Introduce yourself to Web reading

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Avid readers have always enjoyed browsing bookstores and libraries for good books. Now it’s time to browse digital libraries on the Internet. Think of them as huge libraries with an infinite variety of books. The best ones don’t charge subscription fees or accept advertising.

Try visiting some of the old standby sites like Bartleby.com at www.bartleby.com, Project Gutenberg at www.gutenberg.org, or The Online Books Page at http://digital.library.upenn.edu. Another possibility is online Bible reading programs on sites like Crosswalk.com at http://bible.crosswalk.com.

Or use your favorite search engine and enter “books online.” You can even add a qualifier if you’re looking for a specific topic.

Lots of time in front of a computer can lend itself to eyestrain. Make sure your monitor is large and clear enough to let you read in comfort.



All the best,



Timben

Clever Idea For Collectors

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Finding a rare book is what book lovers dream about. But shopping without a guide can end up costing you a fortune. Save a bundle on first editions and rare, signed, or out-of-print volumes by shopping with a trained eye. Several valuable guides can give you just the help you need.

* Official Price Guide to Collecting Books by Marie Tedford and Pat Goudey.
* Book Finds: How to Find, Buy, and Sell Used and Rare Books by Ian C.Ellis
* Pocket Guide to the Identification of First Editions by Bill McBride.

If you purchase books through a dealer, check their credentials. Organizations like Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America at www.abaa.org protect consumers by monitoring their members for honesty and integrity.



All the best,



Timben

Great way to find unusual books

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The Internet is the place to go for any book you could possibly want. Take advantage of the Web’s exciting book-finding technology. You’ll find retail and discount prices on new, used, rare, and out-of-print books – even scratch and dents. Here are a few sites to get you started.

* Abebooks.com at www.abebooks.com
* AddALL at www.addall.com
* AllBooks4Less.com at www.allbooks4less.com
* Amazon at www.amazon.com
* BookCloseouts.com at www.bookcloseouts.com
* BookFinder.com at www.bookfinder.com
* Christianbook.com at www.christianbook.com
* HamiltonBook.com at www.hamiltonbook.com

If you want to borrow, lend and swap books for free, check out The Book Cart at www.thebookcart.com. You can borrow and lend paper-backs through the mail for the cost of postage and handling.

Before you buy a book, you should do two things – compare book prices and shipping and handling fees. The one thing that can undercut great online prices is high shipping and handling. Watch for promotions and specials deals for reduced or free shipping.



All the best,



Timben

Members get bigger discounts

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You love books. You’re are an avid book buyer, and you like giving them as gifts. Yet, serious book buying can be expensive.

A number of bookstores and their online counterparts offer membership clubs as a way for you to enjoy extra savings. Yes – you’ll have to buy the discount card, but devoted book buyers may find the savings offset the membership price.

* Barnes & Noble’s $25 annual membership fee cuts an extra 10 percent from purchases made at all Barnes & Noble, B. Dalton, Bookstar, Bookstop, Doubleday, Ink Newsstand, and Charlesbank stores, as well as online purchases at www.bn.com.

* For a $10 annual membership fee, Books-A-Million offers a discount card that can be used at any of its retail stores and for online purchases at www.booksamillion.com.



All the best,



Timben

Books – Read fine print on book club offers

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Book clubs are like getting books by subscription. You just agree to purchase a few books during the membership period. If you want the selected title or an alternative selection, it’ll be sent to your door at your request.

If you’re regular book buyer, clubs can be a convenient option to going to bookstores, and they may offer savings to boot.

Among the best known clubs are Book of the Month Club, Doubleday Book Club, and The Literary Guild. A newcomer, but currently the most popular of them all, is Oprah’s Book Club.

If you’re interested in clubs for readers with special interests, visit Web sites like F+W Publications at www.fwpublications.com/bookclubs.asp. It features over 20 clubs ranging from gardening to science fiction.

But don’t dive in with your eyes closed. These clubs also offer their share of headaches. Most arise because folks fail to look beyond those exciting introductory offers to what they’re really committing themselves to. Common irritations arise from shockingly high shipping fees and the arrival of unwanted books.

Learn the ropes and get the facts before you jump for one of those “6 books for 99 cents” deals. And consider options to the clubs that require less commitment, like discount book services with mail order or online catalogs.



All the best,



Timben