Are you familiar with PaperBackSwap? I have been a member for a few years now. I have not publicized it like I should have so I am doing that now. I have also not been swapping as many books as I should have, either I have not had time to read the books I want to read or I just sometimes forget about it. I know, shame on me. But I have been making a conscious effort to read more these days for myself. I am glad I am doing so.
I have a list of books on my desk I want to read or collect for the bookshelves (mine or the children’s) and I need to get that list uploaded to PBS. I also have a stack of books next to my desk that I need to pass on to other readers. I could sell them on ebay. But when our book list is so long why not just swap them for the ones I want.
For those of you not familiar with PBS, I will give a brief explanation. You join - FREE! (using my link up there) You list books you have but do not want anymore. The system will automatically put your request in the queue for the next time that book becomes available. You may be the only one on the list or you may be the thirtieth person on the list, but whichever place you are on the list you will be notified as soon as your number is up for the book you want. You get an email for you to confirm you still want the book. The system does all its magic back and forth-ness of confirmations and notifications. The next thing you know you are sitting in your easy chair reading your new, used book from PaperBackSwap.
You can buy postage via PBS and mail the book directly form your house or you can take the book to the post office to mail the book. Well, you get the book for the price of mailing a book. but really1 that is still less than the cost of most books. AND?! You do not have to go out and get the book; it comes right to your mailbox via the magic book fairy.
When I first started using PBS I made the trip tot the post office while out running errands to save on the small surcharge (usually around $.40) via PBS for adding postage to my label. I do not do that anymore. Now I use the postage via PBS and add the Delivery Confirmation fee (usually about $.20) and mail it right from my house for the postman to pick up on his rounds. There is this nifty little calculator built in to the label printing page that will show you how much it would cost you to drive to the Post Office to mail the package. Even with the added fees I still save money mailing from my house.
Also by adding the extra DC label and charge I get automatic book credit for each book I send that way. In other words, I do not have to wait for the receiver to confirm they received the book I sent. Woot!
My children have a list of books they hope to get for Christmas. I have some very strict settings on the conditions of the books I will accept (no torn pages, broken spines, or dog-eared corners). The sender has to confirm their book meets those requirements before they mail it. If their book does not meet my requirements then they can mark their book unable to send and I go back in the system as waiting for a copy of the book and they get to send the book to the next person who is wanting to read that book.
I have probably complicated all this for you, but it is really a great system. I have had not duds and have had great responses myself.
Simply put: you send a book, you get a credit to get a book; you get a book, you use a credit. When you sign up, you automatically get credits just for adding books to your available list (it’s been a while, but I think it’s the first three books you add). Also, if you follow one of my links to sign up, I get an extra credit to use for books and we will automatically get put on each others friend list.
OH, yeah. I have swapped and received a fair share of hardbacks as well.
You might want to consider
and
as well.
So come on! Be friend, read a book, swap a book. It is FREE!
fyou are already on PaperBackSwap.com look me up and add me: smocknmama. On SwapaCd and SwapaDVD look me up: smocklady.
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