BookMooch

I was poking around the Internet, and came across BookMooch. I was immediately intrigued! The site's look and feel is delightfully whimsical, but at the same time uncluttered and easy to use. As you know by now, All Qualities I Like!

So, I signed up and listed my available titles. Thus far I have sent out three items.

When someone requests your book, you get a detailed email with a lot of helpful information, but directly relevant to sending out the item are:

• the requestor's name
• the book they want
• the address to which the book should be sent
• the points you' ve been awarded for the immediate request at hand, as well as a tally of the total points you have earned so far

Also conveniently included in this email are links allowing you to

• log-in to the site and accept, delay, reject or indicate that you have sent the request
• visit the USPS.com site's postage cost calculator page

However going to your BookMooch inventory page and clicking into any of the links for your listed titles will allow you to perform these tasks as well.

Another element that some may find appealing to swapping through BookMooch is a philanthropic one. BookMooch members have the option of donating the points they accrue through swapping, to charity thereby subsidizing book requests for such organizations (See http://www.bookmooch.com/charity).

A couple of logistical considerations. I found the BookMooch point system used a little confusing, but since I'm more interested in finding new homes for the books I already have rather than requesting books, understanding it was less important to me. But, if it is important to you, you can read more about it at the site: http://www.bookmooch.com/about/interview. Also, at BookMooch the sender pays for and arranges the shipping.

Happy Mooching!