What to do with a book once you've read it

Talking to Scott about BookCrossing earlier this week got me thinking about all the various things you can do with a book when you finish it.

1. Keep it
This is the preferred method for most readers, but it isn't always realistic. I hate to be the one to tell you this, but bookshelf space is a finite number.

Stacking books on the floor doesn't count as a bookshelf, either. (Besides, everyone knows that stacking books on the floor is for your "to be read" books, not for books that you have already finished.)

2. Give it to someone
I have two aunts who are involved in a constant ongoing book swap. At every family gathering, they will exchange grocery bags full of books they have read. This is a wonderful thing and it benefits both of them greatly… because they have very similar reading tastes.

Beware giving a book to a person if you aren't absolutely certain it will mesh with their reading tastes. I can't tell you how many books that I didn't want have been given to me by people who only half knew me. Just because you're a knitter (as I am) doesn't mean you will enjoy a knitting-themed cozy mystery (as I do not).

3. Sell it
You used to be able to sell trade paperbacks in good condition for at least a few bucks apiece. This was a great way to defray the cost of purchase, particularly if you had bought the book used in the first place. But the bottom has fallen out of the used book market; these days you're lucky to get fifty cents a pop. It's hardly worth the effort.

4. Donate it
Thrift stores are a great place to buy books if you are poor and have a high tolerance for mildew smell. You can often pick up paperbacks at three for a dollar or even less. Unfortunately the selection is terrible. Why not help out? Poor people need good books, too.

5. Release it to the universe
BookCrossing is a fun way to "tag and release" your books into the world. I'm not sure how many people actually read the books they pick up, but it's a lot more entertaining than dropping them off at Goodwill.

Image courtesy Flickr/mallix