Simple Green: Share Your Books

Finished a book this weekend and placed it on the growing stack of books on our bedside table. The book would've normally gone to the bookshelf, but it's overflowing. We've got a book problem: we either need a new bookshelf, or we need to get rid of some books. Or, we need to share some of our books...

We've posted about book sharing before, but now we're actually motivated to do it.

After reading an article in the San Francisco Chronicle about book sharing via the web, we're finally convinced that it's for us. It sounds simple enough — sign up for a free account, post the books you're willing to share, share them, accrue points, and use the points to borrow the books you want to read.

The Chronicle recommends BookMooch and PaperBackSwap. Can anyone out there recommend one over the other?

(Image: Flickr member One Good Bumblebee licensed for use under Creative Commons)

Comments (6)

I'm on PaperBack Swap and have had pretty good luck with it, scoring a number of good books and a few great ones. Only a few problem swaps and the people all refunded my book credit with no trouble. (Even the girl who didn't HAVE any book credits left; as soon as she got a new one, she gave it to me.)

I have a good impression of BookMooch in general, from things I've heard people say about it, but nothing scientific.

Hope this helps!

posted by Elizabeth B on June 24th 2009 at 7:14pm
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I've used PaperBack Swap and and enjoyed my experience. I first signed up for PaperBack vs BookMooch because I was originally trying to swap dvd's using their "sister site" SwapADvd (I've also used SwapACd). I've been extremely happy with all 3 sites. Also, I believe you can swap credits between the 3 sites... I haven't tried that yet so don't quote me.

I have also heard good things about BookMooch but have no personal experience to relate...

posted by lynzt on June 25th 2009 at 12:15am
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I've been using Paperbackswap for a few years, and it is amazing! I have reccomended it to many people who have also loved it. It's easy and very user friendly.

posted by newyorkdoll7 on June 25th 2009 at 2:33am
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I love Bookmooch! I've been using it for a few years now and have had great luck with it.

posted by omster on June 25th 2009 at 10:55am
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interesting websites...but how about donating to your local library??? here in pa we have wonderful interlibrary loan services; people can order books from other libraries in pa, pick up/return them to their local library. for free!

posted by mdevans on June 25th 2009 at 2:17pm
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I'll out myself as a librarian, now that mdevans has laid the groundwork. . . local libraries in nearly every town in the U.S. offer interlibrary loan services, and libraries everywhere take donations of your used books (and you can deduct their value from your taxes, if you itemize).

And in every single library, there is a reference librarian who is just waiting for you to come and ask them for help finding the right book or that important bit of information. Seriously, we live for that!

If you want to see which library in which town has that super book you've been wanting to read, WorldCat lets you search (and find) all you want.

I could go on and on and on about how many great things you can get and do at your library, but since it's not quite on the main topic here, I'll shut up for now!

posted by RubyJane on June 25th 2009 at 7:02pm
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