Mark and Jane Akin are the owners of Coram Deo Books, located in the rural countryside of Southern Illinois, just minutes from the campus of Southern Illinois University.

Mark, a lover and collector of books since he could read, desired to share his passion for books, as well as begin a business, thus the genesis of Coram Deo Books. Coram Deo--before the face of God--is how our lives should be lived ("In Him we live and move and have our being." Acts 17:28), and because of this fact, all we do in life, including our reading, should be done before Him and for His glory. Our faith is in the Living Word, Jesus Christ, revealed to us in the written word, the Bible. A great part of our Christian heritage is in the making of books and spreading the good news of the Gospel through the printed word. Collecting and handing down quality literature to generations is part of Coram Deo--our life before God. St. Paul told Timothy, "Bring. . . the cloak. . .and the books, especially the parchments (II Timothy 4:13)," so we are committed to preserving our past and saving our future by making good books available to our customers.

One of Jane's passions in life is celebrating the beauty of God's gifts expressly through various art forms. Hence, Coram Deo will sell art and gifts with Celtic emphasis, tracing back to her Irish roots. Jane and her children have renovated an old farmhouse and created a warm English-style library, complete with floor-to-ceiling oak bookcases, leather armchairs, and old world decor. She and Mark hope to provide coffee, tea, and light fare in the future so folks can come and sit in front of the fireplace, read a bit, and be refreshed while listening to soothing music. They invite you to stop in and visit if you're in the area.

If you have questions about locating a particular book, or buying/selling/trading, contact us, and we'll help any way we can.