Is anyone up for an SDMB Book Exchange? What I propose would work much like the “Secret Santa” routine used for our SDMB Christmas Gift exchange (“Secret Librarian” 
). I would limit it to only books personally owned that you would like to share with others are exchanged-no book buying allowed. Maybe have May 23rd as the cutoff date(National Literacy Day)?
Any thoughts, suggestions, approvals etc.?
I would do some research into shipping costs. I think the cheapest method to ship a single book under 1 pound is $2.75 $2.89 via USPS Media Mail. Hopefully I’m wrong and there is a cheaper way.
Maybe let people suggest preferred genres or interests? As an example, I wouldn’t know what to do with a Gardening Book except donate it to Goodwill.
Perhaps throw in languages they can read.
I would participate in such a thing.
Maybe throw in one or two genres you definitely don’t like?
I’ll play. It would help me out if someone researches the cheapest shipping method.
Here are the USPS options:
Send Mail & Packages | USPS
I haven’t seen a cheaper method that Media Mail. It looks like it is up to $2.89 now.
Thank you and @Czarcasm.
I’d be up for this but I’m not sure international postage would be a deal breaker or not.
International from say England to the US is prohibitive. Close to $20 for a single book I believe.
Overseas example, Germany to U.S.:
Address in Germany, Mail & Package Forwarding to the USA - Mailboxde.com
0.50 kg. - 9.38 EUR
1.00 kg - 13.84 EUR
2.00 kg - 22.76 EUR
England to U.S. via USPS:
USPS UK to US Delivery | USPS International Courier Quote | USPS Shipping | Parcel2Go
£15.16 for up to 5kg.
This type thing already exists on a much larger scale:
Note you get a credit for each book of yours that someone else wants (you ship it to them paying the postage)–and you use this credit (and a small charge to pay the site’s overhead costs) to get a book you want (and they pay the postage for the book they ship to you).
I am sure that there are variations on this theme, as there are variations on almost all types of exchanges. All I am looking for here is a type of gift giving amongst us Dopers that might reveal a bit about what we like to read and what we would like to share with others when it comes to reading material.
Is this going forward? If so, am I still in time? I’d love to do it.
Since the cut-off day was going to be National Literacy Day(May 23), I’d say there is plenty of time.
I’m in
It looks like I’m in charge of the 2021 SDMB Book Exchange -cut off date May 23rd, so there is plenty of time to get things in order. Proposed rules:
It must be a book you already own and have read-No new books, folks.
If you do not read English, then state what language(s) you do read and I will try to match you with someone appropriate.
If you don’t think you can afford to ship overseas, I will try to match you with someone on your side of the pond.
If there is any one category of book you cannot abide, please state what it is.
Anything else to consider?
What other givens are there?
Are we talking only fiction?
[whining] can we have 2 ‘can’t abides’? As in I can’t abide sci fi/fantasy nor can I abide romances.
Can we be matched more than once, as in if I’m willing to be matched three times so I can receive three books from 3 different people as well as send books to 3 recipients?