Where do you find books? Do you order them? Do you own all your readings or frequent the library, or both?
I own hundreds (literally) of books and can prance down the library isles saying "Oh yeah, I've read that!" Mom orders 'penny books' from Amazon for cheap at B-days, Christmas and Tax Time, and the librarians know my name.
I've recently discovered a cool new site called Paperback Swap (.com) taht lets you trade books for practically free. Anyone use that? You can sell your unwanted books (and they don't haveta be paperbacks, they sell hardback and audios too) for 'credits', and with every credit, you can order a book. There are printable mailing sheets with the addresses, and all you haveta do is meet a deadline to ship a book and pay for the postage (books you order are at the sender's expense). The nasty thing is, you get a LOT of emails and books that were once posted on the site and sold out are still on there, so if you're looking for something specific and they don't have it, you won't know when another copy's gonna come in. You can put it on your Wish List and they'll notify you with an email if a copy's come in...but that may never happen! All in all, it's a cool site, cheap, and fun to order things meself.
Of course...Amazon's always there with cent books for those you can't find here: http://www.paperbackswap.com/ ! 
Incredibooks Discussion Forum » General
The Source
(17 posts)-
Posted 3 years ago #
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Well, let's see...
I get any books that I don't already own from the library, generally through inter-library loans, 'cause I live in a tiny town with a tinier library.
My family built a large collection of books by going to book sales. I remember once we were on vacation, we saw a sign for a sale, so we stopped and bought two large boxes of books!
We used to do extremely well at the book sales in our area, returning home triumphantly with two or three big boxes of treasures and new stuff, but now we have so many books that it's hard to find ones that we don't already own.
Posted 3 years ago # -
Pip, I use Paperback swap!!!! I love it. I've been doing it for over a year and a half, and I have gotten around 150 books (and shipped out that many.) I've gotten almost a complete set of hardcover Redwall books, and lots of other great books. If you put something on your wishlist, it usually comes up within a year. It varies greatly depending on the book.
My librarians know me by name, too. I used to request alot of inter-library loan books, but I don't like to as much anymore because my librarians were getting mad at me. We had a few nasty remarks from the one lady. I prefer to stay on the good side of my librarians, especially since I want to get a job there next time they have an opening.
I don't like to buy books new, but I will if it's something difficult to find used, like a Christian fantasy book.
Posted 3 years ago # -
My family has a collection of several thousand books, so normally I can find something to read without going anywhere, if I want something specific and we don't have it I look on the library and library system website and put it on hold if they have it, if they don't I go for a ILL and if I can't get it that way then I complain and moan and check BookCloseOuts.com everyday for it.
If/when if comes to BCO my Mom can get it for free, she has a contract of sorts with the owner.
Posted 3 years ago # -
Does it cost anything to join this 'PaperbackSwap.com'?
Posted 3 years ago # -
No, it doesn't. And, Pip, you can change the settings so you don't get so many emails if you want.
Posted 3 years ago # -
Good grief, HOW? That'd be nice, since they keep you informed on your Account, anyway.
They said something, C Triebold, about charging $10 or $20 a year in the future, but that's no biggy.Posted 3 years ago # -
I'd love to use Paper Back Swap or Book Mooch or any of those sorts of sites, but Canadian shipping rates are absolutely absurd.
I get my books mainly from the library, and most of the ones I own are from those lovely and cheap secondhand bookstores. Buy one every time you go out, and it adds up.
Posted 3 years ago # -
Pip, under the settings tab on the far right of your account, if you scroll down a ways there are email settings.
Posted 3 years ago # -
Thanks, Alassiel, I fixed that.
Posted 3 years ago # -
Pip here again; jordan, could you give me s'more details about Book Mooch? I visted their site, but I still don't entirely understand how it works. Business with PBS.com has been dragging dreadfully...(you don't want some books, do you Alassiel?!)
Posted 3 years ago # -
On Book Mooch, you list your books, and you get a 1/10 of a point for each book. So they suggest that you list ten books, and then use a point to get a book. Basically, you search their database and request the books you want, within how many points you have.
Look out, though...
I listed about twenty books, and within hours I had been mooched from eight times!
Posted 3 years ago # -
So it's pretty swift business?
Posted 3 years ago # -
I'm not sure. I haven't had anybody get books from me lately, but I also don't have many in my inventory. I'll probably add more the next time my mom weeds the shelves. Besides, I haven't read all of the books that I've mooched yet!
Posted 3 years ago # -
Yeah, business can be a little slow sometimes. Fortunately for me, I have worked up to a hundred or so posted books, so I generally have enough business.
Posted 3 years ago #
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