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Book Lovers Day 2012 – Celebrate by sharing a good book!

By | 9 August 2012 | 6 Responses
Bookshop in Paris by paskelius -- via stock.xchng

Photo: Bookshop in Paris by paskelius (stock.xchng)

Why is it so difficult to share books? Readers should be more creative and pro-active about promoting the exchange of books.

I have no idea who declared it so, but today is World Book Lovers Day. No prizes for guessing how I plan to celebrate it!

I’d like to challenge everyone to celebrate World Book Lovers Day by sharing a good book with someone you know.

Yesterday, I listed my ideas on new ways in which the book industry might bring books to readers. Today I’d like to talk about how readers can bring books to other readers.

It occurs to me that outside of lending books to friends, there aren’t many ways that people can share books. Initiatives such as BookCrossing are fantastic, but how many of us have actually done it or come across a book in the wild?

Secondhand shops are great, too, but they seem to be a dying breed. In the past, you were reasonably assured of finding one near a major train station or in a suburban shopping village. Nowadays, unless you live in Newtown or Glebe, you have to make a special effort to find one.

What I’d like to see more of are book exchange corners in office lunch rooms, community centres, common areas in apartment blocks, schools and universities, sporting facilities, transit areas (including airline VIP lounges), supermarkets, places of worship, hotels and other places where people routinely visit or pass through.

How to make a book exchange work

Confession: I made up this list. But please read it and tell me if it doesn’t make sense or if you have more suggestions. I also admit that this will only work for print books.

1. Allocate a dedicated area for the book exchange. This can be a room, a bookshelf or even just a table. Having a dedicated area helps to keep its purpose clear.

2. Print simple instructions on how the book exchange works. I’ve seen book exchanges at work, at a hotel and in a school but have never used them myself. Why? Because I wasn’t sure what I was allowed to do!

The instructions might include guidelines around:

  • Who can take a book and under what conditions (e.g. Does the person have to donate a book to get a book?)
  • If books can be kept or are only borrowed
  • If borrowed only, when the borrower should return the book
  • What types of books should/should not be deposited
  • Any other conditions for using the book exchange
  • Who to contact for questions

My suggestion is to have as few rules as possible. Rules deter people from participating, mostly, I think, because no one wants to accidentally do the wrong thing.

3. Assign someone to maintain the area. This includes tidying up and making the area appealing for people to use. It may also mean culling unwanted books or those past their use-by date. (Readers, you gasp in horror, but I’m sure librarians understand what I mean.) The area should invite people to pick up the books and wonder if they’ll like it—not what the previous owner had for dinner.

4. Let people know it’s there. You can let people know by word of mouth, a brief email, through a newsletter or using more visible signs or posters around the area. The more people who know it’s there, the better your chances are of establishing a thriving book loving community in your little neck of the woods.

Do you know of any good book exchanges in your local community? Let us know why you think it works so well!

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Keywords: world book day
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6 comments »

  1. 1
    Kaetrin
    9 August 2012 at 2:34 pm

    I think we need an Aussie version of Paperback Swap.  You should get on that Kat. :P

  2. 2
    Kat (author)
    9 August 2012 at 8:02 pm

    Ha! I think the issue for us would be postage. $6.50 (or whatever it is) for a mass market paperback is half the price of a new copy. If it’s C format, we’d be looking at over $10 – at least 1/3 the price of a new copy. Not sure if that would be cheap enough for people?

  3. 3
    Kat (author)
    9 August 2012 at 8:03 pm

    You know what would be great? Book swaps at reading festivals and conventions. I gave away an entire tub of books at ARRC last year. Just not sure the official bookseller at the event will be happy about that idea.

  4. 4
    Kaetrin
    10 August 2012 at 11:28 am

    That would be fun.  I was thinking more for OOP and non ebooks a paperback swap type arrangement might be worthwhile.  My local USB has MMPs for $8 these days so it’s usually cheaper to buy them new on e or via The Book Depository – if they’re available.
     
    I’d love to read an old Pamela Morsi (I think that’s the right name anyway) that one of my Goodreads friends has raved about – it’s about a wheelchair bound man who helps an athlete come to grips with a career ending injury and they fall in love.  But it’s not available as an ebook and it’s OOP – something like a paperback swap would be great if someone has the book in Australia – I’d pay the postage.  (Having said that, I recently wrapped a category book in sturdy brown paper and posted it and was only charged $1.80 as it qualified as a “large letter” because it fit through the hole in the board – even though the Australia Post website told me it would be $6.60….  oh, Australia Post – what would we do without you?

  5. 5
    Kat (author)
    11 August 2012 at 1:38 pm

    I forgot about large letter rates for categories. With the Burwood Book Exchange closing, the idea is becoming more and more attractive. (However, I’m lazy and disorganised.)

  6. 6
    persnickety
    12 August 2012 at 5:36 pm

    My husband and I have been culling our book collection for the last 2 or 3 years.  We rent and hauling around 3 or 4000 books is kind of tough, plus we now both have Kindles.  At first I tried selling them through work, and lately we have been taking them to the Suitcase rummage here in Brisbane once a month. 
    We don’t ask much ($2 per book) and so they do go (not as much as I would like), and it is great to pass them on to people who will enjoy them.   I do wish there were ways to encourage more of this- most of the people at the suitcase rummage are there for clothes, not books, so it is a hard sell.
    The rummage is at least a cheaper option than a full blown market, but more traffic than a garage sale. 
    I like the idea of book exchanges, particularly a themed book exchange night, but the thought of hosting one scares me too much.
     

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