This was started on the temporary boards, and I’d like to continue it here.
We’re having a book swap! If you’d like to participate, here’s the deal:
I will take all the names of people who are interested and jumble 'em up in a round robin. Each Doper will be given the name of another participant. You are to send that doper a book of your choosing. Add a note about why you chose it. Presumably your recipient will read the book and you all can chat about it. Maybe it will lead to other book exchanges. Similarly, your name will be given to another Doper who will be doing the same: passing on a book they enjoyed.
Think you’re up for it? A few things to keep in mind:
Please have a book (or books) in mind you’d like to pass on to another Doper. Make it a book you liked, maybe a book you wish more people would read.
Please be willing to read a book that some other Doper feels that way about! Embrace the thrill of reading in a genre you don’t normally read, or reading an author you haven’t heard of.
Have enough spare change socked away to afford media mail postage for mailing your book.
Please send me your Doper Name, real name and address, and some remarks about your book preferences and interests. These are to help your matchee in case they’ve got several books in mind to choose from. In extreme cases, I will use them to make “corrections” in the round-robin matchups, but generally I’m not going to worry about making sure people with exact tastes get matched. Ya get what ya get, that’s the fun of it.
Also let me know if it would be hard to send a book overseas or up north. We do have some Canajuns and Europeans signed up already. If you need to keep the mailing costs down, I’ll be sure you get someone on your continent!
I’m glad I saw this again. I’d posted to this thread on the temp board and then completely forgot about it. I’m firing off an email now to make sure it doesn’t slip my mind again.
I’m intrigued,but I’d like to understand how it will all work better.
“Round robin” means that after reading the book I get, I send it on to another person, right? How long do I get to read each book? I suppose the book I send will eventually come back to me? And after that, what? I pick a new book to send?
Finally, how many people will need my personal info? Just the organizer and the person I’m receiving from?
I mailed my info a while back, while this was on the temp board. I’ll be out of town for a week starting Friday, but don’t forget me while I’m gone! I’m still in!
It doesn’t matter new or used, nice or not, hardback or paperback. The idea is to put a book that YOU like into the hands of another Doper. If you have a copy you can part with, send that one. If not, acquire one to send.
Also, I should point out that “Book Swap” is a misnomer. Not only are you NOT going to be swapping books one-for-one with a single person, I also don’t think you should count on getting your book back. It will hopefully be passed on to another Doper if this continues, or to a friend of the Doper you sent it to. Think of it as sending a beloved book on a new journey. If you’re very set on getting your book back, better tell your person up front and as a courtesy you might want to include return postage.
Just a thought…if you have a favorite book, but don’t want to part with it, scout out the local used book stores or Goodwill or Salvation Army or thrift stores.
You can find another copy for 50¢ or so. I don’t think anyone is expecting a brand-new copy of a book.
