Another week...another musing...so let's head to Just one more page and check out these week's Monday Musing question...Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about a keeping books.
Do you keep all the books you ever buy? Just the ones you love? Just collectibles? What do you do with the ones you don’t want to keep?
Gosh, this touches a nerve for many of us I think.
Once, in my pre-blogging days, this was a minor issue. Now, I admit, it is becoming a problem. I tried, I have really tried, to cut down on the number of new books I acquire. I have started to use the library more. But still, someone reviews a book that sounds so good and the library does not have a copy...hey, wht is a girl to do? Or a publicist offers a great sounding book, or I see the offer of an ARC that sounds great...really, how can I say no. So now, new books are till coming in and I am borrowing books from the library. To quote Robbie Burns, "The best laid schemes o' mice an' men, Gang aft agley..."
I have shown you photos of the piles before. I have shown you the double stacked shelves on the bookcases. Room, sheer room, is an issue. But more than that, I have some to realize that I have many books I don't really want to keep long term. I have read them, reviewed them in most cases and now they need to just get out of here. Go find themselves a new home. I have told them this...but they seem unmoved, just sitting there in their piles. So, I showed them! At Christmastime, I took these read, reviewed books and put them in a big plastic tote box and put the box in my pantry.
Where they now sit.
This does not really seem like a good plan.
Not to mention I need another box.
I have books I will never part with.
But I have many more that need to get out of here.
In the past I tried Book Mooch. I was not thrilled. Had one set of books sent off supposedly "lost". Had difficultly finding any books I wanted in the available to Mooch lists. I have considered giving Paperback Swap a try but have not done so yet.
Some books, the ones I liked, I have given away to friends or family..and hope, in the vast majority of cases, that thay never find there way back. I guess I could sell them but I don't really know of a used book store around here and doing so online, while possible, does not seem worth the effort.
I have considered making a list of them, posting it and having a huge giveaway here on the old blog. That is still a possibility. And on occasion, someone will make reference in a comment that they would love to read a book I review...and I will send it to them. The book is happy, to go to a home where they are wanted, I am happy for it to be gone and yet to someplace it will be appreciated and with little fuss.
So people, remember, if you like the sound of a book I review, be sure to speak up and say so in a comment and you might get a pleasant surprise!
It's hard to figure out what to do with those books we are ready to part with, isn't it? I have tried both Book Mooch and Paperback Swap and they were OK. I sent some really good books out. However, I either had a hard time finding books that I wanted or waiting long enough for them, or when I did receive some, they were not up to the standards that I set (admittedly my own OCD'ness) for my books. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteI sell at Half Price Books and that is fine, but you don't get much. Selling online is a pain really. So, there you are.
Good luck, Caite!
Big help you are! lol
ReplyDeletePaperback Swap is my favorite site. I'm always trading books through them. Sometimes through Book Mooch, but I like PBS best.
ReplyDeleteIf it's a book I really don't want to keep (as in I KNOW I'll never read it again) I
ReplyDelete1.Send an email to family members and ask if anyone wants it. Then it goes into mail and or suitcase for next trip.
2. If it's pretty current, I'll do a contest on the blog--particularly if I don't have any other contests running.
3. I put it on member giveaway on LT.
4. I give it to our local library for their 'honor' shelf--they don't catalog them, just ask people to either read and return or donate $1 to the library.
This way I know they're going to good homes. And yes, I too have offered books to those who make nice groveling comments on the blog.
I have heard of the Paperback Swap site, never used it myself. Might look into it in the future. Here's Mine.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean. i have stacks and stacks more than I ever did before I started blogging. I'm good about weeding the ones I really don't like but there are too, too many sitting around. What to do? I use Bookmooch but yeah, not enough books come up that I want so I give away more than I get. Which in one way is okay! It's a never-ending battle- or at least, an until-I-stop-blogging-or-being-a-librarian battle.
ReplyDeleteI do pass some of my books on to other bloggers too, but that's about the only way I ever get rid of any permanently.
ReplyDeleteI am thinking of putting a stand at the curb come summer...sell tomatoes and books.
ReplyDeleteI personally love Paperback Swap. If you are willing to wait a bit for your "wishes" to be granted, you can get almost anything. Also, they just started this new thing called PBS Market where you can buy books for a credit and bit of money (like $2.45 or something). New books that have been overstocked. I probably get about 75% of my books from PBS. You should give it a whirl!
ReplyDeleteI see a lot of blogger speak well of it and if Jenners say so..
ReplyDeletenothing ventured, nothing gained!