I have access to three large libraries, with interlibrary loan (ILL) access at two of them.  For the time being I also have a Netflix account.

But despite so many books, CDs, and DVDs available to me through these libraries, I still can’t borrow all the books I want to read, all the CDs I want to hear, and all the DVDs I want to watch.  And of course, because I’m borrowing these things (when they are available for borrowing), I can’t keep them beyond their due date, sometimes only in a couple of weeks, to use and review these materials at my leisure.

Grr!  Most of the materials I seek these days are (at least for my purposes) pedagogically useful, if not downright important.  Yes, yes, I can find most of them at bookstores, but the more I spend on buying books the less I can spend on materials or, you know, the mortgage and food.  And more than once I have bought a special book via the Internet ether that turned out to be not worth keeping.  Ouch.

So I was happy when I Internet-tripped onto PaperBack Swap.  It’s mean, it’s green, it’s cheap.  The books laying around the house and a stack of old books in my mom’s garage have turned into credits for books I want for myself or the Dynamic Duo.  I’ve already cashed some of the credits for oldies but goodies, like The Engine That Could (David liked it so much he wanted to sleep with it that night) and A.A. Milne’s poetry.

It works like this:  Post your books on Paperback Swap.  The previous link, by the way a referral link; I’m curious to know how many of you actually try this.  I’ll know because if you do, I’ll get a credit for a free swap.  Maybe my next book-hunting victory will be thanks to you.  The books you post can be hardbacks, paperbacks, whatever.  After you do this, make a wish list so that you can snag a book (automatically, even) when it’s available to the system.  Then check your e-mail every now and then.  Hopefully soon you’ll get a request for one of your books (shipped by you), or find one of your wish list books is available (shipped to you free via USPS Media Mail).  Not that hard, is it?

PaperBack Swap has two sister sites, SwapaCD and SwapaDVD.  The swap credits are interchangeable.  I’m letting much of my CD collection go.  Somebody who spends time wearing earplugs probably doesn’t need a big music collection.  And C&D rule the music selection in the car (for the happiness and peace, well worth it).  I’m trading my CDs away for credits that I can use for books or DVD’s.

Now excuse me, I have a book to track down . . .

Edited 10 March:  There’s another one out there just for books.  It seems to use the Amazon API.  The site is pretty slow and somehow not as fun as PaperBackSwap, and there (at the moment) isn’t a capability to swap other forms of media.  That said, if you’re a parent, homeschooler, or just like looking for books, it might be worth a try:  bookmooch.com.

Edited 10 March, after my first Mooch:  PBS lets you print media mail labels that you can just drop off at the post office.  BM presently doesn’t offer that ability.  PBS also lets you print delivery confirmation, so you know when books are in transit and when they have been delivered; BM doesn’t do that.  Your books can be mailed whenever, however.  You might get them next week, or next month, or never.  You can leave negative feedback, but as there are no real standards for mailing and receiving the book, you’ll probably only make the sender feel angry.  PBS has standards for the conditions of the books that are swapped (e.g., if you dog chewed it up, you can’t swap it), and BM doesn’t.  So PBS wins, hands-down.