Props to Bookmooch
I'm enjoying the bookmooch service quite a bit. It's kind of an honor system based inter-library loan, except you aren't loaning books, you own them free and clear. And it's not between libraries, but individuals. But other than that, it's exactly like inter-library loan. :-)
Here's how it works: You put in a list of books gathering dust on your shelf, and a list of books you'd like to read. When there's a match between have's and want's, bookmooch shoots you an email to send or receive the book. You pay postage on outgoing, but the incoming books are free.
It's a treat to have a free book show up in your mailbox ... netflix has that same psychological edge over the local video store, except in the case of netflix they only want you to think it's free.
They keep an upload/download ratio just like the BBS's of yore, but I haven't quite figured out the reputation mgmt system yet. I do know, however, that you can donate your accrued book-donating karma to hospitals so they can get more book donations for patients. How cool is that?
So far I've sent 8 and received three, and I recommend the service to everyone I get within earshot (apologies to friends). Give it a shot.
4:24:43 PM 
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