It’s been almost a year since I joined PaperBackSwap.  In that year I have culled my bookshelves, mailed out 134 books and made room for the 141 books I have received.   Some people say I’m obsessed with books.

They tell me that I’ve saved $634.50, based on a used book price of $4.50.  If you buy a used book on Amazon for $0.01 and add $3.99 shipping, you spend at least $4.00.

Here’s how it works:  initially you must post ten books which you are willing to make available to other members.  You receive two free book credits.  When someone wants your book, you receive an email, print out a “wrapper” and send the book to them.  You pay postage to send out books, but the books you request are sent to you free. 

What I’ve learned:

~  Since I don’t like wrapping books in 8 x 11, 20 pound copy paper, I’ve come up with the most frugal substitutes I can find.  I re-use every padded mailer that comes to my house.  I use the large blank newspaper bottoms that come with my son’s paper route.  I buy 10 x 13 manila envelopes (and strapping tape) at Costco ; most books fit in sideways and I fold the envelope down to size.

~ Regardless of the name of the club, hardback books are also swapped.  Audio books too. 

~  Books with the same ISBN (International Standard Book Number) can have different covers.  Don’t send off a grumpy message to the sender when the cover is not what you expected, ahem…

~  I use my Wish List whenever I read an intriguing book review, have a book recommended, read “best of” lists, read an author interview, etc.  The Wish List is limited to 200 books and my list is full.  When someone posts a book on my Wish List, and I am first in line to receive it (not a daily or even weekly occurrence) PBS sends me an email that the book I wanted is available and held for me for 48 hours.

~  The Reminder List is my spillover from the Wish List.  PBS takes no action on Reminder Lists. When my Wish List goes down, I move a book over from the Reminder List.

~  I don’t waste time browsing “books posted today”.  My tastes are not what anyone would call “popular”.  I use the search engine to look for authors and titles.  Over 2 million books are available. 

~  Patience is a necessary ingredient.  You are given five days to mail the book, using Media Mail, a slower class of mail.  If you need a book in two days, order from Amazon.  Although, I got Rick Steves’ Great Britain 2008 book a week before we left on our trip by asking the other member to send it First Class.

~  My small town post office is a mile away.  They all know me by name.  It works well for me to swing by there on the way to get groceries, see my grandson, etc.  There is a Printable Postage option with PBS, but I don’t want to pay the extra 43¢.

~  A small sample of books I’ve scored:

~  Most books have been in pretty good condition.  Some are disappointingly ratty; others have obviously never been read (uncut pages).  The only requirement for books is that they are not ARCs (advance reading copy), written in or highlighted (flyleaf is okay).  You can make conditional requests (no smoking environment) and I have received and sent a few books with light highlighting with the other member’s permission.

~  I’m so far out of the mainstream that I’m bone dry.  “1/1” Books on my Wish List (I’m the only one in PBS requesting  this book, the first one to get this book when it enters the system…if that ever happens!):  [3 years later updated news in red]