wendye:

Again I agree I have some expensive hardbacks on here but if I wasn't prepared to swap them for paperbooks or any book of a lower value I wouldn't have put them on.  As I said earlier if I had wanted money for them I would have gone elsewhere.  To me it's more about someone wanting the books I'm offering then what I'm getting out of it.  This site allows me to try out authors I wouldn't risk trying if I was buying the books and to swap the one I do have for others that I would like.  Aside from a way of indicating that I am prepared to accept the postage or even discuss a future swap I am quite happy as things are.

Perfectly put!

aurora72:

I think a lot of people would stop using the site or use it less often if a fee was introduced (i know i couldnt afford it). We have a wonderful site and i think its simplicity is the main reason why. Sometimes increasing complexity is a bad thing!

I am with Aurora on this one  I certainly would stop using the site if it was fee paying - it is a lovely site and very addictive and very simple to use.  Sometimes new members may think its tooo simple and simply wonder where the catch its but hey this is a great site.

When adding a book to the library it is possible to scan the blurb from the back of a book into your description because I have done it a few times so there could be another box for you to add this in.

It's really easy to copy and paste the Amazon blurb into the description box on RISI, you just need to make sure that it is less than 500 words, but I often delete a few lines here and there to make it fit.

Richard - you need to be logged on to see the books properly - if you can see a box asking you to Register Now, then you've not logged in.

As for the DVD/CD swapping - yes, I am sure that there is a market for it - I personally wouldnt use it as I rarely watch film and keep all my CDs - or sell on EBay if I'm having a clear out.  I doubt that this would be developed as a sister site to RISI, as I've said before the RISI owners work full time away from the site - it's not a commercial venture for them.

As for E Books - I personally have no interest in them whatsoever, I'm not sure if there is a market for it on RISI - most of us forum members are book addicts - by that I mean actual books that you can touch, feel, smell, arrange on shelves etc.  I think there was a discussion around the rising popularity of EBooks and whilst most people feel pleased that new readers may be encouraged by them, I'm not sure that there would be a swapping market for them - I may be wrong though!  

riccardo:

3) Nobody has said anything yet so I still believe that e-books should be a swap option.  There are more of these around than some might think.  The advantages of course are no costs and no trip to the Post Office.

Think I'm one of the few people here who are looking forward to the development of e-books, as a supplement to proper books, not as a replacement. Whilst the idea of e-books sounds fantastic (no postage costs, etc) I'm not sure I'd be happy downloading something from an unknown source and I think lots of others would feel the same.

One possible solution here would be that documents like this are sent to RISI first so that they can be checked and then forwarded, however this would make the swap a little more complicated and make more work for RISI. There's also the question of what happens if something is corrupted while being sent. Mind you this sounds pretty similar to sending a book via Royal Mail!!!!

You make some good points - both for and against.  At least email is arguably more reliable than rmail andall us intelligent folk use virus checkers, firewalls etc etc these days.  Registered members of RISI are not exactly unknown sources and unlikely to join just to send dodgy files.  But I understand where you are coming from.

Shirley

Not sure why you have suggested this.

Richard

Hi Richard

Your point number 5 about descriptions of books,you get quite a few people who don't bother with a description because they can't find one on Amazon, I was just pointing out that you can scan your own description in from the book itself,but I think some people can't be bothered and just assume that if people are looking for this book it doesn't matter about a description.

It does annoy me no end when I look at some ones list of books and there are no descriptions,so I usually say no to swaps. 

Hi Shirley

Annoys me too and, as a result, I often say no too.  I don't see why I have to go searching around the internet looking for hyped up publisher descriptions.  What I want is an honest opinion from the swapper.  Otherwise, it's like phoning a company for a brochure and then being told to go and have a look at their website!

And as I have already said, this is even more important when the book is specialised non fiction.  I have been looking for books on language and piano studies.  When I search for them the site gives me a list.  The when I click on each one I usually get a message saying it isn't available.  on the very odd occasion one is available, there's no opinion or description given.

My time really is money.  It would be cheaper to just buy one from Amazon etc.

Richard

I understand how this can be frustrating if you are looking for books for your work.  However, I'm the opposite and love looking up different books to see what they are about, I will often visit different sites to get other reviews about the book before making a decision. I've found many gems this way, which has led me to other books by similar authors or a totally new genre for me.

I can understand though that not everyone wants to do this, especially if, as you say 'time is money' - it's something I do enjoy though.  Saying that I always include some sort of description of my books if there isnt one available on RISI. 

Richard thought you might like to know I came across a site where you can swap dvds and other things too.  It seems to work on a points basis - you earn points for items and use the points earned to get other things.  If you or anyone wants to have a look PM me and I will let you have the address (not sure about posting it as this would be advertising and would not be fair to do)  I haven't used the site myself I just came across it when I was looking for prices on a dvd.

Wendy

annecater:

I understand how this can be frustrating if you are looking for books for your work.  However, I'm the opposite and love looking up different books to see what they are about, I will often visit different sites to get other reviews about the book before making a decision. I've found many gems this way, which has led me to other books by similar authors or a totally new genre for me.

I can understand though that not everyone wants to do this, especially if, as you say 'time is money' - it's something I do enjoy though.  Saying that I always include some sort of description of my books if there isnt one available on RISI. 

I also enjoy looking up different books and like Anne have found some gems I might not have if I had just read the usual blurb. As for adding a fee, I am a definate NO. As I already spend around £45 to £50 a month on postage a fee would make me quit.

I have swapped a hardback book which only just made 2nd class for one so thin I thought when the parcel arrived they had forgotten to put the book in, but that was my choice (I enjoyed the book I got) if I wanted more for my book as has been said I would have put it on Ebay or Amazon.

 

 

mrsauk:

I also enjoy looking up different books and like Anne have found some gems I might not have if I had just read the usual blurb. As for adding a fee, I am a definate NO. As I already spend around £45 to £50 a month on postage a fee would make me quit.

Blimey Carol and I thought I was getting through a lot (I've sent off 7 so far this week and have another to send tomorrow) - mind you over £8 of that last lot was for those you sent me.

Wendy

Hi Wendy

Thanks for the offer.  I am aware of this site.  Still think that RISI could put up a sister site to do this and 'keep it all in the family' so to speak.

Regards, Richard

Although I agree that there are improvements that could be made to RiSi and some of Richard's original suggestions have been made before (e.g. adding a description when none is available on Amazon, other options for rejecting books) but I really don't see that anything that changes RiSi so it is no longer a simple book swapping site is an improvement.

There have been developments in the time that I have been a member but nothing has changed the fact that RiSi does what it says on the tin. You read a book and then swap it for one you want to read.

It's a site for people who love books and reading of all kinds. Isn't that why we joined?