Finding and Listing Books
From MoochWiki
How do I find books to Mooch?
Start at the browse page. There you can search for available books by name, or browse by topic or member.
Additionally, there is a "moochbar" that can be installed so when browsing amazon.com you can see by one click if that book is available on bookmooch. To find out more about the moochbar, go to your "Member home page", click on "tools" button, then on "moochbar".
How do I add books to my inventory?
Go to the add page. From there, you can search Amazon for books by title, author, or ISBN. It's best to search by ISBN so that you can be sure to find the correct edition and binding.
What if I want to enter a book that isn't in Amazon?
You can always enter a book by hand. Please double check that the book can't be found any other way.
I have a lot of books to enter. Is there a faster way?
Try the bulk add page. (need info on the :CueCat and other methods of adding books quickly)
Can I see a list of the newest, most wanted, or most available books?
Not yet, but these are features are on their way. Here are some unofficial lists:
- 100 Most wanted books: http://zorked.net/bm/top-wishlist.html
- 100 Most available books: http://zorked.net/bm/top-available.html
How do I see the condition comments for a book I'm interested in?
Go to a member's inventory and click the Show Details button in the top right part of the page. You will now see a listing of the inventory with condition notes, if the user has added them.
Also, the book condition will be shown when you choose to mooch a book, but before you've finalized the request.
What is the difference between mass market and trade paperbacks?
Mass market paperbacks are usually smaller and printed on cheaper paper -- these are commonly sold in supermarkets, for example. Trade paperbacks are usually printed on higher quality paper and are nearly the same size as the hardcover version. The different versions should have different ISBNs.
Can I list ARCs or galleys in my inventory?
Yes. ARC (Advance Reader Copies) and galleys (pre-publication copies) are fine, but make sure to inform moochers by mentioning it in the condition notes. Some people collect these, some people won't mooch them.
Can I list media other than books in my inventory?
The following types of media seem to be acceptable to add to your inventory:
- Audiobooks on CD or tape, but not downloadable audiobooks (e.g. for iPod)
- Comic books (regular comics without ISBNs must be added manually) [1]
- Magazine issues (must be added manually) [2]
- but note that comic books and magazines may not be sent USPS Media Mail® because they contain advertising.
The following types of media are NOT acceptable and may not be listed:
- DVDs
- CDs
- eBooks
- VHS or Beta
What are condition notes?
These notes appear in your book inventory for each book. They enable you to specify the condition of your copy of a book. These notes might include any specific damage to the book (for example, bent cover, folded pages, highlighted text). For more details see Condition notes.
Adding condition notes to your books may increase the likelihood that they will be mooched, even if you are describing damage, as potential moochers can be more confident about what to expect.
