Up for a book exchange?

O.k., here's the deal. One of my hobbies is cigars. A lot of people like to do "passes." One person takes a tupperware container and fills it with various kinds of them. He./she puts in a list of participants and the package is mailed off to people who have signed up. The order is set to a clockwise or counter-clockwise motion to offset costs. Each person does "takes"(in our case grabs a book or all 9 of them) and then does their "puts"(replaces the books with a similar sized, fiction one in our case) as they receive the pass. You post your puts and takes and it's a great way to socialize a bit and get to know others interests regarding books(in our case)

Who would be interested in participating in a non-fiction book pass? I have 9 soft-back fiction books in a tupperware container that at the most will cost around $8.50 to ship. It's a good way to get some new books and perhaps get rid of a few that you are tired of looking at on the shelves.

Anyone game?

Unfortunately, I live too far away. And I'd never part with my books!!!!

ds

Hmm... could be interesting. My problem would be that I get a lot of my books from the library and I think they frown upon shipping them around.

The post office now has flat rate boxes that cost only $7.70 regardless of wieght. The boxes are free, it has to be going to a U.S. address or APO, there's 2 sizes and you can get them at any post office.

The USPS has Media Mail (Book Rate) available for shipping within the USA. A shipping weight of four pounds, [approximate for nine paperbacks, plastic container and shipping box] would cost $2.68, extra for insurance, delivery confirmation and so on.

SFG75 said:

Anyone game?

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How about joining the bookcrossing.com? If you dont know it, its very simple. You register your books, label them and set them free for somebody else to find and enjoy. You get to read what other think about the book if they report back.

Just a thought!

I think this idea is better than the Book Crossing thing. At least this way you will definitely know someone will end up with the books. Also, I tend to like the idea of mailing a package rather than randomly dropping a book off somewhere, where the book could easily end up in the trash.

They also do this same idea at Book Crossing. They set the books free, but also have this book exchange, although I can't think of what they call it.

There are 8 bookworms that live in my street,we do book exchanges all the time,but i wouldnt be in to posting my books,i like to keep my books,and i have found in the past that when i have lent books out people forget to return them,and dont look after them,which really makes me mad!

I exchange many of my books (5,000 at the last census!) with members of my 3d book group. I don't always get them back In fact I've had to buy three copies of my favourite, Thought Gang by Tibor Fischer.

I have posted a box of books to a friend in the US whose house had burnt down, but it is a bit expensive to do regularly.

Geoff

GeoffNelder said:

I exchange many of my books (5,000 at the last census!) with members of my 3d book group. I don't always get them back In fact I've had to buy three copies of my favourite, Thought Gang by Tibor Fischer.

I have posted a box of books to a friend in the US whose house had burnt down, but it is a bit expensive to do regularly.

Geoff

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This "exchange" thing that I'm thinking of is just a tuppeware container with about eight or nine paperback books. You would take one that you are interested in and replace it with one that you may not particularly care for or are tired of. If none interest you, that's fine too. You would then mail it off to the next person in line. On my cigar boards, we call it "passing" and it is very fun to do. Of course the books part would be cool, but it's also a good way to interact with others and to talk about books in general.

I have tons of mass markets kicking around that need to go. You'd be welcome to send the books my way. The only condition is that Media Mail would have to be OK. I'm not really willing to sell my right eye to ship books cross country.

mehastings said:

I have tons of mass markets kicking around that need to go. You'd be welcome to send the books my way. The only condition is that Media Mail would have to be OK. I'm not really willing to sell my right eye to ship books cross country.

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Yeah, that's no problem. What happens is that if you get enough people into it, a clockwise or counter-clockwise pattern can be set up to minimize cost. You're right, media mail is the way to go there.

To see what this would look like, click here. It's about cigars, not books, but the principle is the same.

Flowerdk4 said:

How about joining the bookcrossing.com? If you dont know it, its very simple. You register your books, label them and set them free for somebody else to find and enjoy. You get to read what other think about the book if they report back.

Just a thought!

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I must confess I joined up bookcrossing following Flowerdk4's suggestion & now I'm well & truly hooked. Have already had one book donated to me, am swapping another book with someone else, have been invited to a local book group's picnic & I've only been there for a few days

Thanks Flower!

Sar said:

I must confess I joined up bookcrossing following Flowerdk4's suggestion & now I'm well & truly hooked. Have already had one book donated to me, am swapping another book with someone else, have been invited to a local book group's picnic & I've only been there for a few days

Thanks Flower!

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Hmmmmm, i'll have to check that one out. Perhaps it's more practical.