There’s an interesting discussion going on right now about BookSwim. Bookswim is hoping to be a Netflix for books (for a monthly fee of $24 per month for 3 books).
The interesting discussion is taking place on the download squad blog. Read the post, then read the comments – lots of good fodder about customer perception of libraries there.
And the author of the post, Brad Linder, is to be thanked by all librarians for saying things like this about BookSwim:
- “But also unlike your public library, you have to pay a monthly fee to join [bookswim].”
- “Or you could, you know, go to your local library. They might not have 150,000 titles, but that’s what interlibrary loan is for.” (wow – he even uses ILL – cool!).
So go read the post and the comments!
Just a slight typo. The Bookswim service is $24/month for 3 books!
Oops! I’ll correct that!
Oops! I’ll correct that!
I don’t think it is an either/or proposition. I joined Bookswim. Not one of the seven books I ordered are available at my local branch library which is filled almost entirely with popular fiction and nonfiction. When I did take out books from my library, I found it almost impossible to return them since even the bookdrop had inconvenient hours. That said, I think public libraries are essential for communities and I wouldn’t have survived childhood and adolescence without them. My choice was not “Bookswim” or public library but “bookswim” or Amazon…. I think there is room for all three.
I don’t think it is an either/or proposition. I joined Bookswim. Not one of the seven books I ordered are available at my local branch library which is filled almost entirely with popular fiction and nonfiction. When I did take out books from my library, I found it almost impossible to return them since even the bookdrop had inconvenient hours. That said, I think public libraries are essential for communities and I wouldn’t have survived childhood and adolescence without them. My choice was not “Bookswim” or public library but “bookswim” or Amazon…. I think there is room for all three.
Interlibrary loan? In Palo Alto, it was $7.50 a book. I can buy used books cheaper on Amazon than that… and get them faster, and keep, resell them, or give them away.
Actually, for $24/month, I could probably do just fine without Bookswim by buying the books online… but “you can just use ILL” is not a reality for everyone.
Interlibrary loan? In Palo Alto, it was $7.50 a book. I can buy used books cheaper on Amazon than that… and get them faster, and keep, resell them, or give them away.
Actually, for $24/month, I could probably do just fine without Bookswim by buying the books online… but “you can just use ILL” is not a reality for everyone.
$7.50 a book??? Wow. It’s free in Topeka. So… don’t use Bookswim in Topeka, then?
$7.50 a book??? Wow. It’s free in Topeka. So… don’t use Bookswim in Topeka, then?
Even where it’s free, ILL can be slow. Note, I was a huge fan of the Link+ system in California. It did a great job.
If Bookswim works like Netflix, where I can get a new movie faster than I can get to a video store, and I can get any DVD title I can think of, and I can have multiple copies out at once, and the software is easy t use, then it could have a serious market.
Again, locally I am doing fine with a combination of the public library and Amazon’s used books. But I wouldn’t pooh-pooh the idea of a book rental market. When its cost gets close to the per annum cost of library taxes, it could even be a threat. Just sayin’.
Even where it’s free, ILL can be slow. Note, I was a huge fan of the Link+ system in California. It did a great job.
If Bookswim works like Netflix, where I can get a new movie faster than I can get to a video store, and I can get any DVD title I can think of, and I can have multiple copies out at once, and the software is easy t use, then it could have a serious market.
Again, locally I am doing fine with a combination of the public library and Amazon’s used books. But I wouldn’t pooh-pooh the idea of a book rental market. When its cost gets close to the per annum cost of library taxes, it could even be a threat. Just sayin’.
Hey everyone!
Thanks for your interest in Bookswim, an online book rental club .
Our goal is NOT to compete with local libraries. In fact, our team LOVES using the local library.
We’re more interested in providing avid readers with a great deal that will save them money.
Plus, we deliver the books conveniently to their your front door, Shipping’s on us!
Thanks again for talking up online book rental . We are currently expanding our collection and are constantly looking for ways to improve our services. Any feedback is appreciated!
S. Negraval
Hey everyone!
Thanks for your interest in Bookswim, an online book rental club .
Our goal is NOT to compete with local libraries. In fact, our team LOVES using the local library.
We’re more interested in providing avid readers with a great deal that will save them money.
Plus, we deliver the books conveniently to their your front door, Shipping’s on us!
Thanks again for talking up online book rental . We are currently expanding our collection and are constantly looking for ways to improve our services. Any feedback is appreciated!
S. Negraval
Just a slight typo. The Bookswim service is $24/month for 3 books!