So, Maybe I'm way behind the times on this, but a friend of mine recently turned me on to this site called paperbackswap.com. What you do is you post all the books you've read and don't want for other people to request. After you send off your books, you can select other people's books in exchange.
Why does this fit at feministing? A few reasons! For starters, as many people know, books can be expensive. Rather than buying new books, or even spendy used books, we can just trade books amongst ourselves for no cost above shipping (around $2.50).
The next reason I'm putting this to the people here is that the fiction section on there is great, but aside from bell hooks and some anthologies I've yet to see any really great feminist literature (sorry, that's not true... found tons of Joanna Russ who is amazing). My thought is that if all of us started making our feminist theory and fiction available to each other, we have the ability to read a lot more of the information we love, without paying $8-25 that could be spent on any number of other things (donations, gas to go volunteer, etc.).
Finally, the barter/swap method of property exchange allows us to opt out of parts of capitalism while supporting reading/readers all over the country.
If you are interested, the link is www.paperbackswap.com (and don't feel obligated, but if you want to put in that you were referred by me, I wouldn't complain, lol! (user name = hpunzel).
Hp
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It sounds like a great site. I'll check it out later.
My friend just told me about this site the other day! I haven't had a chance to check it out yet but I'm going to. She says it's really good if you like to read a lot (which I do).
bookmooch.com is a similar site I've been using for years. I recommend it as well.
Wouldn't this just create less incentive for publishers to release feminist books, if they're easily available for practically free elsewhere?
You mean, like in libraries? I really don't think this website will be the downfall of books.
"You mean, like in libraries?..."
Speaking of libraries, after I read books and don't want them I can't send them over to http://paperbackswap.com/ because the librarians want them back. I am fortunate enough to have a local library that does some interlibrary loan and doesn't charge for it, though, so I still have access to a lot of books and can (indirectly) share them with others. :)
So, I wanted to add a bit more info for avid readers who could use it: http://www.worldcat.org/ is yet another library catalog, but this time listing the holdings of libraries all over the world. I sometimes browse through it, find interesting-looking stuff, and then place an interlibrary loan request at my local library (if the nearest library with a copy is in the U.S. or Canada) or recommend that my local library get another copy (it won't borrow books from India, the U.K., etc. but it will buy books from overseas). ;) WorldCat is also not limited to English-language materials. :D
I wouldn't really worry about that since it's no different than buying a used book from any other source. It's just less expensive and more communal. Now, if you only get brand new books, then maybe.
I've used paperbackswap for 2 years now. I agree with you. it's a great site.
Seems like it's just American. Is that the case?
I don't know about paperbackswap.com, but I've had people recommend bookmooch.com when I've been looking for books published outside the US.
I've found some Argentinian, Spanish, French, and German. Decent selection. It all depends what other people are getting rid of. I don't think shipping happens between continents... I haven't been using it that long though, so I'm not sure :)
Yeah, bookmooch.com has people from all over the world sending books, allegedly, but I find the website itself is really poorly done. paperbackswap.com was great in that respect, but wouldn't let me put down my address as anywhere but the States.
I'm just kind of hoping against the evidence that it's also international.
Oops.
That was supposed to be a reply-to alixana.
I just joined that site within the last few months or so. I've mailed a couple of books, but haven't requested one yet (I'm reserving that for books I either really want to read, which aren't at the library, or ones I already like and want in my collection).
It is a pretty good site. Although if you only read books that are very popular (John Grisham, Sue Grafton, etc) than you might have a while wait before someone requests your book, since there's plenty of copies out there.
There is also this very interesting book swapping site called bookcrossing where anyone who owns a book and doesn't want it anymore for whatever reason (not enough space, don't care for the book, etc), they drop it off at particular locations with a stamp of sorts on it indicating that it's a bookcrossing book. The site has a database of all the books dropped off and their locations, which you can check and see if its in your proximity. Then you go and pick it up and make the note in the website. Of course, things work better if everyone is reciprocal.
-anin
I read somewhere that the bookcrossing books have big stickers all over them. Is that true, or just bookcrossing slander?
I have no clue, frankly. I don't live in the US and most of the spots seem to be there. I would suggest maybe you find a place close to you and check it out yourself! I do know that they require a stamp on the book for the sake of identifying it as a bc book. Not sure if it is "all over them".