ReadItSwapIt

What we liked: ReadItSwapIt makes it extremely easy to exchange unwanted books for ones you’ll enjoy reading. There are a whopping 150,000 titles in the site’s virtual library so chances are there’s something you can swap for that copy of Toilets of the World you were given for Christmas. You’ll discover books for all tastes – from classics like George Orwell’s Animal Farm to travel guides, picture books and Kerry Katona’s autobiography (“May smell of cigarettes,” warns one swapper). Signing up and listing the books you want to offload is a free, no-nonsense process. Simply enter the book’s ISBN to extract its database details, indicate its condition and submit your listing. If someone wants your book, check if they have anything that takes your fancy and complete the swap. Accepting or rejecting swaps is painless, and an eBay-style feedback system provides reassurance. You can even set up a wish-list to receive an alert when your sought-after book is added to the site. Alternatively, head over to the forums to discuss recommended reads with other bookworms. The system really does work – we listed a dull tax handbook that was lying around and within a day had several requests for it. How it could be improved: When compiling a wish-list, you’re encouraged to buy the book from the Amazon-affiliated shop instead, which surely defeats the object of the site. We’re here to trade books and save paper and cash, after all. Our verdict: Underneath ReadItSwapIt’s simple look and feel is a friendly community willing to swap tens of thousands of quality books for nothing, many of which haven’t even been read. Reviewed: Issue 178 (3 January - 16 January 2008)