elizabeth Chadwick Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Out of curiosity how many books do readers on the forum buy new as opposed to second hand/swap/library? What do you do when you've read a book? Keep it? Pass it on for free? sell it, or bin it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Hi Elizabeth I don't buy a lot of books these days as I tend to use the readit swapit site I never bin them and sometimes I take them into the charity shop where I work. I keep some books but not many theres nothing like passing on another book to someone else so they can enjoy the book too and it is also a good way of keeping your TBR pile in order. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 I've had to join the support group on here because I buy too many books! I put them up to be swapped or take them to a charity shop so other people can enjoy them. I have been trying to use my library more but it is quite small so I often find myself buying books Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nici Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 (edited) I get my books everywhere I can! I buy new, swap them on Read it Swap it, buy them from charity shops and borrow them. In fact I have just borrowed a two of yours from Michelle! I keep my favourite books on my near collapsing bookshelf and the rest I either swap or give to friends and/or the charity shops. Edited July 4, 2008 by Nici Forgot a bit.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slywaka1 Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 I almost always buy, and I have a couple of friends that we swap books between us. I try and use charity shops, but I do love a nice crisp, unread new book. I always keep my books, but I often lend them to friends. I don't think I've ever sold a book, and I've definitely never thrown one away. I've still even got all my books from when I was a kid! Anna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madcow Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 I'm the same as Nici although I have curbed my buying habit as it was getting silly. I'm always looking in charity shops and use the library a fair bit. More recently I've been joining book rings and I might just sign up to read it swap it. I never throw books away, I usually pass on or give to charity shops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freewheeling Andy Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 I buy, most often new. I try not to borrow because I already have too many books to read. I have begun giving away my old books to charity, now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly2008 Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 I don't sell or swap books, I have lent one to a member on here but have never lent one from anyone, but me and my mum do read each others sometimes. I buy 60% of my books second hand and 40% new. I keep all my books and will be buying my 3rd books case this week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babe*With*Brains Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 I could never bin a book! If i'm definately done with it, I give it to charity or to my partner of friends. I don't mind swapping them on here either =) And in answer to the other question, I think there is a certain something about purchasing a book so that it's 'your own' rather than just borrowing them from a friend or the library. =) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louiseog Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 I get my books everywhere I can! I buy new, swap them on Read it Swap it, buy them from charity shops and borrow them. I keep my favourite books on my near collapsing bookshelf and the rest I either swap or give to friends and/or the charity shops. And me (although the two I have read of yours Elizabeth were bought! crawl crawl) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursenblack Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 I usually buy my books or use the library. My friend and I used to "borrow" each other's books a lot, but considering that I gave mine back and she still has three of mine from years ago, I decided not to do that anymore. So, in other words, there was no "swapping" on my end. Books that I no longer want to read usually get donated to the library. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freewheeling Andy Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 I really can't borrow books because I treat them so horribly. Not all of them, of course. Some survive fairly unscathed. But I'm almost completely apathetic about the condition of books, so I really can't just borrow them and return them torn and tatty, covered in coffee rings and chain oil and tatty round the edges from being rained on... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loopyloo100 Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 I swap and buy - new and 2nd hand. I just have to look after the books that I read and I wouldn't buy a tatty 2nd hand copy as I would not get the same pleasure from reading it!. I'm sure that's a bit daft, but I do like a nice clean copy - preferably without a bent spine. My pet hate is stickers on books - can't possibly read a book unless I remove it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nici Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 My pet hate is stickers on books - can't possibly read a book unless I remove it! I am exactly the same! I have to peel them off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mia Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 I don't use the library - I like to have my own copy to keep. 99.99% of my books are bought new - I only buy second hand if it's out of print. That's because I'm very fussy about the condition of the book, and can't bear turned down corners etc. And that "new book" smell - mmn! I keep nearly all my books. Only recently have I felt able to get rid of books that I truly didn't like, but that's only to make room for more books I do like! They usually go to the charity shop or to friends, but I've managed to get a whole box full that I'm considering trying to sell at a car boot sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 (edited) I'm about 50/50 with buying new and buying/swapping 2nd hand. There are certain series by aithors that I collect and keep, therefore I buy (or get them given to me as gifts) new, preferably in hardback. I often get book vouchers, so I spend those in places like Waterstones or on Amazon. I also buy cheao new books from discount stores like The Works, especially for classics. For buying on a budget, I tend to go for Green Metropolis - if I'm getting hold of a book for a reading circle and it's an untried (for me) author, I'd rather pay a cheaper price and 2nd hand is fine (although I still try to get them as new-looking as possible - LOL!). I also swap some books through Book Mooch. I used to use Read it, Swap it, but I got sick of having to choose books from lists where nothing really grabbed me as unmissable when someone wanted a book from my list - the points system of Book Mooch appealed to me more. I have been known to use the library too, but a it entails a trip into town if I want a decent choice (the smaller branches usually have pretty much nothing that grabs my attention) and another trip back into town to return them (usually on horribly busy Saturdays), I only really go when I'm after a specific book on a temporary basis and I think they'll have it. I used to use the library a lot more when I lived literally around the corner from a very decent branch library a few years back. I went in roughly every other day and the assistants knew my tastes so well that they would keep books back for me that they thought would interest me, as they knew I'd be in within another day! I also donate books to charity on occasion... The thought of ever just throwing a book out in the trash makes me feel physically sick! I used to keep ALL my books, but I ended up with hundreds and hundreds of books in storage, never being read again, whereas some got read in rotation time and time again. I decided I needed more room for books I hadn't read and for new books I wanted to read, and that keeping hold of old books I knew I'd never read again, I had to find new and loving homes for them all! That was when I started selling and swapping them. I've sold nearly 100 books on Green Metropolis (and others via other means), swapped about the same amount and donated piles of them to charity shops, just to clear some space. Edited July 4, 2008 by Kell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Echo Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 I buy all my books, either from someplace like Amazon or Borders, or I buy them used. After I read them, they just find a place on a shelf or in one of my many piles of books. Once in a while, I'll get rid of some, but very rarely. i tend to keep them all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Library Nook Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 I am a bit of both although upon reflection I think I buy more than borrow. My bad habit at the moment is borrowing from the library and not reading them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 I am a bit of both although upon reflection I think I buy more than borrow. My bad habit at the moment is borrowing from the library and not reading them! Hahaha I do that too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Library Nook Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 lol phew thought I would be the only one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 I tend to buy mine or borrow from the library. I have used Green Metropolis to get rid of books I've truly hated - but even that has petered out. I did get rid of a few books a few years ago and now I seriously regret it!!!!!!!!! All of my books are doubled shelved withother books lying horizontally across between the gaps and my bookshelves are groaning under the weight. So bad has it got, that the children have had their videos turned out so that I can use that space - but I will not surrender!! LOL! They literally can take no more but I will just form nice new stacks in other places Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eschulenburg Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 My pet hate is stickers on books - can't possibly read a book unless I remove it! Man, I thought I was the only one that hated this! So glad to know I'm not alone! I buy and borrow - I have a fantastic library about 5 minutes from my house, and use it when I want to try out new authors. I usually only buy books from used bookstores, or when they are on sale racks, although sometimes I can't help myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icecream Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 (edited) I haven't had much money for the last few years with being at university and having my girls, plus the bookstalls at university are very tempting, so I like to buy new, but during this time, apart from all the brand new nice looking text books I bought at university, I have only bought books that are special and will be re-read like Harry Potters, or books from the internet that I can't wait for. For some reason I won't buy books second hand from the net, although I did buy one from Ebay second hand. I have never consider the new or used buttons on Amazon, probably because I don't know whether I can trust the sellers on the new books. I always wonder how a new book can be so much cheaper. Maybe I will change my mind on that one? If there are books on offer I will look through them. I always browsed the bookstall in the student union and usually came away with a few books. If I see books for sale at the library or other things I go to, I always have to look, not that I get much time for a proper look with two babies. In fact, when I took a book back to the library just this morning I had toi avert my eyes from the table (and Mum had Katie too). If I wanted to purchase a textbook (rather than get it from the library) I always bought them new. I liked to have my own new copy. The cheap new christian books that the CU used to get from the publishers were always worth a good look too. I came away from there a couple of times with over ten books. I mostly get the children's books from the library, and their shelves are packed too, but I want to get them used to using it. I only get books there when I am taking part in reading circles or if I want to browse the non-fiction books, or if something catches my eye while in there. There is something about being in libraries that I love. I always keep my books, but i have recently considered parting with some that I didn't enjoy too much and/or won't read again. I am glad to see that Katie has a love of reading, and I want to keep my books for her and Millie when they grow up. I can't bare to part with some of them. I agree that there is something about new books, but I just can't afford it all the time, and I love reading, plus I think that there is also something about libraries, and about browsing secondhand bookstalls. Edited July 5, 2008 by Icecream Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 My pet hate is stickers on books I don't like stickers on books either - honestly, why do they insist on doing it in shops? Grr I agree that there is something about new books, but I just can't afford it all the time, and I love reading, plus I think that there is also something about libraries, and about browsing secondhand bookstalls. I completely agree. I do love the library and being surrounded by so many books I love a new book as well, waiting for me to explore first. But sadly, like you Icecream I can't afford lots of new books Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbain Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 I buy mine. I mainly buy second hand ones from Amazon. Every now and then once my bookcase becomes cluttered I will take the ones I no longwer want to this massive second hand bookshop and they give me credit for books in exchange. I keep a lot of books that I loved reading and have kept most of my history books from uni as I want to teach History and eventually do a Masters, plus a lot of the academic ones cost a fortune so I'd rather keep hold of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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