What did you do with your paper books?

[Betsy]

Tina wrote: "I still admit there is something about seeing a shelf (or shelves) full of books that appeals to me, especially as a write..."

+1

[Charlotte-Marie]

What paperbacks? It is either Hardcover of Kindle (sometimes it is both) - unless the book only comes in paperback. I love to see and have books on the shelf. I am not immune to purchasing the HC, Kindle, and Audio version of a book. If it is made into a movie? Well, just don't tell my husband!

[Arlena]

Hello, I'm Arlena...
I have managed to donote quite a few of my paperbacks to the Library. The others I still have on my shelves.
I still buy the paperback if it is cheaper.
Now, for my kindle I have close to around 500 + or so. Some I have read.... other are to be read (smile).
And I am still buying for that Kindle 3. I have managed to keep all of my favorite authors in paperback and my Kindle.

[Arlena]

Many of my paperback I still have after donating many to the Library are kept on the bookshelf.
The others are on my Kindle that I keep adding to daily.

[Anika]

I still have all my paperbacks but since getting Kindle I only buy if ebook from kindle is not available for my region which I think sucks. But I would like to sell/give away those that I don't ever plan to re-read again.

[sonya]

anika, get packages together of the ones you don't want to reread and send it to operationpaperback.com

[Awesomevegan (AKA JenReads)]

That is a great idea, Sonya!

[sonya]

my new books are kindle; i only buy dtb if the kindle version is not available.

[Roberto]

I still have all my papeer books, they are my collection and I love them :P

[Stacey]

I still have all of my paperbacks I have collected over the years. I love my kindle but I have found that I mis holding a book. When I am actually reading a real book it feels wierd. I do like the idea of donating them to a hospitl nursing home etc. I have a whole ROOM with all of my old books in them. OMG there are justso many of them

[Max]

Sharon wrote: "I have one fear regarding giving up my DTB books. Things on the computer (which Kindle essentially is) change. Software I purchased a few years ago doesn't work on the new operating systems. When I..."
Actually, the great thing about digital content is that you can have as many backups as memory allows. There are also all sorts of online services that allow you to store your media in the cloud. Amazon lets you store and download everything you've purchased through it.
Physical media, on the other hand is just as prone to accidents (or even more), and if you don't have any copies that's it.
I still have most of my books, and I believe we're not yet at a stage when we can totally replace them, but we might be soon enough.

[Mary X]

I'm too cheap to repay for books I've already paid for in some ways. I think most ebooks are way over priced. I got a Kindle about 2 wks ago. I've found 4 of my print TBR books for free on the Kindle and I'll purge those.

During downtime at work, I have a lot of it now with the Holidays coming due to what we manufacture. Anyway, I've been looking up my print books on Kindle and some of them are more expensive in ebook than a new print copy. I can't trade, resell or donate an ebook copy although some can be loaned once for 2 wks.

So I'm still primarily a print gal. I might pay to download a print book I got cheap if I found it for .99 or as part of a bundle with other books that I haven't read yet.

I found a lot of my print TBR books on Kindle at my library and the Philadelphia Free Library ($35 for out of staters). But I'm reluctant to just purge them all and risk that they'll still be available when I want them. On the other hand, I've some of them for years and still haven't read them sooo..,

[Mary X]

I'm also not much of a rereader-which is why ebooks are too expensive in general to me. I can't afford to buy every book new, read it once and then not be able to trade it, sell it or donate it somewhere. I just can't see paying $8+ to download a book that will get read once (maybe twice if it's lendable) and then nothing else.

[Awesomevegan (AKA JenReads)]

I can't afford to buy every book I want to read either and I never purge my books. I am just too attached lol! I do get some ebooks from CWMars and BPL. (Massachusetts libraries) and I also supplement my ebooks with audio books (digital download or CDs borrowed from the library.) I don't buy print books very often anymore but I do collect Maggie Stiefvater, Stephanie Meyer, Cornelia Funke, John Green and Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse books in paper although I do end up listening to them in audio if possible because I love audiobooks and find the weight of paper books impractical now.

I also get discarded paper books from the library but I rarely get around to reading them and if I can find them in ebook will probably donate them back to the discard rack for someone else to read. I also have a Sony Pocket Reader so I have more than one ebook file format I can borrow. I ordered a Fire, I have an old K1 whose battery is sadly failing on me and a friend said he is going to send me his K2 or K3 he forgot which it is because he has a DX and doesn't use the smaller one anymore.

Once I get those it will be easier to borrow library ebooks because the Sony and K1 both require USB and the newer Kindles and the Fire I am assuming can do wifi downloads for library books. Someone please correct me if I am wrong. I highly recommend people check out their libraries and see if they offer digital services and also the large city library for their states as well. (Boston Public Library in my case)

[Eva]

I love all my books so I keep them at home....it's easy with the e-books but the feeling is not the same as holding a paper book in your hands :)

[Mary X]

I'm in Massachusetts too.

At one time I swore I would never get an ereader but now that libraries are getting more ebooks-I broke down and got the Kindle. It helped that it was free with my Amazon credit card points.

I'm actually now thiking about getting a Sony or Nook to make better use of my libraries ebooks.

ETA: well I just spent some time looking at my libraries Nook compatible books and the free Nook books on B&N site. Only about 400 of my libraries ebooks aren't available for Kindle. The Nook freebies look basically the same as the Kindle freebies from Amazon.

So I will stick with 1 ereader for now. At least until I can catch up with reading and purging my print books.

[Awesomevegan (AKA JenReads)]

Scott wrote: "Awesomevegan (AKA JenReads) wrote: "I can't afford to buy every book I want to read either and I never purge my books. I am just too attached lol! I do get some ebooks from CWMars and BPL. (Massach..."

How does the replacement battery compare to the original? I may pick one up just as a backup. :)

[Olivia]

i just keep mine, no point wasting money on something i already have =)

[Awesomevegan (AKA JenReads)]

Scott wrote: "Awesomevegan (AKA JenReads) wrote: "Scott wrote: "Awesomevegan (AKA JenReads) wrote: "I can't afford to buy every book I want to read either and I never purge my books. I am just too attached lol! ..."

Thank you. I may get one. I ordered a Fire. It is my birthday and Christmas present from my parents. I still have my K1 and it still works except for the low battery and an annoying habit of throwing my recently read items to the end of my book list. I used to make a TBR by opening and closing my next books I wanted to read so they would be at the top. I tried resetting but it didn't help. My friend is sending me a K2 or 3. I am not sure which. I think both have collections so that is helpful. I never have a memory card in my K1 anymore because without collections I had way too many books and no organization. My new to me eink Kindle will be for reading and the Fire will be for everything else. On top of all that I still have tons of paper books. I love to read. :)

[Anne]

I rarely read a book twice so over the years accumulated loads of paperbacks. Generally my husband and daughter would read them too and possibly my son. After that I would weed out all but the few I was very fond of or those I might read again. Rest then would go to a local charity.

I won't get rid of any of my ebooks and have been sorry no-one else could read them. Now I've bought Kindle for my husband's looming birthday as he had got through all the paperbacks and we enjoy similar titles.

I'm considering getting one for my daughter too.

I'm an expat living in Spain. Before the Kindle I was reduced to reading other people's charity shop offerings or, more recently, a new UK bookshop but with limited titles. However I found that rather unsatisfactory given the millions of books I really would like to read.

My son bought the Kindle for himself, loaned it to me and now it sort of has become mine! He has agreed with that as he uses an app on his Android phone.

I wouldn't be without it now and am so grateful to authors and publishers for making Kindle books available.

An additional benefit is that I have carpal tunnel syndrome in both hands and the reader is less of a strain to hold.

[Claire]

I love my paper books, if I have started a series I tend to buy the rest of the series in paper. I love the feel of a paper book and the smell - love new book smell.

[A Voracious Reader (a.k.a. Carol)]

I still have mine and will continue to buy from my favorite authors where I already have a series. We're running out of room though, so any new series I start may just be Kindle version. Depends on the author and the series. I re-read all the time. I also re-watch certain movies.

[Vicki]

I packed a lot of them, filled the shelves with the others. I still buy some in paper, but I read on my Kindle. (The eyes insist on it!)

[Penelope]

Kept the ones I really love, gave some away to friends/family and donated the rest to my library.

[Anne]

Claire wrote: "I love my paper books, if I have started a series I tend to buy the rest of the series in paper. I love the feel of a paper book and the smell - love new book smell."

I wondered if I would feel like that but I don't at all!

[Esoteric]

Kept most of the better editions of the classics and of books I really liked. But frankly, I gave away or donated most of them. I just didn't have the room...

[Tiffany]

I have tons and tons of paper books! i am donating some to the public library's so others kids could have the chance to read knew books. I am surprised of how the kindle works!you can buy as much books as you want in just in that little electronic that doesn't even weight to much. i cant wait to the the kindle fire.

[sonya]

i absolutely love my kindles!

[Anne]

I still have all of my paperback books (2 selves worth) i like reading paperback and also like to read my kindle. :)

[Bedtime Booknerd]

still have them neatly displayed on my bookshleves...can never & will never get rid of my paper books...

[Joanna]

I love my books and I love my kindle !

[Alicja]

I don't re-read books so
I sold/given away most of paperback/hardcover. I've only kept those that have sentimental value for me.

[Scott]

I've always given away or donated most books after I read them. I do keep a few to re-read and I still have a couple hundred I haven't read yet. I'm still half paper, half Kindle.

[Betsy]

Lisa wrote: "does anybody know if I can swap paper books for e books"

Wouldn't that be great? I doubt it's possible. If you figure out how, let us know.

[Christina]

I've kept them. Before I started using the Kindle app I purged lots of books so I'm down to the basics, but those are all ones I love and I'm glad to have them!

[Loren]

Still have bought a bunch of them, thank you Borders, but its definitely a lot less then I used to. A ton of them, especially my classics, I donated

[S]

I'm just starting Matter Of Marriage by Debbie Macomber...love her books.

[Awesomevegan (AKA JenReads)]

Lisa wrote: "does anybody know if I can swap paper books for e books
I have a few that I want to read on the kindle instead."

You may be able to trade them in on Amazon for a gift card credit but I doubt you will get much for them. You could also see if your library has them in Kindle format to borrow. You wouldn't own them then though. Library ebooks expire in 1 or 2 weeks.

[[deleted user]]

I like to buy/keep the books that I know I will re-read, but everything else I don't mind getting on my Kindle. I have a bookshelf full of my favorite reads. :D

If I do buy a book that I don't like, I donate it, or give it away in a giveaway.

[Bridget]

I've only recently began reading books on Kindle. I could never give away or get rid of my paper book. I have so many that I enjoy reading again and again.

So yes, my house is still overrun with more books than I know what to do with, but that just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside when I can look at a shelf of books holding so many wonderful stories just waiting for me to dive into!

[Karen M]

I download to my Kindle all the time but I also just bought 22 paperbacks (used of course). What did I do with my paper books, kept them on my shelves and just looked at them and smiled!

[Diamond (kindle lover)]

I have 26 books in my room I wish I could sell them on Amazon but I don't know were to get a box for the books

[Betsy]

Diamond wrote: "I have 26 books in my room I wish I could sell them on Amazon but I don't know were to get a box for the books"

Are they paperbacks? If you sell them on Amazon, you likely would sell and ship them individually. In that case, you can just use small reinforced manila envelopes which can be purchased at the post office or any office supply store (even some drugstores).

[Mical]

I gave several hundred to the Community center in my neighborhood. The Seniors loved them.

[Diamond (kindle lover)]

Betsy wrote: "Diamond wrote: "I have 26 books in my room I wish I could sell them on Amazon but I don't know were to get a box for the books"

Are they paperbacks? If you sell them on Amazon, you likely would s..."

oh right thats a good idea thanks :)

[Bridget]

I have sold some of mine on Amazon or Ebay and then used that money to buy some of the books I wanted for my kindle. I saved space and didn't feel guilty about spending the money for Kindle books. I will never get rid of some of my hardcover books from some of my favorite authors though. They look so pretty on my bookshelf. :)

[Fiona (Titch)]

I have 6 bookcases full lol of books still.

[Shaina]

I keep the ones I like and want to see daily or lend out. Others I donate.

[Diamond (kindle lover)]

Scott wrote: "Diamond wrote: "Betsy wrote: "Diamond wrote: "I have 26 books in my room I wish I could sell them on Amazon but I don't know were to get a box for the books"

Are they paperbacks? If you sell them..."

Me? Why?

[Karen M]

I'm considering buying a separate bookcase to hold the books I've read so I'll have more room for new books. I read paper books and on my Kindle.