PaperBack Swap
About a year ago, I head about – and promptly signed up for an account – on paperbackswap.com. It is a rare day that I’m so utterly happy with a service. PaperBack Swap is a book-lovers dream. I had shelves full of books I enjoyed, but never intended to read again. I couldn’t possibly bring myself to throw them away. On the occasion someone expressed interest, I would happily give a book away, but that didn’t happen all that often. (I tend to have a rather…eclectic taste in reading.) And even my famously unsentimental husband once chastised me for writing in – of all things – Harry Potter because, “Books are special!” So, when I heard about a service that was free (with the exception of postage) and full of treasures of books, I was thrilled to sign up.
Here’s how it works. You choose ten or more books you’re ready to part with. You list them on paperbackswap.com. You get three credits for listing your first ten books, and one credit for every book you send out after that. When somebody wants a book on your virtual bookshelf, mail it out using a pre-printed addressed envelope. Once the book is received, the recipient marks it so, and you get another credit. You can use your credits to request other available books (1 credit for any book, 2 credits for audio books), or place books that aren’t currently listed on your “wish list” to be automatically requested once they are available. Easy as pie.
The best thing is it allows me to request books that my local library doesn’t have, and that I wouldn’t otherwise want to spend $20 on. Not to mention it has saved me $67.50 (based on buying all the books I’ve received used) since I joined.
Try it out – and let me know what you think.
thanks kelli! i was trying to remember the name of this website just this past weekend…