This weeks question: Book-swapping. Do you do it? What site(s) do you use? How did you find out about them? What do you think of them? Do you use LT's book-swapping column feature for information on what to swap? Do you participate in any of the LT communities that discuss bookswapping, like the Bookmooch group for example?
Simple answer, no. First off, generally I keep any book that I read (I'm a little neurotic about that - once I've read a book, that particular copy becomes mine, and I have a hard time parting with it or reading another copy of the same story - weird, I know). If I know a book won't be enjoyed again in the future, I take it to my local library and donate it to them. I know I can use sites like Bookmooch to get other books, but mailing anything is such a hassle anymore, and the library is right across the street, so it's just easier to give the books to them.
Usually, if I take a book to the library, I find one in their store that I'm looking for anyway, and they also only charge 50¢ for paperbacks and $1 for hardcovers, so it still works out cheaper to do it that way that to pay for postage, too.
10 comments:
Wow... I wish I lived across the street from your library, too! Our library doesn't do donations, which is sad, I think. We have monthly library sales that's $3 a bag. Some of the titles, though are picked over, and it's a cluttered mess in there.
Am I ever jealous of your library! Our library's selection isn't all that great, and I don't want to drive 20 minutes to the good library downtown...but if it had a store with prices like yours, they wouldn't be able to get rid of me.
I agree with you. I'm kind of a neurotic myself:) I love my library too! They always pull extra copies every week, I have found some great dollar buys this way that haven't even been read sometimes.
Your library has a store?!? Probably a good thing for my already groaning shelves that mine does not. I'm a little possessive about my books, too, so I completely understand not wanting to part with them.
Man it must be nice to have a library with a well stocked store!
My library has only a small selection of used books for sale, so although I sometimes find something- more often that not I leave empty handed or have to go visit another town's library. Okay that's a lie- I get something that I might not really want, just because I have a book-buying disease, and THEN I go to another library and do the same thing.
Well, apparently I've lucked out with my library! They just built their new location across from my apartment, and they have an entire room downstairs devoted to their bookstore.
I don't know if they are going to continue it or not, but in the past every summer they also have a bigger book sale, where all paperbacks are 25¢ and hardcovers are 50¢. That's when I can get into trouble, but it can be very hit or miss. One year my friends and I walked out of there with at least 10 bags filled and then next I think we all filled 1 bag in total. Just depends on what they've been clearing out of stock, I guess. If you go in on the last day, you can buy a big paper bag for $2, and can take home whatever you can put in it.
Must admit if I buy a book these days it is mine. If I get a book that I am prepared to pass on it is usually to my mother who forwards it on to her group of book readers. You are right about postage its astronomical it depresses me when sometimes the postage costs more then the package its self!
Your library sounds awesome. I dont know if my library takes donations but it has a very good inter library loan system which I utilise pretty heavily. While we dont have a store occasionally they have a trolley out the front with a sign "free books" and every now and then they have some good stuff.
Caspettee
I wish my library were that close! I'd be in there all the time. I don't think they even have a standard place to sell discard books. Most libraries I've known have done those once or twice a year and that's it. If my library were that close and had those circumstances, I'd never swap books, either! ;)
I don't use any of the swapping sites either. I tend to borrow books to my friends and by the time I get them back they are in no condition to swap. I also like to hold onto my favorites. Our library is 3 blocks away and doesn't take donations. It's a shame because I could probably donate enough to have my own wing of the library! ha
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