BookMoochers bashing BookCrossing...again...

Want to join the fray?

http://www.librarything.com/topic/110831#top

You said it all, I think. Why a discreet label on the inside of the book would create such anguish is beyond me. And if people are building their personal libraries, they should state their requirements and be glad someone is willing to mail them a book!

Why a discreet label on the inside of the book would create such anguish is beyond me.

"Discreet label"? You've never seen any of my BC books, then! Big label inside, spine sticker, "Free book" notice on the front cover, BC URL and the BCID written on the fore-edge with a Sharpie, and a BC stamp with the BCID placed a couple of places in the text.

And I am not alone.

Can't understand why people offering BC books on Bookmooch and elsewhere don't give a proper condition report.

They're not being unreasonable, though. Nobody is saying that BC books shouldn't be mooched, they're just saying that people should be upfront about it.

...and a BC stamp with the BCID placed a couple of places in the text. (#3)

What, you mean obscuring the content? No wonder people are pissed.

No, generally in the blank space at the end of a chapter, or in the margins.

You had me going there for a minute!

I can see where lots of stickers and writing would be annoying. That's why I only do the one label on the inside. On the few occasions I left a book outdoors, I've used a BC bag as well. I'm very careful not to cover up any of the publisher's info, etc.

Personally, I don't care if a book I send gets a permanent home or not. Once it's out of my home, it's the property of the receiver.

I don't bookmooch much - the books I usually want aren't available in Australia, and books that I'm getting rid of usually go straight to other bookcrossers. But when I do mooch something, I detail in the condition notes the stickers/labels/whatever. (And I don't go overboard with stickers, but that's a personal thing.)

Once it's out of my home, it's the property of the receiver.

Absolutely, I try to not get too excited about what happens to them after they've left me. (Although a JE is always nice. :)

But sometimes I do think that *some* bookmoochers are a little too obsessed about the books they receive. The words will still work and the story will remain the same, even if your book does have a sticker in it. And if you're building a permanent library and are extremely fussy about which books you put in it, maybe you'd be better off at the bookshop. Just saying.

I am still a novice to both those sites. I have only sent I believe 3 books on BookMooch and I have never released any BC books besides through BM. I don't even remember if I had said anything about them being BC books in the condition notes.

Just looking at that thread just makes me laugh because I guess I just think a free book is a free book. If you are one that doesn't want markings on a book than why would you mooch something you haven't seen. You are only taking the word of someone you don't even know.

Just my oppinion.

Bookmooch books are not "free", to be able to request them the BM'er has had to send book(s) to other(s) and pay for relevant postage.

There's also expectation that if a book diverges from standard good used condition, it is to be declared in condition notes. A sticker on the flyleaf or inside the cover is no biggie, stickers & sharpie all over with no warning... definitely not OK.

This said, the 3 BC books I've received from BM so far were from users who were perfectly upfront about the books being BC-registered, and to what extent the BC marking altered them.

I always state in the condition notes that my books have bookcrossing labelling. I haven't had any complaints so far...