Show HN: Rent my library for $10/book with no due date | Hacker News Reader

Show HN: Rent my library for $10/book with no due date

bibliotek.ca

5 pointsalenkovic10 comments

Interesting, I'm curious about the Netflix model for books, especially if it involved a nice space where you might connect with others, and where you might also make your own library available. Many enjoy reading physical books, but storage is a problem. What would a 'gym for your mind' with a subscription model look like? If you put the best bits of a café, a library, and a gym into a blender, what might come out? BTW, typo in your third slide, 'receive' not 'recieve'.

Thanks for pointing that out!

I like where your thoughts are, there is a version of this combination where I live, where most large bookstores will partner with Starbucks and have a cafe in-house. I sometimes buy a coffee just to sit for a while and read.

If I can validate the demand-side, the next step could be to allow users to rent their own libraries to increase the variety available.

Hmm. Why wouldn’t I go to the library and borrow them for free? The max fine for overdue is $5.

Edit: Also, if they are available as e-books, they auto-return so there is no fee at all. One can always re-borrow.

Good point - None of the books I've uploaded so far are available at any of the libraries in my city. They are either not offered or currently checked out.

For e-books yes, for physical books no.

A really quick used book search for the top 3 books resulted:

Sapiens: $12.87

Chaos Monkeys: $6.69

Creativity Inc: $7.50

Not sure why I'd ever pay $10 for a rental.

Looks like shipping is free, so there's that.

Also, prices are different if you look on Amazon.ca. (Sapiens: $15.21, Chaos Monkeys: $12.86, Creativity Inc: $17.99) So, assuming that the .ca domain means this is a service that's meant primarily for Canadian users, and the rental fee is CAD$10, that makes it look a bit more attractive.

You're right, it is primarily meant for Canadian users, where the average price for the paperbacks listed is $20-30 including shipping. This is similar to the retail price in-store.

Clever way to sell used books for $10 each

Would be interesting to do peer 2 peer book exchange and just collect fees :)

BTW you can find some of the books very cheap in new condition...

http://www.librarist.com/us/book/9781785041273

Would you participate in something like that? I have thought about that idea but I wonder about the logistics of that sort of service.

Thanks for the link!

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