This Just In

I get some "interesting" emails from PR firms touting all sorts of "great" websites, programs, etc. Some are actually good and I share those, but most of them I ignore. This one I received this morning is in between being good and a throwaway as I'd classify it as "humorous". Here it is:

For any posts you may be working about money saving tips during these uncertain economic times,  I wanted to offer a tip about a service that helps people save money on books- BookSwim.com.

BookSwim.com is the first and only national online service that rents paperback and hardcover books (Netflix-style).  The company’s online book rental library service starts at $9.95 per month, where users can “check out” books ranging from new releases, bestsellers, or classics the way one would select DVDs from Netflix or a video store. As with Netflix, shipping is free both ways and customers can keep the books for as long as they want with no late fees. Customers also have the option to any buy books they rent.

BookSwim can be a money-saving option because many people don’t hold on to books once they’ve read them and with hard covers costing as much as $25 (sometimes more), the prospect of buying lots of new books is not economical.  This year, BookSwim has saved its members from buying $1.4 million dollars worth of books this year through its book rental services.  Also, for those who need to use a car to get to the bookstore or library, with BookSwim there no need to spend money on gas to do this.

Ok.

Am I missing something or can't you get this service FREE from your local library? My library system allows me to check out anything system wide and sends it to my local library for me to pick up. Sure, I'd save gas on the seven block trip to and from the library and wouldn't have the hassle of going to the library in the first place, but that's not a big deal or much cost. Plus, I can check out as many items (books, CDs, DVDs, audio books, etc.) as I want from the library.

Is there some benefit here that I'm missing?

Comments

[Shaun Connell]

Hehe, it's incredible how some people making money charging for something that's already free.

[Eric]

I'll have to check it out, but my local library doesn't do well with new releases and technology. I will have to check this site out.

[SeanOC]

Not all local libraries have the best or most up-to-date selections. Accordingly you may be able to get many books from this service that you might not be able to get from your local library.

[Steve]

Ha! That's a good one. I wonder though - from the email it sounds like they are making a decent enough profit to keep going. Is there a stigma attached to the library that makes people sign up for a service like this?

[Kevin M]

Water is free too, but lots of people pay for it.

[Eric]

This is actually a great service for people in rural parts of the country. Just because you live within 7 blocks of a decent library system, do you think there are libraries every mile spread across the country?

You probably don't own a John Deere tractor either. Does that make John Deere's business model of selling tractors stupid or funny? Sheesh.

[FMF]

Kevin M --

Yep. I'm thinking of opening up a business charging people for air. ;-)

Eric --

Even the town of 2,000 people my parents live in has a decent library -- plus access to the high school library. In addition, unless you read a ton, the price seems steep.

So, I assume you'll be signing up for this?

[YeaYuh]

They do have places that charge for air they are called oxygen bars.

[dogatemyfinances]

My local library is pretty good, but it's really inconvenient, and it doesn't have the new releases/special titles that I buy on Amazon. This service makes a lot of sense. There are MANY people who spend a load on books. Obviously, not you. Not surprising.

[Paul Williams @ Crackerjack Greenback]

I remember growing up in a rural area our library had a free books by mail service. You could check out multiple books at a time and they'd ship it media mail. My dad never really took me to the library, so it was the only way I could get books my school's library didn't have. The choices they give you in the catalog are limited, but I occasionally requested specific books or books on a certain topic and they'd mail them to me. Sometimes I even got notes from the librarians! :)

[Ben E.]

You better be reading a few novels of month to get your money's worth. One novel a month = renting a book for $10.

[Mia]

Don't laugh at something just because you don't have a personal understanding or need of the service. This might be a great option for people unable to easily leave their homes (like my handicapped mother) or a stay-at-home-parent - when my kids were younger I *hated* taking them to the library - never knew when the two-year old would throw a tantrum or the baby would cry, and it's hard to keep an eye on them while browsing.

[G]

You can laugh, but the little town I live in has an absolutely atrocious library. I think I personally have more science fiction books than the library does. I can get a membership in the library system of a nearby bigger city, but that costs money since I'm not a resident. Something like this isn't such a bad idea in my case. Besides, books are one thing I don't mind spending money on. If you're buying a lot of books anyway ...

Bookmooch though is another option - it's free to join and you just have to pay to ship books to others (thus earning points) and can receive books for free from other members (spending your points).

[G]

I just checked out the bookswim webpage - $9.95 is the INTRODUCTORY rate for the first month. Then it bumps up to $19.95 - not as worth it as a I thought.

[Sara]

I don't plan on signing up for this, but I know some people who would benefit. If you are an avid reader and read a lot of new books, then this would save you money. I love my library, but I can never get new or even older super popular titles out of there because they are always checked out. If I really want to read something that's relatively recent and don't want to wait a couple years, I end up having to buy it on Amazon.

[Eric]

$19.95 is a little more than what I want to pay. I go through cycles where I'll read 3-5 books a month to 1 a month. $240 a year is probably more than what I spend on new books now. I'm not sure if it's been mentioned here, but everyone should also check out bookmooch.com and paperbackswap.com. I also just found out my employer has a subscription to books24x7 and it is SWEET.

[Meg]

Public libraries also lend DVDs and videos!!! OK, maybe not all small town public libraries, but the Dallas Public Library system has hundreds and hundreds of DVDs and videos available to check out FOR FREE. The whole first floor is just like a Blockbuster store! When I saw it my jaw literally dropped. All I could think was "why would anybody go to Blockbuster around here?"

I do think that book system would work. A lot of people (including myself) just don't go to the library. Of course I don't/won't use netflix either, and the idea of "used" books has juse never appealed to me so I probably wouldn't use this service either. But I do think it's not a bad idea.

[Andy]

If I were going to be buying books through a delivery service, it would be on a Kindle. At least then there is the gadget factor. :) I still haven't been able to justify the cost though.

[Gloria]

Interesting. I wonder how many people don't mind paying $39.99/month (and up) for cable... but $20/month on unlimited books is too much? My library system SUCKS, the books are antiquated and the selection is limited. University libraries are better, but you need to be a student. I spend $40-$60/month on books (Amazon, used..... I shop around!) Plus you need to store them, move them (when you move) etc......

[Eric]

FMF --

Nah. I'm not going to join the service. I already pay $221/year in a property tax bond for the new library that's in town 17 miles away. And best of all. The books in the library are FREE! ;)

It's a great library BTW, and no, I don't mind paying for it.

[Jim]

I guess I take a good library for granted. I've always lived in areas where the public library has a good inventory. This kind of thing wouldn't be worth while for people with a decent library. But if your local library isn't very good then the library isn't such a good option.

If your library isn't that good then I'd think that other options like paperbackswap.com or just buying used books off Amazon or Half would probably be more practical for anyone but people who buy large volume of new and expensive books.

Jim

[mrm]

Why not just buy the book used for practically just a couple of dollars via a used book seller site? Tons of them exist, and there are search engines that consolidate them. This only sounds worth it for people that spend more than $20 per month purchasing brand new books (thereby getting ripped off) from bookstores. Every single book I buy, which isn't many, is used and I am proud of that. They just have the wrong target audience here. I think their target is people who are NOT frugal.

Gloria -

At Michigan State, any state resident could get a university library card with a $10 refundable deposit. I'm not sure if this is available at other state colleges but it might.

The university has an excellent library system and I was very happy with it.

FMF said:

Yep. I'm thinking of opening up a business charging people for air. ;-)

Been to a gas station lately?

FMF said:

Yep. I'm thinking of opening up a business charging people for air. ;-)

Been to a gas station lately?

[Mary@SimplyForties]

Do Bookmobiles still exist? I remember when I was a kid the library had this big bus that would come around, like a mobile library, from which you could check out books and then return them the next time it came around. If you had a request you could call the library and ask to have it put on the Bookmobile for you.

In my small rural town our local library's Friends organization delivers books to shut-ins. We also have a great toddler program that allows patrons to browse without having to deal with their young children. Even tiny libraries usually belong to the inter-library loan program through which they can get books they do not own.