Paperback Swap–Bookworm and others?

Very good questions!! I have a PBS account, but have not added my first 10 books yet. I had some reservations also. I can’t wait to hear some answers from those who use PBS and have had good experiences…..if they have.

I also do not have may books to swap since we use the library so much. However, if there ARE some really good books on PBS maybe I should be digging through our shelves more earnestly.

I have been on Paperbackswap for a really long time.  I found out about it some time ago.  I have traded HUNDREDS of books on it.

I’ve NEVER had anyone fail to mark off a book they received.  And I’ve never failed to do so myself.  Sometimes it does happen that a book gets lost in the mail.  That is just something one has to live with here–we have a relatively inefficient postal system.  I’ve had this happen maybe 8-10 times, one way or the other (either a book I mail never shows, or a book I order never shows). Using PBS postage means you don’t have to worry about that, at least on your end.  You’ll get the credit anyway. I do this occasionally in the winter when it’s hard to get out, but rarely the rest of the time.

For very large books I keep recycled manila envelopes.  For regular size paperbacks, I wrap in plastic wrap, then the two pages of the book wrapper, and cover in mailing tape.  Not very expensive, and it rarely fails to work.  I have to really WORK HARD to get some of the books I receive open, and most of them are wrapped just the way I do it.  I can wrap a book in about thirty seconds (my kids timed me one day, lol) I use our spare change to mail the books.  That way our spare change turns into needed books.  Nice.

I get both school books AND books for pleasure.  It is always the first place I try.  I must confess that I’ve  had some books on a wishlist for years.  But many I’ve received quite quickly.  My wish list is ALWAYS full.  I put on everything I might need in the next couple years, plus things I’ve heard about from others, things I can’t get from the library, etc.  Trade paperbacks, say of classic children’s books, have quite a quick turn-around.  You ought to be able to collect, say, Elizabeth Enright’s books, or Alice in Wonderland, Shakespeare copies, or anything like that, pretty quickly.  That’s how I got my copies.  🙂  Some more specific text-y type things or more specialized things turn up less frequently.  But IMO it’s ALWAYS worth trying to get it for just a couple dollars (average price of a credit) even if it takes a little patience, versus paying $10 new, or getting it used on Amazon but paying $3.50 for shipping. 

I circulate a lot of books.  I have dozens listed waiting for someone to request. I do in fact buy credits occasionally if I run out, and something comes up on my wish list that I need.  Especially if it’s a good buy.  It is a little more expensive per credit that way, but STILL cheaper than an Amazon shipping rate on a used book.  So even if I can get the book for a penny on Amazon, it’s still cheaper to buy a PBS credit and get it that way.

I also get most of my homeschool composer music on the companion SwapaCD.  🙂 

Love, love, love it.  The site keeps a running tally of how much I’ve saved using PBS.  My current total is TWO THOUSAND four hundred and fifty-seven dollars. 

Michelle D

It depens on how badly you want it.  If you want to be ABSOLUTELY SURE to get the very first book of that title, then you need to wishlist them all.  However, I’m rarely that desperate.  For most things, I list two or three.  Then, if you check your emails frequently, you’ll still get a shot of the other versions which show up.  They will send you an email that says “Similar to your Wish List Book” and if you get there first, it’s yours. 

Check the screens for each version.  Choose to wishlist ones with shorter waiting lists of people requesting the book.  That’ll get you the likeliest results, too, if there are several. 

If there are 130 people wanting the book, it’s going to take a while.  I’ve been on a wish list for the cook book “Nourishing Traditions” since I first signed up a few years ago.  I’m in the middle of about 400 people wanting it now.  LOL  If it’s a really popular book, you could still get it in a couple of years.  Say, a trade paperback of a romance or a best-seller.  Those move fast.  They also happen to be things I never request, lol, but they do move fast!

When I need a book not in my library, I check paperbackswap first.  If I can get it easily there, then I do.  If I can wishlist it and it looks like I could get it, then I do.  If that doesn’t work, then I interlibrary loan it.  If all else fails, I try other used sources.  Only as a last resort do I buy new.