I know the guy who wrote this site and he thinks eventually it will become more popular than the traditional library.
http://www.bookhopper.com/
2006-08-08 02:06:18 · 6 answers · asked by It's Our Future 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
I think it is a great idea. I am also interested in starting something like this in Singapore. This is useful for those who have bought lots of books and do not read them anymore. So if they offer it up they also get a chance to read other books without having to buy new ones. Have you seen the cost of books these days? And it is painful to throw away old books.
So I hope it becomes popular, If you can give me his email address i would like to ask him how to start something like this in Singapore.
2006-08-08 02:54:28 · answer #1 · answered by Bruce_Dylan 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The popularity of online book swapping will NEVER overtake regular libraries.
Regular libaries offer so much more than books, they are also a good place for existing friends to meet up in person, and to make new friends. They provide somewhere for the homeless to go during the day. And everyone has access to a regular/traditional library.
2006-08-08 10:43:24 · answer #2 · answered by k 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ouch... I see this and I grimace.... As a writer, I dont like to see people getting books and not paying the authors for them. Someone spent weeks or months writing that thing.
Libraries pay for several copies, and those amount to a lot of sales, nationwide.... and libraries promote reading. This is just swapping used books.
Interesting system, and it might be popular, but it wont overtake libraries. Libraries are 100% free and you can get a book the moment you walk in.
2006-08-08 11:59:49 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I belong to Paperbackswap.com. To start with, you post x number of books and receive 1 free credit. This one credit gets you one book. If someone requests any of your books, you receive a credit which you can use to get more. The only cost is postage, which is typically $1.59.
The advantage to this system is that you can get some recompense for any books you have that you no longer want. And you don't even need to leave the house to get more books!
Plus you have the option of keeping any of the books you receive.
Whether it'll ever replace a library - I doubt it. The library has too many reference and other books that you don't see offered in a club like this.
2006-08-08 10:06:44 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The thing about public libraries is that they are free to everyone. You can inter library loan books from all libraries around the country, without paying major shipping charges. The libraries in the US have such a strong data base network so it will be tough to beat.. Plus you can search some library catalogs on line.
2006-08-08 09:22:17 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think that it will become that popular. I have loaned books out to family and friends and they rarely get returned. They say they misplaced it, loaned it to someone else and they haven't returned it yet, or they just deny they borrowed it. If you can't trust family and friends, How can you trust strangers. I am an avid reader and I collect first editions and prefer hardbacks. That makes some of the books hard to replace.
2006-08-08 09:24:18 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋