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Paperback Swap
- This topic has 15 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 5 months ago by
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Before I go through all the trouble of posting books that I want to be rid of… is it worth it? Do CM books, specifically those for SCM modules ever come up? All the books I could think of off the top of my head had LOTS of people “wishing” for them.
I’d love to hear what your experience has been and particularly if there were any titles you got from there that you were excited about.
Thanks!
Rebekah
I have gotten a number of books that I had on my list for ds. Some I won’t need for a while yet. If you have a list of books you plan to use in future years, definately put those on your wish list. Its worth a shot. But trying to get a book you want to use soon would not work as well. But you never know. I put them on my list anyway. Then if it hasn’t come up by the time I need to be ordering it, I just delete it from my list. I should go make a list of all the books I’ve gotten from PBS for school. 🙂
HTH,
Melissa
I have received many books from their on the many book list I have and do as Melissa stated and put alot on my Wishlist. I always check there first, then used bookstores/thriftstores, then amazon/alibris. I just received several from a Sonlight list and some read alouds we’ll be doing soon.
HTH
I have received hundreds of books, both for school and for personal reading. Some “hot” titles need waiting for–the sooner you are on a waiting list the better. Don’t forget to check for other versions/editions of books. Classics are especially easy to find on PBS. I heartily recommend it! I’ve even gotten a few very nice hardcovers, rarer but they are on there!
I joined about a month ago and am realizing that it’s probably more of a long term process. Now I’m looking ahead two to three years and asking for books that we’ll want then. It’s a bit frustrating at first because I’ve shipped 17 books (paying for the postage) and haven’t received anything yet. I’m guessing that eventually it will pay off, but it helps to think of it more for the future.
Patience has been my challenge here as well. I’ve shipped many books, including several nice hb’s and have gotten nothing except for one paperback COFA that was basically trashed. I ordered it just out of curiosity to see what I’d get. I ended up selling it for 50 cents. Since I’m circulating my books in my library, those kind of books do me no good. I need to spend some time on there to see if there is something I can use in order to use up my credits, then get my books the way I usually do…one at a time with an online dealer.
I don’t know if anyone is interested, but I’ve had much better luck on bookmooch.com than PBS. Patience is still important though. I’ve been a member at bookmooch for 3 years now and I’ve sent 120 books and received 114 books, many of which we’ve used for homeschooling. I have a wishlist on there of about 500 books and am notified anytime one of them is listed. Bookmooch is more laid back as well. If you can’t send something right away, as long as you communicate, there is no penalty like there is on PBS (or at least used to be).
I’m not quite sure what you mean. If there are a lot of people “wishing” for the books you have, then you’ll get rid of them quickly. However, if you are concerned that the books you need will not be available to you, and you’ll have spent $$ sending out books and then have a lot of book credits you cannot use, that could be true.
What I have done for my PBS account is to post whatever I can afford to send out immediately (so I can hope to rack up credits soon) and then I compile my wish list. Most of the books on my wish list have been on the list for a long time. However, when I have book credits to use, I usually look for non-curriculum books that I might have picked up at the library but want to reread, or perhaps a book that I would likely repost once I’m through with it.
I have gotten some books from PBS (such as a couple of Sower Series books on Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee) that I used for our school, but most of the time I acquire books for myself or just liesure reading material, craft books, and such.
I’ll have to check out Bookmooch.
What I’m very tempted to do on paperbackswap is to pick up the kind of junk most people want to read at garage sales or flea markets and put them on my list to rack up lots of credits. If only I knew what kind of junk most people want to read. I certainly don’t want to be stuck with them!!
I hate to say this, but if you stop into most public library branches in cities or suburbs, you’ll find the displays (especially near the entrances and in the fiction section) to be largely “popular materials.” Make note of the most often displayed authors and you’ll get an idea of what the average Joe or Josie is reading these days. Then head off to your local garage sales (or stop back during the library’s book sale on “$2 bag day”) and you’ll start racking up those book credits in no time!
Sad, but true.
That’s exactly what I do. Sad, but true.
I just recently posted a Holling book that I got for .25 and I already had 2 of the same one, so of course that when fast. I also have several homeschooling books that I’m starting to get rid of (Homeschooling on a Shoestring and books like it) and books that I thought I might need to read (one on dyslexia), but come to find out I didn’t need.
I have/had a lot of good books about homeschooling that I don’t really need anymore since I discovered CM, so that’s been helpful.
@my3boys –
Where are you posting your books for sale? Can we PM you for a list of what you have?
I know this is an old post. But I didn’t want to start a new one. I just posted a bunch of books to my account. 11/3. When I go into My bookshelf they are not there? What am I doing wrong?
My mom is constantly gifting me with lots of inspirational fiction…which I don’t actually like (not judging, just saying – it isn’t my thing). So I am planning to use those as my swap books and see what I can pick up in the way of living books and classics instead. I have been wondering about this for a while, and this is an easy way to find out how it will work for us. It is sort of a free trade, since these are books I wouldn’t otherwise read and would just give to Goodwill. If I get even one or two quality kids’ books, I think it is worth it!
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