Comments on: Why Rent Books For Free When You Can Pay For Them Instead?

By: Michelle

Michelle — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 21:41:55 +0000

I had the exact reaction when I saw bookswim. The library is awesome. to those who don’t like their local library, talk to the librarians, ask if they could purchase the books you are looking for. We will take requests from folks. You could also use interlibrary loan to request an item.

By: MK

MK — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 08:27:02 +0000

To people with bad libraries, I recommend http://www.bookmooch.com. There are similar other services as well.

This does not seem like a good business idea to me.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 04:14:05 +0000

I saw the same thing, and immediately decided it wasn’t for me. We have an excellent library system. I could only see this being an option if you lived in a remote location, but still had mail access.

By: FinancialFellow

FinancialFellow — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 18:36:03 +0000

So I have a confession to make. My library is the local Borders. If you want to “check out” a book you just buy it and return it within 30 days. Provided you don’t mark it up or damage it you will have no problem bringing it back. Borders has way more current selections than my local library in a much better atmosphere. Plus, their books are new.
Admittedly, though, I have a slight tinge of guilt over doing this and rarely do it anymore. Is this practice wrong?

By: david

david — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 17:36:21 +0000

Yes, I did the math correctly for me, as I don’t enjoy wasting money on things I can get for cheaper or even for free. My library has books for free, and bookswim wants to charge $19.98 to rent 3 books out at a time. If you don’t finish those books, you still have to pay another $19.98 for the next month. And even if my library didn’t have the books I want, I would either buy them from Amazon.com or half.com for cheaper, or just wait and buy the paperback version for 1/3 of the cost of the hardcover.

Either way, paying $20 a month to borrow a few books that I don’t own seems like a total waste of money for me.

By: Michaela

Michaela — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 15:40:36 +0000

I am so glad other’s think their libraries are less than satisfactory. I was having terrible guilt feelings about not using my library because of the lack of services.
I personally, wouldn’t use the service, but I have so many books I haven’t read, i could start a library.
I buy used books at sales for ten cents and a quarter. I buy one or two new books a year, with gift cards.

By: Craig

Craig — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 07:16:21 +0000

I just bought the latest James Patterson for like $30 bucks from BN and I see it’s available from the bookswim website.

Don’t I now feel gypped. So guess what?? I signed up.

So I’ll get my $30 books when they come fresh off the press, thank you bookswim. 3 of them actually, and it’ll cost me less than one book alone.

so are you SURE you did the math?

By: Gypsie

Gypsie — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 01:48:02 +0000

My library is tiny and has a terrible selection. They dont carry any books by about 75% of the authors that i like. And as for the “rental” service by book swim, you get as many books as you can read in that one month time frame, you just get them two at a time. I have seriously considered signing up because while i am an avid reader, there are only a few books that i end up rereading over and over again. Plus, I hate my library!

By: Kitty

Kitty — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 22:45:49 +0000

I have to admit that this is my financial downfall. I travel a LOT for business and for extended periods of time (like 6 or 11 months). I read a lot – voraciously you might say – and got sick of filling my suitcase with paperbacks and so last March I bought a kindle strictly for travel. But I love it so much it is the only way I read now. I am spending about $60 per month to download books. It is my one guilty pleasure.

By: david

david — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 21:40:05 +0000

Well, you don’t really get to keep them as long as you want with “no” fee… you still have to pay the next month’s fee of at least $14.95. So, to keep a book longer than 4 weeks, you will pay $30.