BookSwim wants to be the Netflix for Books:
BookSwim is the first online book rental library club lending you paperbacks and hardcovers direct to your house without ever paying for them! Whether it's New Releases, Bestsellers, or Classics, we've got 80,000 titles to choose from, with free shipping both ways! Read your books as long as you want. -- no late fees!
The service is expected to launch in Q1 2007. I've sent an inquiry into the company to see if I can learn more about the service.
I wrote about Bookins before, but they charge $3.99 for every book you receive.
Thanks to Ken for sending this in.
Seems like shipping would be expensive for them. Maybe it's off-set because the customers would presumably not be shipping as often since most people can't blow through a book in one night like you can with a DVD.
Posted by: junkfood | January 05, 2007 at 04:40 PM
Ive been using http://www.paperbackswap.com for a long time. Shipping a book is only 1.59 the current cost of media mail, and we print out book wrappers on regular sheets which are addressed and used to mail the book out. The trading is free. If someone takes a book from your list then you get a credit. And you can also buy more credits if need be. And believe it or not no matter how crappy the subject of the book was theres someone out there who will want it.
Posted by: Kortan | January 05, 2007 at 05:29 PM
There's also booksfree.com.
Posted by: Jennifer the Chaos Queen | January 05, 2007 at 07:39 PM
I saw the little add about the Library thing, but I really don't see how this is better then the Library. I really don't.
Posted by: Dusty T | January 05, 2007 at 08:03 PM
I hear good things about http://www.audible.com
Posted by: Edward R Murrow | January 05, 2007 at 08:46 PM
A friend of mine used bookcrossing (www.bookcrossing.com), where you register books and drop them off at public places, and she really liked it...seemed like a lot of work to me, but it also gave you a chance to read other peoples opinions about the book and maybe connect with someone who read your copy. Kind of like Netflix friends but more random.
I lost a book at the library and bought it used on Amazon for $0.75 and $3 shipping. Between Amazon used, book sales, the library (inter-library loan), I personally have very little need for a Netflix style service for books.
Posted by: mattd0g | January 06, 2007 at 10:53 AM
I want to strongly second Kortan's endorsement of paperbackswap.com -- a remarkably efficient and functional site. The difference between books and movies is that the rate of consumption is so variable. Very few people can predict how rapidly they're going to get through a book. (Yes, some people do procrastinate on their Netflix viewing, but...) I'd hate to be paying a monthly fee while trying to get through 'Infinite Jest'.
Posted by: idylld | January 06, 2007 at 11:20 AM
One of the founders of Bookswim responded on a blog post I made regarding Bookswim. Thought you might be interested in his response.
http://joesherry.blogspot.com/2007/01/book-swim.html
Still not sure that Bookswim will be worth the service, but I'm going to run a test on the free trial.
Posted by: Joe Sherry | January 10, 2007 at 06:25 PM