Paperback Swap Tips

A paperback swap can be a fun activity for a book club, a fundraiser for your organization, or just a great way to find more books to read for free!

How to Organize a Book Swap

Organizing a book exchange is pretty simple. Here are the basic steps:

First, determine the purpose of your book exchange. Are you just interested in getting a group of friends together and exchanging books? Or, are you interested in organizing a larger event as a fundraiser for a school or non-profit organization?
Next, send out invitations and publicize your swap. The more people that sign up for your book swap, the more books everyone will have to choose from. If you are hosting a fundraiser, send out notice in your organization's newsletter or email list serve.
Determine how you'll organize the exchange. If it's a fundraiser, you'll want to charge an entrance fee, such as $5 or $10. When someone enters the book swap, issue them tickets or credits based on the number of books they bring. Then, they can take that same number of books with them.
Make it fair. Don't let your swap turn into a feeding frenzy. If you only have a few people, take turns picking books. If you're hosting a fundraiser, have people drop off books one day, organize them by category, and then hold the book swap on another day. Make sure you have a clear starting time so everyone has a fair start!

You may also want to check out this online version of a book swap, where you only pay shipping to exchange books with other users.