Do you have stacks of books sitting around gathering dust? Books you know you will never read again?
You could sell them to the local used book store and return home with a shiny new dime for each book sold. If you're a big time reader, perhaps that sale earned you enough for a cup of coffee, but I doubt it.
What do you do with all those books?
You could be a good Samaritan and donate the books to the local women's shelter, the nursing homes or the prisons. Aside from a warm, fuzzy glow, you get nothing from such a donation. Certainly nothing with which to buy more books. People who love to read are addicted to the habit and need fresh books on a regular schedule. Unfortunately, most of us aren't rich enough to buy books hat frequently.
Of course, you can get new reading material at the library, but you have to return those books to the library. Or pay a fine for not returning. If you get lost in a new book, those fines can really add up. If you get too sick to leave the house, the librarian won't halt the calculator just for you. By the time you are well enough to get to the library, you will owe enough to buy the book.
If you want to stock your own library, the City library frowns on your keeping their books. It's called stealing.
What else is a bibliophile to do?
Trade books the internet way
I've located three internet sites that are tailor made for booklovers:
The concept behind each site is the same: members list or “post” books they are willing to trade. When another member requests one of your books you mail it off to him. You request a book and it's yours to keep or re-post or eat. Whatever. The book is yours.
Both Bookins and Paperback book swap offer pre-printed postage on their wrappers neatly embellished with the requestor's name and address.
You have to buy the postage from the site in order to use this feature, but it beats using your $4.00 a gallon gas to drive to the post office, stand in line, buy postage, then drive back home.
With pre-printed postage you can simply drop the book in your postal drop box or hand it to your mail carrier.
Both sites offer a search tool in which you can locate books or authors you want to read.
They also have a wish list that allows you to list the books you desperately want to read.
Bookins assigns a point value to each book listed.
You then trade a ten point book for two (2) five point books or save your points for a twenty point books or a CD. The Facts page says nothing about trade a ten point book for ten books (which is what I would want).
PBS (paperbackbookswap.com) on the other hand, uses credits as its unit of exchange. One unit equals one book. When a new member lists his first ten books with PBS, he receives 2 credits which he can redeem for two books. Each time you mail off a book, you receive a credit.
PBS also has a community site which allows live chat and instant messages to book buddies.
Bookcrossing.com is founded on a fuzzier premise: that of catch and release. Say, in your hurry to leave the bus or train, that you leave your paperback behind.
If the books had a “Take me home I'm a Book Crossing Book” label attached to it, the next person who found your book would then feel free to keep the book or pass it along. The theory is that the books would then float around the world. Book Crossing does have a search and request function. It also offers a feature for you to track the books you have released. Book Crossing, though, it is not a book club as are Bookins and PBS.
I am registered on all three sites. Registration is free on all sites. I enjoy using PBS more than the other two.
I've found PBS to be an inexpensive way for me to read my favorite authors without the long waiting list at the library.
I'm currently using it to build a library of board books for my toddler grandchildren. While I'm getting rid of unwanted books, I am also introducing my grandchildren to the joy of words.
Post your books today! They may be on my wish list.
