Comments on: Bookswim – Netflix for Books? http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/05/17/bookswim-netflix-for-books/ David Lee King is the Digital Branch & Services Manager at the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, where he plans, implements, and experiments with emerging technology trends. He has spoken in the U.S. and Canada about emerging trends, website usability and management, digital experience planning, and managing techie staff, and has been published in many library-related journals. David writes the Internet Spotlight column in Public Libraries Magazine with Michael Porter. David maintains a blog at http://www.davidleeking.com Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:38:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Debbie http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/05/17/bookswim-netflix-for-books/comment-page-1/#comment-23533 Debbie Mon, 14 Dec 2009 12:52:53 +0000 http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/05/17/bookswim-netflix-for-books/#comment-23533 Just a slight typo. The Bookswim service is $24/month for 3 books! Just a slight typo. The Bookswim service is $24/month for 3 books!

]]> By: S.Negraval http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/05/17/bookswim-netflix-for-books/comment-page-1/#comment-7345 S.Negraval Fri, 25 May 2007 20:39:13 +0000 http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/05/17/bookswim-netflix-for-books/#comment-7345 Hey everyone! Thanks for your interest in <a href="http://www.bookswim.com" rel="nofollow"> Bookswim, an online book rental club </a>. 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 <a href="http://www.bookswim.com" rel="nofollow"> online book rental </a>. 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

]]> By: S.Negraval http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/05/17/bookswim-netflix-for-books/comment-page-1/#comment-25560 S.Negraval Fri, 25 May 2007 20:39:00 +0000 http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/05/17/bookswim-netflix-for-books/#comment-25560 Hey everyone! Thanks for your interest in <a href="http://www.bookswim.com" rel="nofollow"> Bookswim, an online book rental club </a>. 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 <a href="http://www.bookswim.com" rel="nofollow"> online book rental </a>. 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

]]> By: K.G. Schneider http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/05/17/bookswim-netflix-for-books/comment-page-1/#comment-7338 K.G. Schneider Fri, 25 May 2007 13:21:27 +0000 http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/05/17/bookswim-netflix-for-books/#comment-7338 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’.

]]> By: K.G. Schneider http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/05/17/bookswim-netflix-for-books/comment-page-1/#comment-25559 K.G. Schneider Fri, 25 May 2007 13:21:00 +0000 http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/05/17/bookswim-netflix-for-books/#comment-25559 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’.

]]> By: davidleeking http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/05/17/bookswim-netflix-for-books/comment-page-1/#comment-7337 davidleeking Fri, 25 May 2007 11:59:53 +0000 http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/05/17/bookswim-netflix-for-books/#comment-7337 $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?

]]> By: davidleeking http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/05/17/bookswim-netflix-for-books/comment-page-1/#comment-25558 davidleeking Fri, 25 May 2007 11:59:00 +0000 http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/05/17/bookswim-netflix-for-books/#comment-25558 $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?

]]> By: K.G. Schneider http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/05/17/bookswim-netflix-for-books/comment-page-1/#comment-7327 K.G. Schneider Thu, 24 May 2007 21:33:11 +0000 http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/05/17/bookswim-netflix-for-books/#comment-7327 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.

]]> By: K.G. Schneider http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/05/17/bookswim-netflix-for-books/comment-page-1/#comment-25557 K.G. Schneider Thu, 24 May 2007 21:33:00 +0000 http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/05/17/bookswim-netflix-for-books/#comment-25557 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.

]]> By: Lauren http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/05/17/bookswim-netflix-for-books/comment-page-1/#comment-7321 Lauren Thu, 24 May 2007 15:46:02 +0000 http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/05/17/bookswim-netflix-for-books/#comment-7321 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.

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