Is it time to get rid of my paperback books?
07-20-2017, 12:32 PM
#32
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Join Date: May 2011
Location: SW Washington USA
Posts: 4,433
unlike rocks, paperbacks have a lifepan of about 50 years before the spines give out and the pages fox and fall apart.
If there is a paper recycler near you can donate to them.
I'm happy to donate to my library, they go in the sale room and get light of day at the Friends of the Kalama Library sale each year.
Makes me kind of sad my quilt books went in the sale this year rather into the library but it is a vicious cycle, they are so cheap to purchase on the secondary market they have little dollar value.
I have an eye disease and now read on with the amazon kindle app where I can upsize the print. I've been doing this for about 18 months, and just this morning deleted one timers and have 45 books in the electronic library.
Even digital books can become a huge burden to me, I don't want to be saddled with a lot of anything
If there is a paper recycler near you can donate to them.
I'm happy to donate to my library, they go in the sale room and get light of day at the Friends of the Kalama Library sale each year.
Makes me kind of sad my quilt books went in the sale this year rather into the library but it is a vicious cycle, they are so cheap to purchase on the secondary market they have little dollar value.
I have an eye disease and now read on with the amazon kindle app where I can upsize the print. I've been doing this for about 18 months, and just this morning deleted one timers and have 45 books in the electronic library.
Even digital books can become a huge burden to me, I don't want to be saddled with a lot of anything
07-20-2017, 12:57 PM
#33
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Maine-ly Florida
Posts: 3,917
Thanks, everyone, for your thoughts.
I am going to go through the books in the next few days and take them down to the Community Center when I go to my Quilting group. They aren't old and yellowed, still in good shape. I'm also going to go to the local bookstore and buy some children's books to add to the shelf. That'll be a win-win for the shop, the children who tag along with grown ups for meetings at the center and for me. Kids deserve new books. (I also taught preschool through third grade). And it'll be fun to pick them out.
Now, my special children's books are staying put as well as the quilting books.
And yes, the option to make the print larger is a real plus. Even if I remember reading 'real' books more than I remember electronic ones. Ha!
I am going to go through the books in the next few days and take them down to the Community Center when I go to my Quilting group. They aren't old and yellowed, still in good shape. I'm also going to go to the local bookstore and buy some children's books to add to the shelf. That'll be a win-win for the shop, the children who tag along with grown ups for meetings at the center and for me. Kids deserve new books. (I also taught preschool through third grade). And it'll be fun to pick them out.
Now, my special children's books are staying put as well as the quilting books.
And yes, the option to make the print larger is a real plus. Even if I remember reading 'real' books more than I remember electronic ones. Ha!
07-20-2017, 01:29 PM
#34
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Nevada
Posts: 6,958
I would pass them on unless they are ones you like to re-read any of them over again. I have gotten rid of most of my books and just wear out my library card (my DH's phrase) as well as Overdrive on my Nook. I rarely buy any books anymore. Magazines are a different story. 
I love to read and just for fun I have been logging how many I have read since the beginning of the year (so far it's around 40 - both regular and Overdrive.
I love to read and just for fun I have been logging how many I have read since the beginning of the year (so far it's around 40 - both regular and Overdrive.
07-20-2017, 01:38 PM
#35
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Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: New Brunswick, Canada
Posts: 471
I've never heard of Overdrive. Must check it out!
I too am getting rid of my book collection. I have an e-reader and find it so much easier. For one thing, I love to read series' and it's often difficult to find all the books in any given series in paperback. It's not an issue with e-books. I also don't have to worry about trading them in or selling them.
I too am getting rid of my book collection. I have an e-reader and find it so much easier. For one thing, I love to read series' and it's often difficult to find all the books in any given series in paperback. It's not an issue with e-books. I also don't have to worry about trading them in or selling them.
07-20-2017, 02:03 PM
#36
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Southern USA
Posts: 16,071
We have a lot of Kindles in the house. Each have hundred or more of books on them. One for classics, one for my quilting, one for children's books, one for science fiction, one for general fiction and one for reference books. I have a personal Kindle and DH has one. I have favorite books I re read at least every few years. These I have in hardback, leather bound when possible.
07-21-2017, 02:49 AM
#37
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,203
Well my library is not always willing to take books. I checked out a "classic" book, one that is required reading in high school (ie, not some dime store novel) . Anyway, I left it out in the rain, and ruined it. So I went and bought a brand new copy of the book, and took it to the library, with my apology. Needless to say, the librarian was not happy, she explained all books had to be approved, and selected by a committee. (wait, wasn't this classic already approved and selected????). It seems each new printing by a publisher makes a new barcode number, and now they don't match. She went on and on. and to tell you the truth, I'm not sure what I was suppose to do. I think I was suppose to to and say it was "lost", pay the $15.00 lost fee, and let the library committee buy the new one. (the new book was only $6.95)....but it would not be there and available when the high school kids needed it. I can't figure it out, but I do know they don't want any donated books that way. Books that are "donated" are sold at a "book fair" in the parking lot for cash, and the cash goes to the library committee, who selects and buys only "approved books". Just wanted to share.
07-21-2017, 04:19 AM
#38
Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Somerville, NJ
Posts: 94
My library has twice yearly book sales, and limited storage space. Books are collected the week prior to the sale, then sorted. Currently the library is purging lots of books that are put in the sale also. There are always books left over, and for years we had a book dealer come to take them. Now we send them the Better World Books, they pay the shipping costs. When any of them sell, we are periodically sent a check. It adds up, and we do get some return for them. Their website says they deal with thousands of libraries.
07-21-2017, 05:37 AM
#39
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: St. Louis suburbs
Posts: 6,084
I have some paperbacks I would never get rid of, I just love them and reread them from time to time. I do give all the books I read away to my family and friends and leftovers go to thrift stores. They are always selling them in our area.
07-21-2017, 07:19 AM
#40
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Chehalis, WA
Posts: 806
I have, in the past, subscribed to book clubs where I got 4 or 5 books every 6 weeks. After I read them, O put them on a box to send to my sister in law, who reads them, then shares them with someone else.
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