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Messages: BookMooch Discussion
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I hate bookcrossing
Sorry but I have to vent. I just got a book with a giant sticker on the front with a message telling me I have to "read and release". Actually, I love this author and I will re-read this book. This book is MINE to do with as I please. Our contract is: you send me the book. Period. No more stipulations. So I took the sticker off and left a +1 feedback. No harm, no foul. Then I noticed the sender had written in red permanent marker the bookcrossing ID number on the top of the book's pages. There was nothing in the book's condition telling me it would be marked all over advertising some other book site. Changed to +0. I went to the site and checked the book ID, just to see how far it had traveled. It has not traveled ANYWHERE. The sender marked it up specifically before s/he sent it to me. This moocher's rudeness has now made me HATE bookcrossing. I'm not participating in your little project. Why RUIN the books you want to track? Have you ever had this problem?
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Ashley
11 years ago
19 comments
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| (11 days ago) | Hey, there. I know this thread is pretty much dead, but I wanted to give my two cents on the matter.
It seems like Ashley had a nightmare mooch (I personally would’ve reported the sender for lying about their country of residence alone) that definitely should’ve been disclosed as a BC book, but I wouldn’t say that any writing in a book is sacrilegious like many people here did. I *really* don’t agree with PapaG’s Tony Zaret-esque post. To me, I only care about if the content is legible and the book is in the condition described.
I mooched a BC book from someone who didn’t disclose it a couple years ago. Whoever registered the book didn’t want anyone to miss its BCID (the Bookcrossing Identification Number). It’s written on the inside front cover, the last page of content (below the text), and on all three sides of the pages. However, since this didn’t affect the book’s durability or legibility, I gave the sender a +1. I can still read it, so I couldn’t care less. I even provided a little journal update on BC! Turns out the sender wasn’t the original owner; it started in Australia, made its way to Spain, and then came to me in the Netherlands! Neat!
In short, unless someone slapped a sticker over the actual text, I won’t be mad at a BC book I receive, even if it wasn’t disclosed (even though it should be).
- Jack | | (9 years ago) | While I agree that it is up to the "BM" moocher to either post their mooched book or place it into their permanent collection.
It needs stating that I too have received several "book crossing" books and agree with Lou Jones, here that it's pretty upsetting to receive a book that is all marked up, labeled and treated disrespectfully.
As a collector of sorts think that books, no matter where they come from or go should "NEVER" be written in or printed on or marked up in any way. To me that is just sacrilegious somehow. Even the public library asks that you NOT harm any book in any way.
- Miss Daisy | | (9 years ago) | Couple of notes about this discussion.
Bookcrossing is primarily a philosophy about sharing books and trading thoughts with those who have read that particular book. It's primarily non-economic: bookmooch operates on bartering (with a web-based point accounting system) as bookcrossing operates on the act (and good-will) that comes from releasing a book, with no economic return. Perhaps bookcrossing is more akin to the Little Free Library concept (like little birdhouses that people keep on their property housing books that people can take or contribute to).
Bookcrossing, while initiated as a website, has spawned multiple person-to-person communities all over the world, ranging from monthly meetings at coffeehouses, to book rotation groups via mail, to national and international conventions of book lovers.
The labeling and marking systems that bookcrossers use vary. Most typical is a sticker / nameplate on the inside cover of the book. Some write the ID# of the book on the title page. Very few (referring to original thread poster) write the ID# on the pages.
That said, bookmoochers who are also bookcrossers (and I fall into this category) need to be very clear concerning the condition of the books they are putting on bookmooch, and the reasons for assigning that condition evaluation to their books. They need to state how the books are marked up, where markings are located, as well as general quality of the physical object. Once a reader receives a bookcrossed book (or any book for that matter), that reader has every right to do whatever he/she wants, including keeping that book for the rest of his/her life. Avid bookcrossers actually do this; they refer to these books as being placed in their PC (permanent collection).
Bookcrossed books should have little or no value on the antiquarian book market. Bookcrossers, who are generally quite amiable people, release books because they wish to share their love of reading with others, and sometimes hope that they've touched the lives of others through their sharing of books that they love.
Bookcrossers, in exchange for the joy and curiosity afforded by the possibility of finding out where their books will go next, often will release high-demand books. Generosity is contagious, and observing a bookcrosser release a high-demand book will prompt others to do the same.
Bookcrossed books (physical books) belong to the owner of the book. Bookcrossing as a business entity does not own bookcrossed books.
As I understand it, bookcrossing operates as a small business consisting of site owner and a couple of employees, including a tech / site developer. I met the site owner years ago at a convention who was friendly and inviting of suggestions for their website from heavy bookcrossing users. Their revenue comes from expanded functionality on their site through yearly memberships, and bookcrossing supplies. Bookcrossing users voluntarily invest time, energy, and money in the activity, broadly defined, of bookcrossing because they truly love books, both as vehicle for knowledge and literary arts, as well as its physical manifestation of said knowledge. It's rather idealistic, actually - clients who are excited about a small business, clients who can participate fruitfully in that business without paying anything if they so desire.
Hopefully my notes here have clarified certain aspects of bookcrossing and its potential interaction with bookmooch. I believe that we the readers and book enthusiasts benefit most from a plurality of economic and social systems, whether it be libraries, independent bookstores, amazon.com, bookmooch, bookcrossing, paperbackswap, swap.com (when it was around), that enable us to have the most access to books we either know we want to read, or are pleasantly surprised to be introduced to.
- Boston Bookcrossing | | (11 years ago) | If I get a bookcrossing book, I am perterbed (PO'd to those that like plain English).. I use Half.com, Paperback Swap & book Mooch,Book Mooche is the only one that doesnt have a restricktion against a Book Crossing marked book. I believe that it would be a curtusy (sp) to other members of Book mooch if you would note Book croosing on your list so we have the option to not ordering from you, or completing the order.. After I read a book crossing book, instead of relisting it, I give to the Gooodwill..
- Lou Jones | | (11 years ago) | I joined BookCrossing a few years ago, discretely marked up over 400 books with stickers and released them locally, desperately trying to drum up some exchange of English language books; I never found a single book and only a handful of the books I released were ever logged. I recently picked up a book that I'd left in my account's waiting area three years ago...
BookMooch enables me to find some of the books I'd like to read and pass on those I don't want to someone who really does want to read the book rather than it being randomly left for someone else to pick up.
I note "BookCrossing registered" in the condition notes and if a book has really been defaced by the BookCrossing registration (marker pen ID on the page edges, for example), then I note that condition too.
Overall, a discrete sticker doesn't bother me, but the over-the-top identification of the book as "belonging" to BookCrossing really does annoy me.
As far as some of the previous comments about the journeys that BookCrossing books may have made before reaching the current owner (custodian), then if previous owners haven't journaled the book's progress on Bookcrossing, no-one can say for certain where it's been.
If I receive a book that's registered with BookCrossing, then I make a journal entry for it on that site, usually to the effect that the book is currently residing near Fontainebleau and is circulating through BookMooch - that's free publicity for BM every time I journal a book's progress.
- jacquie | | (11 years ago) | Old topic, I know, but when I received a book with a big "bookcrossing" sticker, I remembered this post and came looking for it.
I just received one, as well, and it looks like from the same person. Big bookcrossing sticker and id on the cover, plus bookcrossing + id written in marker on the top of the book. Says "Germany" in their profile, but my copy came from Spain.
It's probably not a big deal for me, but I certainly would have liked to have known ahead of time. This person has more than one comment about the same issue, but continues to do the same thing.
- Cindy W | | (11 years ago) | People who deface BOOKS, should be taken outside and "executed"... (tongue-in-cheek)...
I absolutely HATE defacing of books.
- Hercules40 (a.k.a. PapaG) | | (11 years ago) | It happened to me again! Someone stop the madness. It burns me up to see people defacing new books this way.
I'm never gonna "release" any of these books. Out of SPITE.
- Ashley | | (11 years ago) | I've had this happen when I was living in Europe and asked someone to angel a book for me. The book was originally in perfect condition, but the owner wouldn't send outside the US. I posted on the angel forum and someone mooched it for me. When I got the book it had bookcrossing stickers and magic marker writing all over it (front cover, inside pages etc.), all added by the angel. I didn't feel like I could complain since she was doing me a favor, but I was really annoyed.
- AlineM | | (11 years ago) | If a book is a Bookcrossing book, it should be identified as such in the condition notes. PERIOD
- Hercules40 (a.k.a. PapaG) | | (11 years ago) | As a fairly active Bookcrosser, I will make condition notes if there is anything more than the standard sticker on the inner front cover. My status message acts as a universal condition note regarding the Bookcrossing sticker/registration, but on individual books I'll make a note if there's a number written on the spine, or extra stickers on the cover, or what have you - just as I would for any other book in my inventory. I personally don't think writing in a book defaces it or somehow dishonors the book, but it's only fair for people to know exactly what they're getting, be it highlighting in the text or a sticker on the front cover.
- k00kaburra | | (11 years ago) | A random combination of luck, the conditions under which the book was stored and subtle differences in glues and paper quality. I have paperbacks from my mother that had held together fairly well, stored in a wooden cabinet in a cool, moderately humid (not too damp, but not desert dry) basement, which never saw the light of day for years. Some of them though, within years of being brought out and stored in a series of normal apartments, have started losing their pages and deteriorating. I have paperbacks from the 1980s that are self-destructing even faster than my mother's from the 1950s; they are losing their pages and the paper is already yellowing. You have no way of knowing the quality of the glue or the paper used in the construction of your paperback (cheaper pulp= greater acidity= faster deterioration)-- some older paperbacks are better than newer ones. The best you can do is keep them away from the sun, try to minimize bug damage (whether you want to admit it or not, if you have standard gypsum drywall in your home, you have silverfish), and try to store them in a stable environment (temperature & humidity). Fact is though nothing can prevent the inevitable, especially if the book is made with poor glue or paper. The acid in the paper and glue that make up the book destroys it in the end.
- Gretchen Ann | | (11 years ago) | Gretchen, I appreciate the input from an expert! I have had pages fall out of old paperbacks, true. But I just recently mooched a book from 1960 (The Good Earth) and the glue seems very strong. I have inherited paperbacks from my mother that have held up through a few readings and loans to friends. Why do some paperbacks last and others, as you said, decay?
- Ashley | | (11 years ago) | Pass on to your children, Ashley? Really?!? 'Cause I hate to tell you, but you probably will outlive that paperback book. Any of these books where the pages are glued in are deteriorating as we speak. Even if you can protect it from bugs like silverfish (which live on paper and glue), that glue is drying out and breaking down from the moment you buy it. And we aren't even going to discuss the acids in the paper and inks, and what they're doing. By the time your children inherit it (assuming you're not in your 90s today), the pages will be brittle and falling out. It will smell funny and the pages will have yellowed and the ink faded, possibly to the point of being unreadable. If you want a book to pass down to your children, you need a hardback with the pages sewn in and archival quality paper printed with acid-free inks. And even then, you have to store it in climate-controlled conditions, protected from bugs, sunlight, moisture and temperature extremes. I should know-- I worked for a couple of years at the National Archives in DC preparing old records and books for a move to a new facility. You should see what happens to even a leather-bound book after 100 years.
- Gretchen Ann | | (11 years ago) | Ashley, I had a cheeky look to see who the sender was and I've had books from them with the stickers, marker pen nonsense etc as well. I too think it ruins a book and if it must be done I prefer to see a discreet Bookcrossing ID not something on the cover that is then covered with sticky backed plastic and certainly not marker pen on the page edges.
I actually joined Bookcrossing a few years ago and I think I may have registered a couple of books I received but I honestly didn't see the appeal, it's enough for me to know that through Bookmooch I've given a book without tracking it's every move! The thought of defacing a perfectly good book really doesn't sit well. Also, in some cases it makes the book less appealing on this site
I haven't been on the B'crossing site for a good couple of years and have no intention of registering anything on there again. If folks don't like that then maybe they shouldn't be trying to make the two worlds meet by listing marked books on this site. After all B'crossing encourages you to leave books in open, public places where they can be picked up and enjoyed by others for free - park bench, public transport etc are given as examples, and before anyone suggests this is such a place please remember B'mooch involves postage costs and points.
Maybe this is an example of trying to have your cake and eat it?
- donna | | (11 years ago) | Gretchen Ann,
Yes, I would have been less upset if there was an interesting history to the book, but this person:
1. States that s/he is in Germany, when the book was postmarked form the US, so any bookcrossing details are already a lie.
2. Assumed I would be passing it on and instructed me that I MUST do so with the sticker on the front.
3. Marked a book I intend(ed) to keep forever with a stupid ID of a website that may not exist by the time my descendants inherit the book.
An interesting history would mean I couldn't blame all these things on a single individual whom I can rate.
- Ashley | | (11 years ago) | I'm sorry you've had such a horrid experience with bookcrossing. Certainly that sender was way over the top-- marking up a book is unacceptable. And I admire your restraint-- I would have given them a negative rating and stated that it is rude not to indicate that the book was marked up and has a bookcrossing sticker. That is the only way this sender will learn proper manners.
I do bookcrossing, but I like to think I'm reasonable about it. I only put on a sticker, and it is the one the site recommends, which doesn't say that you have to pass the book on. I never mark the book itself, so you could peel off the sticker if you wanted and there'd be no trace. I also only register mass market paperbacks that have some wear (no brand new hardbacks!). And (AND THIS IS KEY) I always indicate that a book I am offering has the sticker.
Why do I do it? Curiosity. Once I got a book from a swap site, from a person in West Virginia. When I got the book, it turned out to be an ex-library book from a nearby public library (central TX). I've often wondered how that book went from central TX to WV and back.
Would you have been less angry if your book had an interesting history that you could have seen on the bookcrossing site?
- Gretchen Ann | | (11 years ago) | I wholeheartedly agree with you as this has happened to me as well. It is quite rude to mark up books for any purpose, in my opinion its sacrilegious to mark any book
- Miss Daisy | | (11 years ago) | It seems basic courtesy to state "BookCrossing registered" in the condition notes.
- jacquie |
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Book sent but never marked as received!
Hi all! I was just curious if anyone else has a solution or at the very least finds it annoying when you have mailed a book to someone and they never marked it as received?! I sent one book about a month and a half ago to someone who never acknowledged receiving it and has since gone inactive. I just find it annoying to see it forever hanging out on my pending page! I have tried contacting the person by email with no response and at this point would just like the book off my pending page! The only options are to mark it lost or to remind the person. I am sure it isn't lost and don't want to mark it that way if it isn't necessary! I don't know if there is really anything you can do to fix it though! Thanks everyone! :)
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Cheri
14 years ago
24 comments
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| (9 months, 18 days ago) | The layout and structure of your blog posts are user-friendly. It makes navigating through the content a breeze. PLAB
- richerson michelle | | (11 years ago) | If you accidentally hit sent instead of accepted you can see the mailing address by clicking "show details" on the top of the pending page. I don't know about printing labels, you may have to address the package manually. You should also email the moocher and let them know that the mailing date will differ.
- Cara | | (13 years ago) | "anyone else has a solution or at the very least finds it annoying when you have mailed a book to someone and they never marked it as received?"
The temptation to avoid hitting the remind option is almost unbearable, but I've had the fortune to mark a mooch "received_forced" then have the moocher still provide positive feedback afterward. However, what is annoying is waiting endlessly (okay, six WEEKS) for even a system prompt to act on a mooch that appears to have been ignored/forgotten/neglected, even with delivery confirmation.
I've also suspect that some mooches are marked sent with the Sender having no intention of sending OR responding to communication. Why would they when they know if a mooch is marked "lost" they keep the points and the Moocher is refunded? Not to mention, no feedback to record the transaction, except the auto-response from the system.
Meanwhile, I have no qualms about sending (or receiving) reminders (up to 3) within a 30-day window PRIOR to shipment but how annoying is the process when the Sender ACCEPTS the mooch and does NOT respond to reminders? One aspect of BM that I do enjoy over many other avenues of swapping books is being able to mark a mooch "delayed" with a brief message to the moocher! How easy is that? From there, the moocher can decide if the wait is worth the mooch (not to mention the value of points).
I admit the system is not perfect, but it's certainly user friendly... if the user follows up with their profile and related communications.
- Richard | | (14 years ago) | I sell books on line every day for Greenmetropolis restricted by postal costs to UK. I sell also on ebay and gave up International selling when vast majority of post to America failed to arrive. I refuse to accept compensation as I realised the books that went missing in UK had in fact been delivered. The value is only £3 not worth claiming but well worth enquiries as these always resulted in the missing book being “found”. I have kept my post code clean and my reputation intact. The Royal Mail cannot enquire beyond their boundaries so I withdrew, from International sales. I really have 100% success with the books I have over 3,000 receipts for these successful uninsured deliveries. The recipient falsely claims it is lost hoping for a replacement copy but finds the missing book when they see I have logged their post code,and will not make a claim.
I have had 2 books go missing already on this site but as no cash has changed hands....I cannot find time to make an enquiry!
- Nicholls | | (14 years ago) | Ditto. I was nagging someone undergoing brain surgery. Fortunately, I wasn't too snippy.
- Nicholas | | (14 years ago) | Yeah thanks Mark.
Re` checking the address of a book sent;
I did that only last week, when chasing something that is not where it should be yet, looked under details+ to see what the mailing address was.
Just to check, that as far as I could remember, I had written the address as stated. Alas, that didn't make the book turn up though :(
- Michelle | | (14 years ago) | Nope, thanks but I got that part - I just meant emails in general - apparently I should have worded it different rather then "email reminders" send reminder emails. LOL Bad wording... A couple others had mentioned that it resets! Thanks!
- Cheri | | (14 years ago) | Yes, I think Cheri missed that key point -- send only one reminder please.
Right Michelle, that 'detail' button does escape some people's notice at time. It can also be of use to check on the address of a pending book you have already marked as 'sent.'
- mark | | (14 years ago) | Just be careful not to send another reminder. Every time you hit the reminder button, it resets the clock. Email messages, on the other hand, have no effect.
- RidgewayGirl | | (14 years ago) | Thanks for the help and info everyone! It has been since April 22nd and no response from this person. Have emailed a couple times and reminded. They only mooched a few books and haven't logged in since. I understand it is important to communicate but there is a slight problem when there is no response! lol So I will just keep sending email reminders and if no response when the button becomes available I will mark it as forced received as everyone has said! Just glad to get a little clearer understanding of how this works!
- Cheri | | (14 years ago) | Mark,
When I need more information on pendings, I click on the
'SHOW DETAILS +" tab at the top right hand side of my Pending page and It shows when something was sent. It shows the book condition, the moochers request comments, date requested, date sent etc.
This is a useful feature, so you occasionally go through & start to tidy up your pendings, starting with reminders if necessary.
- Michelle | | (14 years ago) | Micheal,
I was wriitng about reminders one sends for books sent to a moocher who is not checking in a book within a month or so (domestic) as most usually do.
You appear to be asking about mocoh requests you have placed with others. The standard advice is to cancel after 2-3 weeks if there has been no response.
Any time you cancel a mooch after one week, and you select 'did not respond' as the reason why, then the account will be vactioned until the member logs in again.
I both cases, there is always a chance that e-mails might not get through, but the trade will appear on the member's pending page, of course.
- mark | | (14 years ago) | Mark,
I need something clarified. The reminder is an e-mail, correct?
It is very possible, that the person is missing the e-mail if they are having trouble with e-mail junk folder settings etc.
I have also seen this take place quite a lot recently with new members. I have sent precisely ONE reminder to each with no response. Since, I have no other way to contact them but e-mail (and I try to do so without resetting the reminder FUNCTION), I sent them regular e-mails to remind them also. I noticed on person not having logged in in over 45 days, despite my e-mails and ONE reminder.
Not much can be done about this, I am afraid, unless John can come up with a change in the system that flashes something on the person's screen when they log into BookMooch after a period of inactivity. PLEASE CHECK YOUR PENDING BOOKS or PLEASE CHECK YOUR REMINDERS or something to that effect.
Once, I click CANCEL because the person has not responded in over 45-60 days, the person gets vacationed automatically, right? I have no control over that. But If I don't hear from someone, I won't let my points be tied-up for months and months on end.
OR am I doing it wrong?
- Hercules40 (a.k.a. PapaG) | | (14 years ago) | Glad to help clarify the 'remind' function, which is something people often ask about.
-- Most people will send an official reminder at about the 3 week point for domestic mooches and about the 3 month mark for international, as this is beyond the average time for arrival.
-- You will find the reminder button opposite the book on your pending page. There is no record of when it was sent, so be sure and retain the e-mail notice you will receive.
-- Send only one reminder please, multiples are not helpful and will reset the clock.
-- Six weeks after the official reminder has been sent, you can then force the book as received from your pending page. Some will send a final e-mail to the moocher just to give them a chance to mark it as lost. Be sure that at least a few days have elapsed since the 'lost' window has opened up, which is six weeks from the date sent for domestic, four months international.
-- As with all functions, this cannot be undone, or later changed to 'lost.' If the sender contacts you and states they believe the book was lost, then it might be a good idea to offer a book deal or reach some other compromise, although this is not required.
- mark | | (14 years ago) | Yes, I think this does restart the timer. I am pretty sure I saw someone mention this a long time ago. The best thing I think is to click the remind button once, then use the email button after that. I have a terrible time resisting clicking the remind button again!
Kara
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Please vote for my travel blog essay:
http://blogyourwayaroundtheworld.com/blogs/view/967
- bookarts | | (14 years ago) | I sent two books to someone on March 17. I have clicked the Remind button three times I think, but I have not seen a Receive button for me to click. Do you think it restarts the three week timer each time you click Remind? This person joined bookmooch, mooched 6 books, and then never showed up again. Not sure how they have 0 books in their inventory and have never given any books to anyone.
- Jeremy | | (14 years ago) | ...you have 3 weeks to send her e-mails after that remind button...I once mooched to a member that had been inactive for 108 days, I waited for a week till she told me she'll send the books to me and apologized for not checking her account...she said, she checked it only when she got e-mails. AND don't forget we have the Bookmooch Admin.
- ylef | | (14 years ago) | 48 days are not yet too long. As I observed, a lot of people check their account only when they got an e-mail. I've checked this person you mentioned, I tell you my intuition...she's coming back, it's best for you to ask her to mark the book "received" for your own reputation.
- ylef | | (14 years ago) | Okay, I didn't realize a receive button would come up after a while. As stated above I attempted to contact the person via email through the remind option but no response. I have already checked out their profile and found they are 48 days since signing in and it was a fairly new member with only a few mooches. Maybe someone who joined then lost interest?! Thanks for the info though guys - I will wait and see if the button comes up to call it received! At this point I would guess this member won't be coming back!
- Cheri | | (14 years ago) | Well I didn't know it at first...but everyone can do Math. so I know when my books arrived to the moocher...I'll give her 2 weeks leeway to marked the books received and then remind her/him (remind button) and wait...trying to communicate...after you pushed that button "remind", it will give you 3 weeks (international) before a button "received" appear on your page, so you'll be able to forced "received". I made it too...only it won't be counted on the books you had given and there's an auto. note/feedback "I requested this book, sender says they sent it, but I never acknowledged receiving it"...so it best to communicate, he/she may be not active but try communicating and pray that he/she will mark it "received". I find both solutions, marking it "lost" or "received forced" not so quite good...but there is a purpose on it...there's a lot of people that tends to be abusive sometimes...just try your best to communicate.
- ylef | | (14 years ago) | I think it's 21 days for Domestic...
- Hercules40 (a.k.a. PapaG) | | (14 years ago) | What ylef said.
Also, go through the history of that person. See if that has happened before with that person. If it has, it might be time to report them to Tech Support.
I had one person tell me they received the book over a week ago, but they were busy and were into reading it and forgot to mark it RECEIVED.
Unbelievable!
- Hercules40 (a.k.a. PapaG) | | (14 years ago) | I would contact BookMooch about it first. If it's been inactive for a really long time they may just close the account or mark it received. So far I haven't had issues with this (but I also send weekly reminders too).
- Erin H. | | (14 years ago) | I would never marked it lost...you'll have bad reputation marking it lost, because it will appear on your site with the "books sending lost". You'll remind the moocher and after 3 weeks, you could marked it "received" but forced...so it will appear to your history "received forced". But...there's a big "BUT" there, it would not be counted of the books you have given, but it is better than books sending lost. Best try to communicate first, remind her...then you have three weeks...then force received. I had the same experience already.
- ylef |
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| (14 years ago) | You're welcome to create a "CD Mooch" forum on this site, and people can exchange CDs using it. Sure, no problem!
- John Buckman | | (14 years ago) | Would it be ok to create a "CD trade" forum topic here?
The Bookmooch community seems tighter and friendlier than a commercial site, and has a ready-made feedback system for screening who to trade with. I checked out swapacd.com, and found it problematic. The concept of shipping without artwork or cases seemed as horrifying as shipping a book with the cover torn off to save on package weight. They seem to be geared on exchanging disposable cds for ripping to mp3, not keeping.
- Elsewhere | | (14 years ago) | Well, those seem to be very simple, clear and valid reasons for not setting up a CD swap!
- mfkirke | | (14 years ago) | There are a bunch of reasons I'm not going to do a CD mooch:
1) everyone is going "digital" with music, and such a site would have very few years of life left in it. Books, on the other hand, don't seem to be going digital that fast.
2) it would be largely used for piracy : people would likely rip a CD to their iPod, and then pass the CD on. I don't really want to be in the business of promoting that
3) there already exists someone doing it (swapacd), why duplicate effort?
- John Buckman | | (14 years ago) | I use swapacd.com personally. I've gotten rid of many CD's I don't use anymore. I just transfer the credits to paperbackswap.com.
- Erin H. | | (14 years ago) | I guess we are looking for someone else with a CD/DVD vision and the resources to start those sites.
However, I can see his point. Books, whatever prophets of e-books claim, are highly unlikely to be rendered obsolete by advances in technology!
- mfkirke | | (14 years ago) | I'd gladly join in if CDs and DVDs were swappable here -- I've looked at some of the other trading sites but really prefer the flexibility and warm community spirit here on BookMooch, and would find it so much more convenient to keep all the trades, points, reputation scores, etc. in one site.
- Miss Smilla | | (14 years ago) | Titletrader.com trades CD's and DVD's but I much prefer Bookmooch. I gave up my account there a couple of years ago. We used to have an informal nonbook trading group through the old forum. Someone set it up on a web page somewhere. I don't know what became of it. Cara
- Cara | | (14 years ago) | PaperbackSwap, http://www.paperbackswap.com, runs two sister sites for swapping CDs and DVDs. You can even use credits (points) across sites as well as buy credits.
http://www.swapacd.com/index.php
http://www.swapadvd.com/index.php
If you decide to join, I'd appreciate it if you'd put me down as the person recommending the site. I would get a free credit.
Username: frak
- Alan Dellamore | | (14 years ago) | Have the BM high-poohbahs considered creating a similar movie or cd swapping site? The last one I belonged to imploded and switched to primarily selling MP3s. The Amazon database could provide the same information as with the books, and the site could take in revenue from Amazon orders.
Barring that future, does anyone know of a good trading site for compact discs?
- Elsewhere | | (14 years ago) | Ooh! yes! and they are so cheap to post!
- mfkirke |
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| (12 months, 29 days ago) | I don't think you can, since the data is captured (either from Amazon or from a previous BM listing)- I think you'd have to create a new listing with the correct info.
Honestly, to avoid duplicate listings for the same title, I would just put clarification notes in the condition notes (I.e. "mine is paperback not hardcover" or "281 pages, not 285" etc etc)
- Britt |
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| (2 years ago) | No and they most likely won’t, given that John has been inactive for quite some time. Both this and the bookmooch blog forum have some tips for how to list books; anything too new has to be hand entered since the search can only use bookmooch now and not Amazon.
- Britt | | (2 years ago) | Have they found a solution to this problem by now?
I still can't add books which is VERY frustrating!!
- kiki66 | | (4 years ago) | Could be- my guess is, because it's new, no one has given or wishlisted it before, which is why it's coming up (since the Amazon search isn't working, searches are only using Bookmooch itself)
- Britt | | (4 years ago) | I'm wondering if The Chocolatier is too new. I entered the 10-digit ISBN number: 1951314026 and got the message No Books Found. What's your opinion? Thank you, Pat
- PJ | | (4 years ago) | Thank you. I’ll try it. Pat
- PJ | | (4 years ago) | Hi Pat, you can get the ISBN from Amazon if you search for the title. To get the ISBN-10, you can enter the ISBN-13 here https://www.isbn.org/ISBN_converter and get the ISBN-10. I haven't had any issues adding books with the ISBN-10, it's only the ISBN-13 that isn't working for me.
- Britt | | (4 years ago) | Nevermind. Seems to have been a fluke. Adding the ASIN did work in another instance. But nothing is consistent. I'm following the advice of previous posters.
- Ryan O. | | (4 years ago) | Thank you so much! How are you getting that ISBN numbercwhen you don’t have the book? ð¤ Pat
- PJ | | (4 years ago) | I'm having success with the 10 number ISBN. I knew there had to be a way because others were listing books with the picture.
- Ryan O. | | (4 years ago) | You can also hand enter the book and leave the ISBN field blank - I add the ISBN to the condition section in case any potential moochers want to look up for themselves which edition it is
- Randy | | (4 years ago) | I finally figured out a way to list books!! Put the author's name in the search window at the top of the page. When you get the list of books look for the name of the book you want to list and click on it. You may need to hit the "show unmoochable" button. And you may need to check through several listings of the book to get the right one. Not every book will be listed but most of them are. It works!!
- Lisa Wenner | | (4 years ago) | OK, although I still can't add anything NEW to Bookmooch for inventory or for wishlist, I have figured out how to add books to inventory that I have previously mooched. Just go to your "mooched books" list, find the book (can be difficult if you've mooched hundreds of books like me but haven't read them for years lol), and hit GIVE. Certainly not ideal, but it's something...
- Alison Astor | | (4 years ago) | Please, please somebody figure out how we can list books! I have quite a large number that I'd like to put in inventory. Nothing I've tried has worked. Thanks.
- Lisa Wenner | | (4 years ago) | I'm finding it impossible to add books by ANY search method, by name or ISBN number, using Amazon and often through Bookmooch itself. Thoughts?
- Alison Astor | | (4 years ago) | Amazon search is not working well right now.  BookMooch Blog
Otherwise, you might try ISBN, either 13 or 10 digit versions. In fact, if you have the 10 digit ISBN, you can try putting this in the URL field of your browser: bookmooch.com/m/detail/ and then put in the 10 digits and then hit enter.
- Sarah |
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Looking for an Old Book
Hello, Thank you for the lovely site. I have been trying for a while to find a copy of the following book in English: Mirror of the Polish Crown The book was originally published in 1618 by Sebastian Miczynski. Kind regards East
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East
1 year ago
no comments
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App or website to keep track of books owned
Since joining BM and PBS and regular visits to Goodwill, I have amassed a huge library for my home. Most I want to keep long term. Some will be passed on after I read them at some point. Especially for my kids, I have tried to collect all books from a series. Some series have 50+ books to them all with similar titles and covers. I have tried a few apps/sites to help store my listing of what I own, but none seem to work well. My memory fails me and I end up with duplicates. I pass those on here at BM when someone is wishing, but I would like to stop doing that just because I cannot keep track of what I already have. Can anyone recommend a good site or app that will let me easily catalog my library? Preferably, I want to be able to take a photo of the isbn barcode and have the app find the book for me and then I just add it or I want to upload a spreadsheet of isbns like we can do here on BM for wishlists and bookshelf. Thanks! Good problem to have: too many books!
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Ivy Hostetler
10 years ago
3 comments
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| (10 years ago) | I have an app on my iPad... My Library. It can record both books and DVDs. It can find book info based on a scanned barcode or manual entry.
- Gretchen Ann | | (10 years ago) | I use Goodreads and they have an app that you can use with your smartphone to scan the books in by barcode.
- Sarah | | (10 years ago) | Librarything.com works best for me. I believe you can get a bar code scanner that works with Librarything that lets you scan all your books in quickly. I haven't got that ambitious yet, but may when I retire. I just went through a pile of books and pulled out quite a few duplicates, so can sympathize with your problem!
- Cara |
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A Psalm for the Moochers
The world is my booksource; its books I want.
They make me sigh oft in pure rapture; they lead me on wild adventures.
They enlighten my soul; they lead me down paths of imagination for my own sake.
Though I send off a volume to the ends of the earth, I shall not be wistful: for points are with me; in their promise of bookstuff, they comfort me.
Thus, prepared is the way for to increase my literacy; “only to my country” me foils, but still I am hopeful.
Surely the goodness and mercy of “angels” will give to my yearnings new life, and I will quell for a time with a book my desire. Have a great day everybody!
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Rebel Sun
2 years ago
no comments
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ISBN Number
I am new to BookMooch. When I add a book to give away using the ISBN number, it says the book was found on Amazon, but then everything is blank. The Author, Title, etc. So I entered it by hand. How can ISBN be found but then not list anything?
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Tony
4 years ago
2 comments
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| (3 years ago) | Today is digital detox day - delete redundant websites, mailing lists and remove bookmooch fora that you do not use. The last post here was spammy - so I recommend leaving this one.
But of course I would much rather than books were mooched instead. I post here (as there was a post in the last fortnight) to ask about this - how can we deal with this spam and re-invigorate the site?
The issue over ISBN can only be partially worked around by had entering, as it appears that Amazon database has been used and when it is wrong this cannot be corrected...
- marcus petz | | (4 years ago) | This has been an issue for a long time and we have reported it and it has not been fixed. I would still post it using the actual ISBN since you can still put an ISBN with a blank entry on your wishlist. When I see a blank entry, I will add a review that is just the author name and book title. You can try refreshing the data on the book page, but I have never seen that fix the problem.
- Sarah |
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listing tip
Hi all, just wanted to pass on some info that's working well for me when searching for and listing books- I know ISBN isn't working consistently, and with some titles there are a lot of listings, so what I've been doing is searching title plus the publisher (i.e. Heart is a Lonely Hunter Mariner) and that's been working swimmingly for me in terms of finding the correct book. Happy Mooching!
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Britt
3 years ago
no comments
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How to get a member to mark received
Other than emailing a member is there any other way to get credit for books that the post office has tracked as received into a members post office box? What is a reasonable wait time? Two books were mailed and delivered on 4/14/21. I have clicked remind once and emailed twice now. When I look at the members profile there is what I would call a high percent of books marked as lost in the mail. This is only my second transaction on this site and as of today I think I will just stick with paperback swap, where I have never had a lost book in 19 years. These books were pristine.
Thanks for any suggestions.
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Cheryl T
3 years ago
1 comment
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| (3 years ago) | You've already received your credit for the books; now that you've reminded them, in 6 weeks a "force received" button will appear next to the transaction. You'll need to also send a reminder on the second title for this button to appear. It looks like the user hasn't been active on the site in a bit; after 30 days they will be labeled as "possibly inactive".
Personally, I wouldn't really consider 25 books out 688 mooched a high percentage- things do happen.
- Britt |
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music and movies
Why can't we list other forms of media besides books? Every once in awhile I can list one using the barcode and those are gobbled up instantly so I know the need is there.
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rxlee
3 years ago
1 comment
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| (3 years ago) | Why not just hand enter them? If there is a need people will mooch
I hand enter craft and cookery magazines.
Just add to condition notes that it is CD/DVD
- brownbear |
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Insufficient packaging - what do you do?
Hello everyone,
Various times during my time using BM, I have received mooches in wrapping that has fallen apart before getting to me. Sometimes the books have been completely rewrapped by Royal Mail, usually when entering the UK, other times not. Usually the books aren't damaged, but I'd rather people wrapped their mooches more thoroughly. All the damaged packaging has been either thin paper with no packaging inside or sometimes the US flat rate envelopes. So, what do you do if the packaging is damaged? Do you mention it to the moocher who sent it to you? Leave +0 or -1 feedback? Ignore it? I've mentioned it to the moocher in this instance because it was very thin paper and nothing else, sent internationally.
Lydia
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Lydia Marmorstein
13 years ago
5 comments
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| (13 years ago) | Not a problem I've had yet but I think some people try to minimise weight and therefore mailing costs. I sent a book to Sweden from the UK today in a bubble wrap reinforced envelope and it cost over £5.
- Jonathan | | (13 years ago) | I've mentionned it a couple times when the wrapping was a bit on the light side and got scrunched in transit in a way that caused the book to be partly exposed on arrival, or temporarily waylaid for rewrapping by the postal services.
Never felt the need to lower feedback though, as there was no or only minor damage to the books.
- Aude | | (13 years ago) | I usually mention that they should check the wrapping recommendations in the forums or the wiki, since it came unwrapped, torn, or whatever. But I give +1 for effort, and am nice about it.
- Robin | | (13 years ago) | I would only leave negative feedback if the book had been damaged, but I do usually mention it if the packaging showed up torn. I still give a +1 since I have the book in good condition.
- Sarah | | (13 years ago) | Hear hear!
This is a frequent problem. Many packages arrive damaged, and often from the people who are first to ask why the book hasn't been acknowledged as received only a week after it was sent from another country! I've given up commenting.
Investing in a roll of decent quality tape should be high on the recommendations for anyone sending packages anywhere. "Magic" tape might work for office documents, but it's ridiculous to use it for a parcel going by post.
Always wrap "against", not "for" the post. The package has to resist mechanisation, being thrown around, dragged around in mailbags, and so on. It's a parcel for the post, not a pretty birthday present!
- jacquie |
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Trouble Adding Books
I'm in the US and having trouble adding books today (12/11/2020). I've tried two paths. 1) Using Amazon option via the Add tab. hing is working searching the @ Amazon.uk option (not by title, author, etc - I even tried Tom Sawyer and nothing pulled). Also, Amazon.com isn't showing in the drop down. 2) Using the ISBN search function under manual add isn't yielding the results I would expect. I only found 2 of the 8 books I need to add (and they are NYT best sellers so no reason it's not recognizing them). Is the site down this week? Are US givers no longer able to give?
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hrmeg
4 years ago
2 comments
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| (4 years ago) | Thank you - Upon your advise, I added manually.
- hrmeg | | (4 years ago) | If you look in the book mooch blog forum, you'll see the history of the Amazon issues and why amazon US is no longer available. From experience, newly published books don't come up in a search, nor does ISBN 13. I find an author/title combo works best; I suspect those listing newly published titles are hand entering them.
- Britt |
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emails for Wishlist availability
ok- am 100% positive that emails are NOT being sent when a wishlist book is available, only when a similar wishlisted book is available. Have been aware of this for some time, yet was never able to confirm this. Has anyone else experienced this? I was very active for 2+ years in this system, and for about 6 months have been wondering why my books were NEVER available. Now I am sure as I was able to login this morning, and see that a wishlist book is available, yet I have NOT received an email. I think I was able to see the book, as it was not from my country (the US), and no one else mooched it yet. Help please :(
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max
13 years ago
15 comments
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| (4 years ago) | You should be able to mark it is a lost at this point (there should be a lost button on the right).
- Britt | | (4 years ago) | I have had a book that was supposed to be sent to me from about 3 years ago. I have not received it yet.
- Rose Marie | | (11 years ago) | Maybe you might get lucky if you join the International Wishlist Tag Game group.
 Free for All - Part 3"
- birdbrain | | (11 years ago) | I have noticed that it goes in spurts. That were will be nothing to mooch for months and then there will be a whole bunch of things at once. Although, I must admit I am guilty of only putting books up to mooch when I need points. I live in a really small town with no bookstore, so I try hard to balance getting and receiving because I have to go a long way to get mail as well.
- Margaret Elizabeth | | (11 years ago) | is it okay to post a link to another book trading site here? I trade at another one sometimes, and they have alot of books that I want... I dont have enough credits there to order them all, haha. But here I like to check out the recently added section to 'impulse' trade I guess, for anything that catches my fancy ;P
- pacrat | | (11 years ago) | Rose Marie: You can donate your points to charity (http://bookmooch.com/m/charity) or give them to another member, or just hang on to them. Or just mooch books to take to your local used book shop, I suppose?
I feel your pain. I have almost 400 points, don't ever see anything I want to mooch and my wishlist (8 pages worth!) never gets a hit. I hate throwing away books but I don't live anywhere near a used book shop, and I'm tired of spending money on mailing books with no real return for myself. Yes, I know, I'm helping share books worldwide but I hope everyone understands what I mean by no real return for myself. So, yes, I feel your pain.
- Bast | | (11 years ago) | I have sent out 9 books but cannot find anything I want on the book lists. Have about 4 books on wish list for a long time. I have approximately 20-25 books more I would like to give away but think since I am not finding anything that I may bring my books to a used book store instead. What then would I do with my points?
- Rose Marie | | (11 years ago) | Thank you!
- Marissa Lopez | | (11 years ago) | It's there now
- Cara | | (11 years ago) | I can't see it either, so I suggest you email the site admins: http://bookmooch.com/m/email_support
- Sarah | | (11 years ago) | I can't see my wishlist at all!
any help?!
- Marissa Lopez | | (13 years ago) | I just received an email for a newly posted book on my wishlist. Coincidentally, i was already online and had just checked my wishlist, so I had already mooched it by the time the email was delivered.
So, the system is working as it was designed to. I know it's frustrating that you may not feel like the design works for you.
- Robin | | (13 years ago) | You can't rely on waiting for an email. Like others said-they don't send them to everyone, just to random wishers until it's mooched by anyone.
I only receive 5 or 6 WL emails a year and they're usually gone by the time I do. I wouldn't get any WL books here at all if I waited for them. Most of the WL books I get are from just checking my account everyday. I probably miss a lot just not checking often enough.
- Msright | | (13 years ago) | @Max, as Robin said, everyone on the wishlist does not receive an email right away. They go out randomly, every 4 hours I think, until the book is mooched. Also, others who see that the book is on their wishlist (by checking their wishlist or using the RSS feed) may mooch the book at any time. Those of us who have used Bookmooch for a long time have learned that relying on wishlist emails for notification of books you want is not very effective. Some people check their wishlist many times a day, some have an RSS feed set up on a mobile device. I have my RSS feed set up on my browser home page (iGoogle) so I can check from home or work. BTW, if a book you want is not available in your country and you feel it is worth 3 points to you, you can always use the angel network.
- Cara | | (13 years ago) | Well, I have received emails for books on my wishlist, but not recently. I assume it's because since they go out randomly to 5 people at a time, that I just wasn't in the first group before it got moooched. Are you the ONLY person who has that book on your wishlist?
- Robin |
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Book Not Marked as Received
Hello, I sent a book to a requester, and the book was received according to tracking. But they have not marked it received even though I sent a reminder. Is there a way for me to mark it as received?
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Tony
4 years ago
2 comments
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| (4 years ago) | Oh ok, thanks Britt!
- Tony | | (4 years ago) | If you've sent the reminder, in 6 weeks a button will show up next to the transaction saying "force receive". Unfortunately, there isn't a faster way to do it. Caveat- don't hit remind again, or the 6 weeks will restart.
- Britt |
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missing email notifications
I'm not sure if this is the appropriate place to put this- my apologies if it is not. I've not received an email regarding the last three requests for mooches. I only discovered them when I went into my account, which I don't do daily. I'm not sure what's changed- I'm still receiving notifications for books posted to my wishlist and for acceptances. Any help would be appreciated.
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CNY Reader
5 years ago
3 comments
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| (5 years ago) | Sometimes I would receive 2 emails but sometimes only at the second email.
- Britt | | (5 years ago) | Have you checked your spam folder? I've sometimes found important emails have somehow gone in there for some reason.
- Ruth | | (5 years ago) | I've had this happen to me fairly often recently as well. I was able to solve it by adding a second email address- I'm not sure if that's a viable option for you?
It would be good to know why this is happening, though.
- Britt |
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