

Just down the street, Peta Pottinger, 36, gave another reason people shop independent outlets. "We make space for voices not really given attention in large corporate chains where the books do not promote conversation," she said, looking out the large windows of the Modern Times Bookstore storefront where she works.

Forecasting exactly what book titles will be passed around the lips of book aficionados is another crucial aspect.

John Hadreas opened Aardvark Books on Church Street in 1979 and today the no-frills décor make it clear that here it is all about the books –– and more specifically, used books.

"Buying back books is partly a science and partly an art," Hadreas said. "It is a feeling for whether it will sell and it is hard to learn because ‘hot’ in a used bookstore sense is different than ‘bestseller hot.’"

Jeff Battis, 48, certainly agrees. "A lot of the stuff that makes it onto the New York Times is really bad writing," he said, standing in the triangular entrance of City Lights Booksellers and Publishers in North Beach where he has worked for 10 years.

The handwritten signs posted on the wall invite browsers to "have a seat and read a book."

City Lights was founded by Lawrence Ferlinghetti and SF State sociology instructor Peter D. Martin in 1953 and was catapulted to international fame four years later in a victorious obscenity trial for publishing a poem called "Howl" by poet Allen Ginsberg.

"I came here for the legend of Ginsburg and such," said Christina Smith, 24, on vacation from Chicago. "It's amazing,” she said of the iconic city landmark perched on the corner of Columbus and Broadway.

Whether it is the Chinese scholars who travel to City Lights every year to find the books censored in their own country (according to Battis), or pleasure readers who leisurely browse, independent bookstores offer something different.

”I’m usually just browsing,” said 20-year-old makeup artist Tessa Henson. “But I’ve found some really amazing books just browsing.”

To find your local independent books retailer or publisher, visit the Northern California Booksellers Association Web site at www.nciba.com.