Thanks to Crystal, I recently learned about Paperback Swap. If you can part with your precious books (I struggle with this), you should go sign up. Tell ’em I sent you (shawn@brainofshawn.com), and I think they send me a free pony or something. Oh, and here I talk about it:
I’ve been on PBS for many years. In fact, I just checked my stats. I have gotten 520 books and mailed 427. I have had very few problems over the years. They rock 🙂 I sent you a little welcome present too. Welcome to PBS. They also have swapadvd.com – awesome as well.
Part with books? People DO THIS?
Getting rid of books is something i struggle with too Shawn, and it seems like I am raising two children to be the same way. I need a bigger house.
People do not get rid books. Books get rid of people. :p
I have only recently been able to part with books. And magazines. At least I can bring the magazines to work these days, and drop them off with the Auxiliary. I also bring them my all-ages appropriate comics.
Don’t blog and drive it’s dangerous!
Oh also, they have a service for “swapping” dvd’s and CD’s… why would you want to swap something that you *CANT* make an exact digital copy of 🙂
Just food for thought
Candy! Thanks for the book credit! 😀
Ryder, I actually think my video blogging isn’t too dangerous. I rarely look at the camera, and it keeps me awake. 🙂
Like Candy, I’ve swapped a couple hundred dollars worth of books. My actual book count hasn’t gone down (read: I still need a house lined with shelves and an extra garage), but the ones that made me “Eh” and shrug are SEP, and I have a whole new range of favorites that I never want to get rid of. I’m happier to try new genres, too, which wasn’t at ALL the case when every one of my precious pennies was going into book purchases.
Glad you like PBS. It’s one of my Happy Places.
I have absolutely no problem with the concept of swapping books, but as some people know (present company especially), I am debilitatingly Post Office Challenged. I just cannot get my ass to put something into an envelope, walk six blocks and stand in line to mail the thing. It’s not like it costs squat to mail a book. I just stop cold in my tracks before getting started.
And Shawn. I’m fine with the camera on the dashboard version of driver/blogging. It was the handheld artsy-fartsy camera movement version that I had a problem with.
@Nathan – you can purchase postage from Paperbackswap.com and print it right on the wrapper/label. Then just put it in your mailbox or drop it in a blue box. I run a biz out of my home office, so I have a postage meter permit (endicia.com) and can print my own. PBS does charge like $.50 to print postage or something like that. Worth it if you don’t wanna deal. OR you can use paypal’s postage – https://www.paypal.com/us/cql-bin/webscr?cmd=_ship-now
I’ve been a member of PBS for almost 3 years now! Gotta mention it’s FREE to join! And they give you 2 free credits when you post 10 books. So, you can right away get 2 books you want.
This is great! I’ve always taken them to a used book store to swap for more, but sadly, I guess it’s not a profitable business, because there aren’t any around me anymore. So I have 2 boxes of books in my closet, plus a bookshelf full. I’ve just been using the library for awhile now. This is great, & as they say, thanks for sharing!
I’m also a member and I love it but I just discovered a down side to them! 🙁
I blogged about it so feel free to read if you’re so inclined!
other than that it is great!
Shawn, Thanks for the heads up on PaperBackSwap.com.
-you’re a great speaker by the way… you should be on TV! 🙂
Anyways,
Got my 2 free books today. I posted 10 and got 2 free credits. DEFINITELY, beats selling them in a yard sale for 50 cents each. (call me lazy but I’ve got more to do than stand outside all day for a few bucks)
Thanks again!