“Green” is the big catchword this summer. Green, green, green. Recycle. Repurpose. Re-use.

One really nice way to recycle books is to trade them. What better way to do that than online, especially for those of us who don’t live near a used bookstore (or whose used bookstore in town smells of cigarettes? Don’t get me started on that one!).

I am going to tell you about my three favorite websites for books: Paperback Swap, Book Mooch, and Book Crossing. There are others, of course, but these are the three I have had the most experience with using, myself.

Paperback Swap and Book Mooch work on the same principle of book trading. Mail a book to someone on your dime, for which you receive a credit. Then request a book from someone else, using your credit, and she mails it to you (for which she receives a credit, to request a book from someone else). Paperback Swap’s page about themselves can be found here, and Book Mooch’s “about” page is here. While each site has its own rules and procedures, the basic premise is the same. Paperback Swap is strictly for United States citizens, while Book Mooch is a worldwide site (although if postage costs are an issue for you, you can opt for mailing only within your own country).

Book Crossing is based on another concept. It’s the random leaving of books for others to find, but each book is labeled with a Book Crossing ID. The idea is to track your book around the world. Book Crossing’s home page has a more detailed explanation.

While the concept of watching your books travel around the world seems really neat, it hasn’t worked out all that well for me. Sometimes I get to see where my books have gone, but more often than not it’s as if they disappeared off the face of the earth.

I mentioned used bookstores as an option, but I didn’t mention free trade shelves. I’ve seen this both where we are now and where we lived before…places either in a library or on our Air Force base where people are free to leave books they don’t want and pick up ones they do. My local Curves have them. A local coffee shop has it. It’s FABULOUS!

I also have donated books to “Friends of the Library” book sales, and purchased books for fifty cents or a dollar each. I’ve even been known to buy books specifically to trade online later…but that’s probably too much information about my addiction. (Shhh, don’t tell my husband!)

Now you know some of my experience with “recycling” my books. If there’s anything I haven’t addressed, or if you have any specific questions for me, please leave them in the comments of this post and I’ll answer in an upcoming post!