Questions about Booklend
Booklend? What's that?
Booklend is an Internet lending library by post. Sign up, choose a book, and we'll mail it to you. When you're done, mail it back. See the procedure page for details.
How much does it cost?
Booklend is free.
You're kidding, right?
No. There's no charge whatsoever to have a book mailed to you, and we even pay return postage.
Why on earth would you do such a crazy thing?
Tibor Kalman, writing about design, said:
Culture used to be the opposite of commerce, not a fast-track to 'content'-derived riches. Not so long ago captains of industry (no angels in the way they acquired wealth) thought that part of their responsibility was to use their millions to support culture...There are a very few lunatic entrepreneurs who will understand that culture and design are not about fatter wallets, but about creating a future.
While we're not millionaire entrepreneurs, we believe in this vision of the world. Plus, half the fun of reading a book is recommending it to someone else who will enjoy it. Booklend does that on a much wider scale.
Isn't that expensive?
Sure, but we can afford it. Think of it as a hobby.
Who are you?
By and large, Booklend is the product of Mark Anderson, who conceived of the idea, donated the majority of the books, ships them, pays the postage, and maintains a sunny disposition. He also kicks butt and takes names at foosball.
How long have you been doing this?
Since March 2001. In the first year, we mailed over one hundred books to 30 states and 5 Canadian provinces.
You sucker! Do you really expect people to mail the book back?
This is probably one of those instances where it would help to believe in a vengeful God. Yes, we expect people to return the books. So far, it's worked out very well.
Procedural questions
How long can I keep my book?
Keep it as long as you need. You hate being rushed and we do too. When you've had the book six months, an email will be sent to you reminding you where to return it. This is mostly so that we can get a handle on which books have been sent but have gone missing in transit.
Help! I got an email saying my book has been shipped, but it hasn't arrived yet! What should I do?
Media Mail (née Book Rate) is notoriously slow. (If you live west of the Rockies, it's almost surely the donkey train through Suicide Pass that's holding things up.) Give it another week. It'll show up.
I waited and waited, but it's still not here. What should I do?
Send Mark an email. We will do nothing (what is there for us to do?), but you might feel better. If you know any funny jokes, we'd like to hear those, too.
Does Booklend lend to international users?
Booklend is currently only shipping to users in the United States and Canada; however, we're looking into increasing our coverage to other countries. If you're outside the U.S. and Canada, feel free to sign up and keep checking back.
The book I want is always checked out. What should I do?
A few of our books are markedly more popular than the rest. If the book you're interested in is always unavailable, keep checking back or check out some of our other fascinating books. And think about looking for the popular book at your local library. Remember, Booklend is like your local library. Except smaller. And less convenient.
Can I lend the book I'm borrowing to someone else?
Sure. Let us know where it's gone so we can add that location to the list of places the book has been.
Questions about the site
What do you want my personal information for?
Obviously, we need a mailing address to send you a book. We need an email address to let you know when we mail the book and to contact you if there are any problems.
Will you share my information with anyone?
No. In the future, if this policy changes, we will notify you well in advance. We will never give your information to anyone without your explicit permission.
So I won't get spam if I sign up?
Not from us; your email address will not be visible anywhere on the site, and any email we send you will be specifically related to your usage of the site, announcements about policy changes, or (very infrequently) more general announcements about Booklend.
Why do you use cookies?
Booklend uses session variables to track logins; these are stored in cookies that will disappear when you close your browser. If you don't chose the "remember me" option when logging in, you'll never have any cookies from Booklend except when you're using the site. If you never accept cookies from Booklend, you can still browse, but you will be unable to log in. Sorry.
Donation questions
I want to donate some books. What should I do?
We appreciate book donations. Send any donations to: Booklend, PO Box 766, Concord, MA 01742.
What sorts of books are you looking for?
The best books for Booklend are books that you'd recommend to your friends. Our only other recommendation is that you not send books that are easily available for fifty cents at any used book store (particularly mass-market paperbacks). We like Stephen King books as much as you, but they're pretty easy for you to get your hands on.
Do you accept cash or PayPal donations?
Not at this time, although we do have a Cafepress store selling mugs, coasters, tote bags and shirts. Every purchase will provide Booklend with two dollars (all of which will go toward defraying the cost of mailing books). Cafepress doesn't do a great job with the shirts or tote bags, but the mugs and coasters are really great.
What's with the Amazon link on every individual book page?
We are not advocating that you use Amazon if you want to buy a book you've seen on Booklend. If you do buy a book after following the link, Booklend receives a small percentage (usually 5%) of the proceeds through Amazon's Associates program. All money will be used for postage.
Miscellaneous questions
Why do you have so many Latin books?
Mark studied Latin in college. We are not expecting anyone to borrow those. However, if you do read Latin, you owe it to yourself to read Petronius' Satyricon. It's really funny.
Who designed the site?
The Booklend website was redesigned to be more automated in February, 2002; that work was done by Steve Cook. The logo and design are by Vera Tobin.
I'm a reporter, and I think this is a neat idea. Can I write a story about it?
Sure. Some people already have. Please contact Mark for more information.
