Those of you out there who are avid readers, do you buy your books new? Do you borrow them from a friend or from the library? Do you read them once and then give or throw them away?
Here are some useful websites for people who like to read a lot and are also interested in helping the environment by not purchasing new books. Saving money is also a plus.
Borrowing
www.booksfree.com
www.bookswim.com
booklending.com
www.makeuseof.com
Purchasing
www.abebooks.com
www.betterworldbooks.com
www.bookfinder.com
www.thriftbooks.com
www.alibris.com
www.rereadables.com
Swapping
www.bookcrossing.com
www.titletrader.com
bookmooch.com
www.swapz.co.uk
www.swap.com
www.paperbackswap.com
whatsonmybookshelf.com
webtrends.about.com
I think it would be fun to put a book on one of the lending sites because you can give your copy a number, and every new person who borrows it registers it to the website. You can see how many people get to read that book, and just how far around the world it travels! It is important to note however, that shipping is also an environmental problem. The resources you don't waste by buying a new book are instead translated into carbon emissions created by shipping a used book great distances. Consider trying to borrow locally so that carbon emissions are kept to a minimum. In this case, the local library or local community might be your best bet for book lending/swapping.
Don't know where there is a public library close to you? Try searching here.
If you find that any of the above websites work well for you, or if you prefer a service not mentioned here, please tell us about it in the comments section! What did you borrow? What was your experience? What do you recommend?
Thank you and have a great day!
Lana
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