Recycla and her family are avid readers and every evening the whole family can be found in their living room with their noses deep into books. Because of their bibliomania, the family has stacks and stacks of books all over the place, as well as in bookcases throughout the house. Even though the family regularly visits their library, they still manage to pick up plenty of other books along the way, whether they’re from used book stores or gifts from friends. As you can imagine, shelf space is at a premium and Recycla is constantly trying to figure out how to squeeze more books onto each shelf. (Hint: Go with vertical stacks to maximize all available space.)
Luckily, Recycla has found a way to deal with some of the book chaos and keep the stacks of books from overwhelming the family — PaperBack Swap. Captain Compost wrote about PBS a couple of years ago and Recycla was intrigued.
The concept is simple: People post their extra books at the PBS website. Other people browse the offerings and, when they find something they like, ask the owner of the book to mail it to them. The owner of the book prints out a mailing label, pays Media Rate postage (usually around $2.50), and sends the book to the person who wants it. Once the book is received, the first person gets a credit that can be used to acquire a new book at no cost to them. That’s right, it doesn’t cost any money to receive books, as long as you have credits in your account.
Through PBS, Recycla has been able to share dozens of her books with other people, then use her credits to find new books. Some are books that she had wanted to read for a while, but they weren’t at her library; while others have been serendipitous finds that she discovered while browsing the PBS website.
Getting a free book in the mail is like Christmas all year. And when Recycla is done, she often re-lists it at PBS so that someone else can enjoy it.
PaperBack Swap also has a couple of great sibling websites that offer similar services for swapping DVDs and CDs.
Swapping books — whether through PBS or a more informal system with your friends and family — is a great way to reuse and share resources!
Tell the Eco Women: How do you get your hands on books — from the library, from used bookstores, or somewhere else?
Thrift stores, book sale events, swap with friends.
I love PaperBack Swap!!! It’s a brilliant idea. And I’m happy to see that it’s growing daily. I tell everyone about it. Thanks for this post!
Both the library and used ones through Amazon or half.ebay.com. This is a great post, and you’re right when saying receiving books in the mail is like Christmas every day. So true.
My wife is an avid reader, but also a hopeless procrastinator. I’ve been repeatedly told of her intentions to use this service and still I have yet to see it in action. Despite the fact that we are not really pressed for shelf space the books still pile up everywhere. You bookies are incorrigible. LOL.
http://theignorantbystander.wordpress.com/2010/08/18/mindset-list-highlights/
I’m a second-hand bookstore gal myself. LOVE IT! I don’t think I would want to hassle with mailing things.
Crystal
http://www.crystalspins.com
I get lots of used books from Goodwill/Salvation Army stores….and I have a good habit of browsing the shelves of any house I’m in and if I spot something, just ask to borrow it. Everyone loves sharing a good book
and going to the library is like Christmas.
Library, library, library. I am a voracious reader and could never afford to buy everything I read. I have also moved many times – ten schools before I graduated from high school, 15 or 16 or whatever times as an adult, with most of those moves at my expense, not my employer’s – so I have an interest in keeping the load down.
I do get books at Goodwill for when I travel. I read a book and then leave it on the plane or whatever.
For years I worked next to a bookstore, so each payday I’d buy a book or two. Added to the twice-a-year Friends of the Library sales and used bookstores…I adore books, but one day I realized my house was not big enough for all of them plus me, my son, and the several cats who insisted on moving in by way of a doggy door and a deaf old dog. I took bags and bags to a local bookstore that gives trade credit, and removed shelving in two rooms. I think I’m down to less than a thousand books but each time Borders emails a 30% off coupon I argue with myself about deleting it.
Thanks to being able to reserve books online, I now try to use the library as my book provider. I still buy nonfiction that I think I’d want to keep on my shelves. (And I always keep a long “wish list” on Amazon for birthday and Christmas. Books are still my favorite presents.)
from used bookstores!!!
I have a NOOK now & it helps me cut down on # of paper books I buy.
Awesome idea for the bookswamp. Umm, no the bookswamp is what I have. The book swap is what I need. Drowning in books and still dragging more in everyday. That won’t change but sharing them could help. Will also promote this on my radio program in the am.
Thanks for the info.
River
I have never heard of Paperback, but I’m definitely going to check it out. I just love books, but when you keep on buying more, and more, you run out of room pretty quickly.
I like my books brand spanking new.
Between fellow reading friends, my haunting of the local library system (which is excellent, I might add), the used book store clearance rack (I can’t resist!), and garage sales, I’m pretty much stacked up to my ears… and i love it that way. =)
I get my books from Friends of the Library Sales/Estate-Garage Sales/Used book stores/Dumpster’s/Auction’s/.
Ooh, never heard of that site before but I’m going to check it out… as soon as I finish the books on my shelves. I promised myself no new (non-book club since I have to keep up w/that) books until I read the stuff I already have. We’ll see how long that lasts…
Great Post! Thanks for sharing the link, being a book lover it is must that I visit the said site.
I love used books as gifts or special finds, but I do get most of my lit from Amazon!
All these ways and more: the library, friends, family, bookstores, and even off the net. Plus I pick em up at thrift stores, gardening shops, sometimes I even win them on-line.
Used bookstores!
And then,sometimes, I treat myself to a brand new one. =)
Great Post not only do I love PBS I love books. We have quite a few we could turn in.
Thank you for expressing what I could never explain about the joy of reading!!!! Books rule!!
I love paperbackswap! I just mailed a book two days ago, and I ordered two for my classroom last night. Thanks for giving them a shout-out.
We have so many books that we had to add shelves in the living room and hallways, and yet, they just keep coming!
I don’t understand! We rarely buy books as we are very lucky to have loads of libraries nearby. Books must secretly multiply : I’m guessing it’s an ingenious scheme to keep people reading. Outrageous!
i get my books through friends of the library. Someone called me a hoarder of books. I was like “Ok, now you can get out of my life.” I love the printed word, end of story! It’s security to be surrounded by books. It’s a better addiction than drugs, alcohol, and food. Book addictions won’t kill you!
“Someone needs to help you organize your books. You’re such a book freak, and I love you.”
I’m a writer, too, and my story’s not even done!
Library, college library, church library (in reality a coule of creaking bookshelves at the back of the hall- we need more!) charity shops (possibly a peculiarly British phenomenon), Amazon, also the ‘Books for Free’ shop which is an initiative run bya charity called ”Helathy Planet’- basically they take a lot of the books (and videos, and records) that organisations and members of the general public don’t want, and give them away! (The aim is to avoid them from going to waste, though I would personally donate them somewhere anyway- donated quite a number now! Apart from the ones which I don’t agree with- nothing can save them from the bin.)
Love that idea!