Book buying...

[PneumaticJawz78]

Another one of my little random questions! :)

I would almost always rather buy used books, becuase they're cheaper and, you know, reuse, reduce...

But often the price of the shipping combined with the price of the book will add up to as much as the one, say, they're selling at Borders.

Is it more environmentally friendly to buy a book new, or to buy a book that has to be shipped?

[ficbot]

It is more environmentally friendly to by an e-book. Check out Fictionwise.com, you can read on ipods, cellphones, anywhere

[rosiem]

E-books suck all the soul and life out of a book.

Where's the musty smell of paper? The crinkle of each page? The comforting, homey color? The solid, tangible feel of it in your hands? The thrill of curling up under the covers at night with a flashlight, turning page after page to get to the end? The wrinkles, creases, and tattered cover of a book read over and over again until the spine cracks and pages fall out, but you keep reading it anyway because you love the story so much?

No e-book does that.

P.S. Aren't there any second hand stores in your area? If not, don't sweat it. Books are a really small part of your carbon footprint. If it makes you feel guilty, remember how many resources you save by being a veggie! :D

[Kiz]

I haunt op-shops (thrift stores) for good book buys. They are often even cheaper than 2nd hand book stores.

[Marie]

Some of the larger chains have started selling used books. :)

[Nickle00]

Have you ever tried out swaptree (http://www.swaptree.com/WebFrmLoginRegistration.aspx?mode=login)? It's an awesome site! I use it all the time to swap used DVDs, books, and cds. You can also swap video games. It has trader ratings similar to ebay and all it costs you is the price of shipping. It's pretty sweet you should check it out.

[animallover7249]

Have you ever tried out swaptree (http://www.swaptree.com/WebFrmLoginRegistration.aspx?mode=login)? It's an awesome site! I use it all the time to swap used DVDs, books, and cds. You can also swap video games. It has trader ratings similar to ebay and all it costs you is the price of shipping. It's pretty sweet you should check it out.

I was going to reccomend this. :D I have a thread on it in the frugal forum if you want to search for it.

Another great way I get books are at the salvation army. They are 75 cents per book or 2 for $1 here.
Not too long ago my parents seen a yardsale and stopped and got me some books for a quarter each. :nana:

[animallover7249]

P.S. Aren't there any second hand stores in your area? If not, don't sweat it. Books are a really small part of your carbon footprint. If it makes you feel guilty, remember how many resources you save by being a veggie! :D

That really depends on how many books you read. I am a HUGE bookworm and I can read multiple books a week. If I bought all of these new and never got rid of them (when I trade them I lower the chances of someone buying a book new) it would be a lot of wasted paper. Many not a HUGE impact on my carbon footprint, but if you can buy used why not?

BTW - on swaptree I normally spend less than $2 to ship a book out.

[Fyvel]

E-books suck all the soul and life out of a book.


Look, I love the feel of a book in my hands as much as any other reader, but there is certainly a time and a place for e-books. I have literally hundreds of books and they're starting to pile up, I just don't have the space for them and don't have the heart to give them away (because I'd like to read them again or use them for reference, etc). That's not a problem with e-books. I download books on my ipod and it's great for traveling. With it I can fit many books all in my pocket - how convenient!

And if I decide I want a book on a whim I can get it right away without having to travel to a book store (and sometimes you have to go to several before you find what you're looking for, or order on Amazon and have to wait for it to arrive, etc etc)

I'm not about to give up completely on paper books, but the ease and convenience of e-books has me sold.

[Shamandura]

Look, I love the feel of a book in my hands as much as any other reader, but there is certainly a time and a place for e-books. I have literally hundreds of books and they're starting to pile up, I just don't have the space for them and don't have the heart to give them away (because I'd like to read them again or use them for reference, etc). That's not a problem with e-books. I download books on my ipod and it's great for traveling. With it I can fit many books all in my pocket - how convenient!

And if I decide I want a book on a whim I can get it right away without having to travel to a book store (and sometimes you have to go to several before you find what you're looking for, or order on Amazon and have to wait for it to arrive, etc etc)

I'm not about to give up completely on paper books, but the ease and convenience of e-books has me sold.

I too have many books, but the idea of having them stored in one place scares me, that and if I ever lost my ebook all of my collection would be gone with it! I just find things like kindle/ebooks as more easily destructable.
That, and I have a small antiquarian collection of books and I would never trade them for a digital format...

[Fyvel]

I too have many books, but the idea of having them stored in one place scares me, that and if I ever lost my ebook all of my collection would be gone with it! I just find things like kindle/ebooks as more easily destructable.
That, and I have a small antiquarian collection of books and I would never trade them for a digital format...

I think there's a way that you can backup your collection of ebooks? I have no idea how to do it though :lol:

There are definitely some books I would want in paper format but for casual reading (especially of books I wouldn't really want to keep), I think the electronic format is the way to go :)

[fadeaway1289]

What about the library? Mine always have daily book sales usually for $1.00 hardcover/50 cents paperback. I will search there frequently and if I buy a book and find I have no interest in ever reading it again I donate it back to them to sell to someone else. Thrift stores, swaptree, ebooks and yard sales are also great ideas.

[jenni-anti-fur]

I dont like the idea of E-books either...I buy my books at the local used book stores...thrift stores..local libraries...some have special book days where you can purchase a ton for a buck or two...and 10 cent day was a fave of mine too...hard backs and papebacks..I read them swap with friends and then we donate them again after everyone who wants to read them does.

My local grocery store has had a 50-90% off new book sale going...I always like a sale/bargain and wouldnt buy unless there was an awesome deal...and sometimes the shipping doesnt make it a deal..thats just the way I feel though.

Have a Hippie Day:):)

[ficbot]

E-books are easily backed up as they are just computer files. As to the 'look and feel' issue, that can be replicated easily enough with the right hardware/software/ Don't knock it til you've tried it, I have read more than one media article from someone who never thought they would like it, and did. Myself, I do not have the space to store every book I might want, so for me, ebooks are perfect because I can store them on my computer and keep them after I am done reading. Plus you can get a ton of stuff for free these days. I can 'curl up' with my Sony reader and a flashlight quite easily as its display looks just like real paper.

[Fyvel]

E-books are easily backed up as they are just computer files. As to the 'look and feel' issue, that can be replicated easily enough with the right hardware/software/ Don't knock it til you've tried it, I have read more than one media article from someone who never thought they would like it, and did. Myself, I do not have the space to store every book I might want, so for me, ebooks are perfect because I can store them on my computer and keep them after I am done reading. Plus you can get a ton of stuff for free these days. I can 'curl up' with my Sony reader and a flashlight quite easily as its display looks just like real paper.

:yes: I was one of those people who swore they would never read e-books until I got my ipod and downloaded some classics. I was impressed with how convenient and easy it was. Plus I could read in the car at night without bothering with a booklight! :)

[rosiem]

Also, I can't handle staring at a screen (especially one as small as an iPod's) for too long... My eyes start to hurt.

But really, it's the smell and the feel of it that keeps me reading books.

[Marie]

I thought about getting an e-book reader. Then I started thinking that it's nice to have something as simple as a book. The pages never freeze up like a screen, you don't have to worry about the battery running down, they don't break if you drop them, you can read a book you bought 30 years ago because they don't go obsolete. It's kind of nice when practically everything is electronic nowadays. :)

[rainforests1]

I generally only buy used books on amazon.com. A lot of the books I want to read I can't find in local stores so amazon is much better. I try to buy one book per month and in many cases not even that, so it's not a big environmental problem. I have also bought used books at my local library, but it's rare that they have something I'm interested in.

[rainforests1]

I download books on my ipod
How do you do that? I've never heard of anyone doing that before.

[ficbot]

rosieM, am e-ink screen does not feel like a 'screen' it is designed to look like paper and your eyes won't hurt from reading it :)

Also, the battery on my Sony Reader lasts for 70,000 page turns before it needs re-charging :)

As for cost, I keep an Excel spreadsheet adding up what I have spent both on the device and on books for it, then it divides that total by how many books I have read to give me an approximate cost per book. The freebies I read on it (classics, Creative Commons licensed titles, books bought with store credit thanks to the rebate system at my favourite on-line store) bring the cost down a lot. I am at abut $7 a book, and if I finish everything on my Reader before I buy anything new, it will be down to about $3.

I have converted all my 'protected' books to HTML thanks to a free internet utility, so I am not worried that they will become 'obsolete.' I still have the first ebook I bought in about 2003.

I realize ebooks may not be for everyone, but I do like to point out to people that it might not be what you think it is anymore :) There has been a lot of progress made and you can get comfortable to use, easy to use devices that do not have tiny screens and do not feel like you are reading off a computer, and you can get a) a ton of free books and b) modern best-sellers for them quite easily.

[Marie]

I have converted all my 'protected' books to HTML thanks to a free internet utility, so I am not worried that they will become 'obsolete.' I still have the first ebook I bought in about 2003.



I have a book my grandma bought back in 1945. :p

[jenni-anti-fur]

I have a book my grandma bought back in 1945. :p


Thats Totally Awesome:):)

[DMZdogs]

I go to the library. They give you a library card for free, which then enables you to check out books....for free. Can't be beat.

(oh, and you can also check out DVDs, CDs, video cassettes, audio books on CD, and at my library, you can even download books....all for free)

I consider using the library to be like using public transportation. Everyone shares the same resources. (except the library is free)

[greensgood]

Im also a library nerd! IMO it is the most eco-friendly way to read books and cheapest (free unless you return late...). many libraries will order titles for you or if you are in a city with multiple libraries some will transfer books too, it never hurts to ask.

[Marie]

I want to start going to the library again.