Get It, Read It, Pass It Along!

[David]

Not sure how many folks from the old Bullpen Bulletins days may remember this, but we had a thread set up (started by Miguel, I believe) where you could suggest (or recommend) a collected edition that you want to read (or have read) and if anyone else wanted to read it, a chain was formed.  So if Slick, Junior, and Sport wanted to read The Nightly News, once it's obtained they spend some time and read it, then mail it to the next one on the list.  Lather, rinse, repeat.

Would anyone be interested in doing this?  It's listeners/forum members maintained, which I think went pretty well last time.  And it's a way to try something where the only thing you pay for is postage.  Which I think is why it was mostly trade paperbacks, to cut down on weight on not worry about any nicks and dents.  At one point I think notes, sketches, doodles, and the like were scribbled inside at least one trade.

So this will either die a quick, quiet death or it'll have legs.  We'll see.

[zack kruse]

So are there multiple books going around at the same time?

Yeah, I was wondering the same thing. Maybe we should get a list together of who gets what and in what order. If we we know who's involved we can do a shotgun start for one of the books (if we do multiples)

I suppose we'll also need a list of addresses?

[David]

Addresses should be PM'ed.  Before someone finishes a trade they can ask the next person for their address.

The list of people for a book and the list of books can be posted so everyone knows what's what.

We can make a subforum for the whole shebang with new threads for each book or we can maintain it in this thread or a new one, whichever is easiest for all involved.

Although, I'm really curious to find out what Dan has planned...

[Papercut]

Although, I'm really curious to find out what Dan has planned...

Oh, I doubt it's going to be a shocker…    .. But here it is. Okay -- Since this thread is a good place for recommendations, reviews and notices for people wanting to participate, I thought it might  be slightly unwieldy to keep track of where each trade is at any given time, soooo….I had an idea. I started a Goodreads account for this that can act like a library. Each user has a "Shelf" and the books can trade hands (virtually) by just placing the book into the other person's shelf on the site. (I also started a group there for shits and giggles: 11 O'Clock Mafia. So if you already have a Goodreads account, you can join it…I guess.)

Basically, if people want to go with this option, I can give everyone the login to the account so you can go in and change the shelf after you send it or edit your shelf's name or even add more books if you're putting some up as being available. The forum/PMs would still be used to exchange mailing addresses, etc, but it may just be a clean little tool to use to keep track of things. No need to create anything yourself or add any books or even log in if you don't want to -- I or anyone else can make the shelf swaps for you if needed.

Let me know if you think this will work -- if not, then nevermind! 


EDIT: Disregard -- nothing to see here! 

[clever_username]

I tried to join the group, but it keeps telling me that it is private.

[Papercut]

Ahh -- sorry. I marked it private until we figured out if it was something to persue. The group wasn't really for the Trade Swap thing -- just something I was tooling with...

Let me see if I can open it up.

[Chad (Grilled Cheese Sandwich)]

Sounds cool...Another way of doing it wold be to create a group accessible spreadsheet on a Google app...each person could put their info and available books on a page and send an email with a request...

And, yes, I know this is slightly off topic...but I noticed that the amount of music flowing through this site is rich and complex...any thoughts on starting a 11 o'clock music club...any signed up would get a mix in the mail from another member...set up a rotation. Let's say I have September...I make a mix, burn copies, and mail 'em out to everyone who's joined...Next month it's someone else's turn...Discs are relatively cheap and so is postage for discs...I was a member of a few of these that were organized through APM Weekend America...was a really neat way to gain access to a lot of new music...

[Brian G]

I'd be down for this as well.

[Steve Raker]

An easy way to manage would be in this very thread, putting available books/titles in a bold color, and if folks are interested, they can simply 'reply' to that books' initial post.  You could scroll back to see what books are in circulation and reply to get on the chain. 
...just a thought from a simple caveman, to whom this internet seems like staring into a magical pool of crystaline liquid (actually, my LCD screen kinda is! ).

[David]

An easy way to manage would be in this very thread, putting available books/titles in a bold color, and if folks are interested, they can simply 'reply' to that books' initial post.  You could scroll back to see what books are in circulation and reply to get on the chain. 

Excellent idea.  I enabled a feature that keeps the thread starter atop each page in a stickied thread so even if the thread goes on for dozens of pages, you won't have to go back to the page one.  Just scroll to the top of the current page.

[Chad (Grilled Cheese Sandwich)]

Excellent idea.  I enabled a feature that keeps the thread starter atop each page in a stickied thread so even if the thread goes on for dozens of pages, you won't have to go back to the page one.  Just scroll to the top of the current page.

You so smrt...S M R T smart...that's you!!!!

[deadcowaroma]

So what's the thought on Canada then....eh? I'm not sure what shipping to here is like. 

[Chad (Grilled Cheese Sandwich)]

So what's the thought on Canada then....eh? I'm not sure what shipping to here is like. 

Any chance we can get some estimates on what shipping would be like?

[Papercut]

Any chance we can get some estimates on what shipping would be like?

It will vary depending on the weight of the trades.

I shipped something to Canada during last year's comic giveaway and it cost less than $5 to mail a padded envelope to Toronto (from MN) which was less than a pound (which most standard trades should fall under). If it's a thicker/heavier book, it can rise to anywhere between $8 and $12 and above (basically $4+ a pound). 

The down side that it may take a while to get there.

[deadcowaroma]

Any chance we can get some estimates on what shipping would be like?

Well the cheapest price is around 5 bucks. I don't care about my shipping costs, but I'm not sure whether it's fair to ask other people to ship to me.

[Papercut]

Well the cheapest price is around 5 bucks. I don't care about my shipping costs, but I'm not sure whether it's fair to ask other people to ship to me.

Well, you're in the same boat since you'd have to ship them back to the States.

[deadcowaroma]

Well, you're in the same boat since you'd have to ship them back to the States.

Ah! Well I'm in if it's cool with everyone. 

[Papercut]

Ah! Well I'm in if it's cool with everyone. 

How about we just fax you the pages when it's your turn? 

[zack kruse]

I grabbed a couple of books tonight at the store that are ready to go whenever we have everything set up

[David]

What should go first?  Names so that it's first come, first served or the title of the books in case someone on the list already owns or read it?

[zack kruse]

I would think the title may be better, that way people who have already read/owns the book can be by-passed.