Main menu
Paperback Swap

Book Bartering: Literature On A Budget

I’ve recently had a chance to take advantage of a free service a friend recommended to me, and I’ve been so delighted I just had to share my new addiction: PaperBack Swap. The idea of online book clubs wasn’t new to me. But two factors spurred me into finally trying one out for myself: money and time. (Or rather, a decided lack of both. >.>)

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge proponent of libraries. (When I was a teenager, they were like my very own publicly-funded sanctuary.) But now that I have kids to tote around and don’t have a library within any convenient driving radius, it’s not feasible for me to use one with any frequency. Aside from that, I have a lousy memory. A 2-week deadline was almost too much pressure BEFORE my life got this complicated. >.> So for a while I begged and borrowed from my patient friends–occasionally blowing too much money while trying to combine shipping from one of the online used book dealers like Thriftbooks or Better World Books. But I tell you, NO MORE! For I have found a new resource to satisfy my mild case of Bibliophilia…

  (Note: I am not being paid or otherwise encouraged to talk about this. I just make a habit of endorsing anyone and anything I happen to find awesome.)
 
“We help avid readers Swap, Trade & Exchange Books for Free.”


How it works:

  •     List books you’d like to swap with other club members.
  •     Once a book is requested, mail it to the club member.
  •     In return, you may choose from nearly 5 million available books.
  •     No late fees. No hidden charges. (Pay only media mail shipping when someone requests  one of your offered books.)
  •     Books you request are mailed to you for free. (PaperBack Swap even provides a printable mailing tag to save on time and confusion.)
  •     Sign up now, list ten books, and receive 2 free credits.

And despite what it’s name may suggest, PaperBack Swap isn’t just about paperbacks. They also enable you to trade out your collections of unwanted:

  • Hardbacks
  • Textbooks
  • Audio Books
  • CDs
  • DVDs

In addition, they provide free networking communities for reviews, recommendations, discussion forums, and live chat. (Authors, if you haven’t already, sit up and take notice!)

I realize this won’t be a solution for everyone. (You do have to wait on the postal service–and some books are so popular, they have to que you into a waiting list until a copy comes available.) There are some things that still demand the instant-gratification of an ebook, or the comforting return policy of a brick-and-mortar bookstore. But for some of you, this could be as interesting an option as it is was me. 🙂

You can check out my PaperBack Swap profile here: http://perilous1.paperbackswap.com/profile/

I encourage you to poke around and see if it might be for you. 🙂

Tell me what you think about book bartering! Anyone else been using PaperBack Swap (or something like it) already?

Two thoughts on “Book Bartering: Literature On A Budget”

  1. I loved CD swap. I let my account go inactive, but it was great. I was willing to try out a CDs I hadn’t heard of. I’ll have to check out PaperBack Swap. Sounds like a great way to take a risk on something I normally wouldn’t buy.

    1. Thanks for stopping by, Heather! 🙂

      I’ve been impressed so far–and it’s hard to beat the convenience of having books show up in your mailbox. 😉 I hope you enjoy this at least as much as the CD version.