Archive for December, 2011
All About ISBNs
December 29th, 2011 | 
Author: When you decide to sell your used books to BookJingle, the first step is to enter ISBN information on the website. Those of you unfamiliar with the ISBN will want to pay attention to this post. The ISBN or International Standard Book Number is a unique numeric commercial book identifier that started being used to identify books in the mid-1970′s. An ISBN is given to each edition and variation (excluding reprints) of a book. This number is 10 or 13 digits, and can be found in a couple of places on books.
Most of the time, the ISBN appears on the back of the bo
ok with the bar code, as seen in the picture above. In some cases, you might have to remove bookseller stickers that cover up the book’s original bar code. If for some reason the ISBN is not present on the back of the book there are a few other places to look. The ISBN can almost always be found on the Copyright Page of a book. This is the page at the beginning of a book which states the edition information, publication information, printing history, and other legal information. You might also check the inside flap of the dust jacket of your book.
Unfortunately, if your book does not have an ISBN, BookJingle is unable to purchase that book.
Now that you know all about the ISBN, you can get started entering the information on BookJingle and start making extra cash! And who knows? All of this information might even come in handy during your next game of Trivial Pursuit!
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Put a Little Green in Your New Year
We are at the tail-end of 2011, and that means New Year’s Eve get togethers galore! Whether you plan on hosting a party for 30 guests or 3, making sure your party is eco-friendly is important (and let’s not forget going green is a great New Year’s resolution). It is also easy! So, in order for you to get ready for the weekend ahead, I have put together a few tips to help make your party a little greener.
1. Invitations
Let’s face it — unless you are hosting an A-list, red carpet, glamorous New Year’s Eve ball, it is a little unnecessary to send out paper invitations anymore. Why be on Facebook if you aren’t going to utilize it? Send invites on that site, and give people a reason to be on there in the first place. If you want to be a little more formal, use Evites.com. Nobody will mind that you didn’t send a physical invitation, and will probably be thankful they don’t have more trash to throw away.
2. Party Favors
This year, why not forgo the usual disposable noisemaker and make your own instead! Using used aluminum cans, pour in a few nutshells, beads, or coins and seal with duct tape. Or use a plastic bottle filled with similar objects. You could even get fancy and decorate the outside with cardboard, streamers, and paint. Get creative and come up with your own ideas. Giving people something they can make noise with at midnight that won’t end up in the garbage is the idea.
3. Dinnerware
Whether you are serving a six-course meal or light finger foods, reusable dinnerware is the way to go. This means no Styrofoam cups, paper plates, or plastic utensils. If you simply don’t have enough dinnerware for every guest, there are other options. You can rent it from a supply store (goorder viagra cheap
TOS=PTY&ZipCode=47150&submit=Find+a+rental+store” target=”_blank”> here to find one near you), or use all recycled paper plates and cups (like those from Treecycle who makes biodegradable dishes and cups from sugarcane fiber) that you can compost after the party!
4. The Aftermath
Cleaning up after the celebration might bring on some headaches regardless of how environmentally responsible your party was. But keeping with the green theme of the night before when cleaning might make you feel a little better. When cleaning up after the party, use Earth friendly cleaners like Seventh Generation or make your own! Make sure you recycle all your recyclables such as glass, aluminum, and paper, and compost anything compostable (fruit and vegetable scraps, biodegradable cups and plates). And don’t be shy — send your guests home with leftovers! That saves on wasted food, and helps a bit with your clean-up. Finally, run the dishwasher and washing machine/dryer at night. This saves on energy used during peak hours of afternoon and early evening.
Don’t think of these tips as pertaining only to New Year’s parties, they are helpful all year long. Finding ways to limit your impact on the Earth is a great lifestyle to have. While making your own products, using recycled or recyclable materials when possible, and using eco-friendly products are great tips for parties, they are also important to remember for day-to-day life (especially if your resolution for 2012 is to be more environmentally conscious.)
New Year's Resolution Revolution
Now is the time when people reflect on the past year, and decide how they want to change things next year. The New Year’s resolution is an ever-popular way to promise yourself how you will make those changes in the coming year. Many people choose to focus on body issues: eat less, exercise more, lose weight, etc. But almost nobody makes the resolution to exercise their brain more. Last year, my resolution was to read 36 books in 2011 (3 a month). With three days left, I have met and exceeded my goal by reading 37 books.(Yay!)
Losing weight and eating less junk are obviously steps to a more healthy lifestyle, but you can’t forget about your brain! Did you know that reading a variety of books actually works different parts of the brain and activates the brain? It challenges the brain to comprehend new concepts and absorb new information. Reading also promotes more activity in the language area of the brain. Scientists at Carnegie Mellon have found that the volume of white matter in the language area of the brain increased after study participants followed a six-month daily reading program. This study also proved that brain structure can be improved by training poor readers to become better readers. It has also been found that reading a book may decrease the risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI is a condition associated with Alzheimer’s Disease).
As if that wasn’t enough, reading is fun! Reading is more engag
ing than television, and helps you to develop a longer attention span. There are literally millions of books to choose from, so chances are there is something that will engage and interest you. Reading is also a more active activity than watching television, which is extremely passive. Books allow your brain to use emotion and intellect simultaneously, while visiting new places, learning new ideas, and meeting new people from the comfort of your own couch. It’s a cheap, easy way to alleviate boredom, while still doing something good for that brain of yours.
Of course, you don’t have to make such a leaping resolution from reading one or two books a year to reading 37. Maybe you don’t have as much time to read, or it takes a bit longer to finish a book — that’s not a big deal. A good New Year’s resolution for people in that boat would be to read half a dozen books a year. If you find yourself reading 10 or so books a year, why not shoot for 15? And who knows, reading more might just open the floodgates and make you want to read even more than your goal. I plan to try for 42 next year. Even if I don’t make the goal, I know that by reading regularly I am giving my brain the exercise it needs, learning new ideas, and staving off boredom just waiting to pounce. So for 2012, consider a New Year’s resolution revolution and focus on your brain rather than your physical appearance. And if you don’t like it, there’s always 2013.
Merry Christmas from BookJingle
e Grinch Stole Christmas
“And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow,
Stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so?
It came without ribbons! It came without tags!
It came without packages, boxes or bags!
And he puzzled three hours, ’til his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before.
What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store.
What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more!”
— Dr. Seuss, How th
Rapping About Gift Wrapping: Part 2
Like any good Hollywood Blockbuster, my last post about gift wrapping has a sequel. Since the big day of opening presents in nearly here (and since many of you have probably already attended parties and gatherings where gifts were exchanged), it seems like a good time to talk about what to do with all of that holiday wrapping paper. Even if you used my last post as a guide for more eco-friendly wrapping, you will probably receive gifts from others who weren’t privy to that post. (Why not share this blog with them? ‘Tis the season, afterall!) You could simply throw used gift wrapping away, but where’s the fun and eco-friendliness in that? Once again, I have found a wonderful article on WholeLiving.com that lists many great ways to recycle used wrapping paper. Here are my favorites:
1. Create a Party Banner
How cute is that? You can use all of that used tissue paper or wrapping paper to create this party banner! Simply cut into triangles, and stick them to seam binding. So easy! Use this banner for your New Year’s party, or for your next birthday shindig. I’ve seen banners like this sell on Etsy for $20, so making your own is a steal! Plus, you’re recycling.
2. Wrap Tin Can Containers
This is a great idea for a home office, or even to take to the office outside of home. Just wash out some empty tin cans, dry, and glue used wrapping paper to the outside. I don’t think it could get easier than that, and it may just liven up that next boring work task. Not only
are you recycling old wrapping paper, but empty tin cans. It’s a win-win.
3. Make a Bookmark
If you are a bookworm like me (hence the name), you know how useful bookmarks can be. I am guilty of sticking whatever I can find in the book to keep my place — a picture, a pack of gum, a coaster, but this is a better idea. Using cardboard from a cereal box, cut out a bookmark-shaped rectangle. Glue a piece of wrapping paper of the same shape and size to the cardboard. Finally, use a hole punch to punch a hole at the top and string ribbon through for a cute tassel. I may do this myself, and leave the bookmarking to the professional bookmarks.
4. Frame it!
You know that wrapping paper that is so pretty you feel bad for ripping it? Why not frame it? It would make a great background for holiday photos, or even cute greeting cards. You can use them as home decor all year ’round, or just break them out during the holidays.
5. Reuse it next year
Okay, that may seem like a cop-out, but I just discovered that you can iron it! On the lowest setting your iron has, quickly iron unripped and untaped paper. Not too long, you don’t want to start a fire, just long enough to get the biggest creases out. Then roll it up on an empty wrapping paper roll, and you are ready to store it until next year.
Clearly, using all of these suggestions won’t be able to recycle every scrap of wrapping paper you’ll have after the weekend. But, it’s a good way to keep even a fraction of it out of landfills. And for even more ideas about how to reuse wrapping paper, see the following article on WholeLiving.com.
Five Christmas Favorites
As a child, I loved books. I learned to read when I was fairly young, and I attribute this to my parents and teachers who would always read to me. And Christmas books are some of my most remembered books. For some reason, they stick out in my head much more clearly than other picture books. So, today, I thought I would just share some of my favorite Christmas books from when I was a child. Maybe they would make great presents for your children. Or, perhaps, you’ll remember these books as fondly as I do.
1. How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
Of course, this would be on the list. This book is a classic, and I grew up with it, along with the television special that aired every Christmas season. The red, white, and black illustrations were perfect for the story, and I remember them vividly. I learned that Christmas doesn’t come from a store, and that maybe Christmas means a little bit more. Although, I am still working on what exactly a “fuzzle” or “who hash” is.
2. The Night Before Christmas
There was no certain edition, author, or illustrator of the Night Before Christmas books I remember because there were so many. It is a story that has been told over and over again, and for good reason. It brings together the magic and the wonder of Christmas as a child. Any iteration of this classic story is bound to bring smiles to children no matter how old.
3. Apple Tree Christmas by Trinka Hakes Noble
ploads/2011/12/appletree.jpg” alt=”" width=”223″ height=”271″ />I have always wanted to live on a farm, and have lots of animals and land and a giant farmhouse. Even as a kid, I begged my parents for a cow or a horse to keep at our house. Apple Tree Christmas is set in the late 1800′s, on a farm. There is an old apple tree that gets taken down by a storm, and its branches used for firewood. The child in the story has grown very attached to the apple tree, and can’t believe her parents are just using it as firewood like it’s no big deal. It’s a simple story, and reminiscent of the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder for a younger audience.
4. The Christmas Cat by Efner Tudor Holmes
I am an animal lover, and have always been an animal lover. I have 4 cats, and have had cats as long as I can remember. Which is probably why I loved this story so much. Bad weather is causing problems for Santa, and a poor, abandoned kitten. It’s a cute story with a happy ending that anybody who loves animals can appreciate.
5. Merry Christmas, Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola
Tomie dePaolo wrote many children’s books, and many starred Strega Nona or Grandma Witch. I loved reading this because the story includes many Italian Christmas traditions that I had never heard of. I liked that Strega Nona was a good witch who always taught Big Anthony a lesson, and this book is no different. And the illustrations of Tomie dePaola books were always a favorite of mine.
Looking back, I haven’t changed that much. I still love all 5 of these books, and would gladly give them as gifts or read them to any of the children in my life.
What Will BookJingle Buy?
So, you want to sell your used books to BookJingle? Great! But, if this is your first time, there a few things you should know about the types of books that BookJingle will and will not buy.
First, BookJingle will purchase many types of books from many different subjects. However, non-fiction and textbooks* are especially likely to be purchased. Genres in the following categories are most sought after:
| Religion | History | Psychology | Textbooks |
| Business | Educational | Computers | Travel |
| Medical | Economics | Marketing | Art |
| Self-Help | Sociology | Politics | Law |
| Gardening | Sports | Foreign Language | Engineering |
| Mathematics | Science | Current Fiction | Biography |
*While BookJingle specializes in textbooks, they are unable to purchase teacher’s editions or international editions of textbooks.
If you have books to sell that don’t fit into the above categories, don’t fret! That doesn’t mean your book won’t get purchased. BookJingle purchases all sorts of books from fiction to non-fiction and everything in between.
It’s true that there is a huge variety of types and subjects of books BookJingle will purchase, b
ut they will not purchase the following types of books or subjects:
• Advanced Reading Copies / Uncorrected Proofs / Galley Copies
• Teacher’s Editions and Annotated Instructor’s Editions
• Workbooks / Study guides that have been worked
• Solutions Manuals and Answer Keys
• International/Foreign Edition Textbooks
• Reader’s Digest Books
• Books without an ISBN printed anywhere on the book
• Magazines
• Encyclopedia sets
• Partial Sets or sets with missing volumes
• Pornography
• Books on the occult
• Calendars
• Books with front cover torn to indicate disposal
• Any book marked “not for resale”
• Any book that does not meet our guideline for what is a good book.
• Any book or order from a customer creating multiple orders in the same day to circumvent quantity thresholds. If you possess a quantity of books above our threshold please contact us to see if we can purchase more.
It is important to note that, although the website may have generated an initial offer for a title, BookJingle will not purchase the book types listed above. It is your responsibility to understand the types of books they will not purchase.
And now that you have read the preceding information (and this), you are ready to sell your books to BookJingle! Just be sure to toss aside any books from the “no-no” list above. Happy BookJingling!
Rapping About Gift Wrapping
Since the season of gift-giving is upon us, I’d like to take this time to discuss gift wrapping. I admit, I went out and purchased a roll or two of gift wrapping this year, only to find a few spare rolls from Christmases past in the shed. And the more I thought about wrapping paper, the more I was perplexed by it. Yes, it’s shiny and pretty and festive. But what, really, is the point of it? All of this pretty paper is wasted when it inevitably gets decimated by eager children (or adults) ripping it to shreds. We’ve had literally trash bags full of discarded wrapping paper at the end of Christmas gift exchange festivities. And that, along with all of the extra packaging most products are encased in, is a lot of waste!
So, when I found an article on wholeliving.com about making holidays a little more green, I was excited by idea of greener gift wrapping! The ideas are not only environmentally friendly, but surprisingly cute!
1. Turn old magazines into gift bows. If your family is anything like mine, the life cycle of any gift bow is as follows: gift bows are taken off of packages, immediately stuck into someone’s hair or back of someone’s shirt (laughter ensues), and then they are discarded. Why spend $5 on a bag of gift bows, when you can make them yourself with all the old magazines you have sitting around? You can find the tutorial here.
2. Recycled chip bags as wrapping paper. This is just genius. I’ve always wondered why the inside of chip bags are so silver and pretty. Now I know. It’s because they ca
n double as gift wrapping! Simply eat a bag of chips (I know, it’s a hard life), wash it out with soap and water, and let it dry. Now you have cute, recycled gift wrapping! Repeat as needed.
3. Recycled shopping bag wrapping. Admittedly, this idea is less cute than the chip bag idea. But, it uses something we all probably already have. I know I have approximately 14 paper bags from Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s in bag storage just waiting to be used. Simply cut the bag, wrap the gift, and add a few cute touches like stamps or ribbon.
4. Cloth gift wrap. For some reason, my mind only ever thinks of paper gift wrapping. I have never even considered gifts could be wrapped with other materials. Scraps of clothing, dish towels, scarves, bandanas, and empty rice sack. The possibilities are pretty much endless. And it gives your gift a little more personality than regular, old wrapping paper from Target. Plus, it’s reusable!
5. Recycled paper as gift wrapping. We all know the comics section of the newspaper has long been recognized as last minute gift wrapping. But, did you ever consider other kinds of paper gift wrapping? Old maps, wallpaper, grocery bags, construction paper, or any other kind of paper you have sitting around can all be really cute when re-purposed as gift wrap. Simply tie some ribbon (or scrap paper of a contrasting color), and voila! Beautiful gift wrapping that didn’t cost a dime.
There are other great ideas about making your holidays a little more green in the linked article. Including natural gift wrap, recycled gift-box fillers, and many more green decorating tips. And for those of you who didn’t get around to reading this article prior to wrapping gifts with conventional wrapping paper, stay tuned for a later post about what to do with that leftover gift wrap. Until then, happy wrapping!
The Gift of Reading
While I wouldn’t call shopping a little less than two weeks before Christmas “last minute shopping,” I might call it “last minute online shopping.” A lot of online retailers guarantee you will get your shipment by Christmas if you order by a certain date, but wait too long and you will be out of luck. And if you are anything like me, you buy over half of your Christmas gifts online these days. It’s much more convenient; I don’t have to go out in the cold, or even use the gas in my car. I can just sit on my couch in my sweatpants and peruse Old Navy and Target to my heart’s content.
If you are still searching for that perfect gift, consider giving the gift of reading! Books make wonderful gifts, and NPR recently compiled a list of the best gift books of 2011. You can find the link here. They recommend 10 books to give as gifts that span many genres from art to Harry Potter to the fashion industry.
I think that list has a lot of great ideas, but I would like to add a few of my own gift book recommendations to the list.
1. The Hunger Games Trilogy Boxed Set, Suzanne Collins
Since the first movie is coming out in early 2012, these books have been pretty hot commodities. Having just finished them myself, I believe many people would enjoy reading them. They are quick reads but best for ages 12 and up, and perfect for those on your list who enjoy science fiction and fantasy literature. The story is a riveting tale that spans all three books, and will have readers glued to their seats.
2. Ready Player One, Ernest Cline
This book is perfect for the gamers in your life. Part mystery/thriller and part science fiction, Ready Player One is chock full of 1980s nostalgia that anyone alive in that era will be able to spot. The book is both imaginative and adventurous, and a great read for video gamers or pop culture addicts.
3. Bossypants, Tina Fey
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Tina Fey, actress, writer and producer of the show 30 Rock, writes about what it’s like to be her. Sometimes self-deprecating, and sometimes laugh out loud hilarious, this book isn’t as honest and open as many auto-biographies or memoirs, but it is worth any 30 Rock fan’s time to read it. It is almost as if Liz Lemon herself has penned her life story, awkwardness and all.
4.Cake Pops: Tips, Tricks, and Recipes for More Than 40 Irresistible Mini Treats, Bakerella and Angie Dudley
This book would be great for your friend or sister who is a wiz in the kitchen. She always has cupcakes or banana bread in the oven, and is always looking for new recipes. Cake pops are a cultural phenomenon right now, and for good reason. Who doesn’t want to eat cake in the shape of a snowman on a stick? This book teaches all of the techniques needed to whip up some of these cute little treats.
5. The Brilliant Book of Doctor Who 2012
I have to admit, I am a Whovian (or, one who loves Doctor Who). Although Doctor Who is a British television show, I know I am not a lone fan here in the States. And this book would be great for the Whovian in your life. Packed with trivia, photographs, deleted scenes, and more from Series 6 of Doctor Who, anyone who is a fan of this excellent show would love to own this book.
The previous five books, along with the ten recommended in the article, would all make wonderful Christmas gifts for all the book lovers in your life. From the bakers to the gamers to the Whovians to the artists, I’m sure you can find something for everyone still left on your list. So, open that browser and finish up that shopping! You don’t want to get stuck paying $25 for overnight shipping, do you?
An Experiment
Today, I thought I would do a little experiment. I wanted to prove to any skeptics out there that BookJingle offers the best prices for your used books. Maybe not empirically prove this fact by using the Scientific Method and stating hypotheses and the like. But I did want to take a comparison of what other sites out there are offering for the same titles. I searched around and found two similar websites that buy used books (I do not wish to specify which sites I used, but it is easy enough to Google and come up with a few). Then, I gathered up a few books, and started my research! These are the books I chose:
Weird Indiana
Weird Kentucky
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
Games of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
Galore by Michael Crummey
I Like You by Amy Sedaris
Next, I simply entered the book information on each site using either the 10 or 13-digit ISBN code located on the back (or possibly first few pages) of the book. And (drum ro
ll please) here are the results:
BookJingle: I was offered $17.82 for all 6 books.
Website #2: I was offered $13.92 for five of my books (this site was not purchasing Game of Thrones) on this competitor’s site.
Website #3: This final site would only purchase four titles (Weird Kentucky, Game of Thrones, I Like You, and Galore), at an offer of $7.00.
Now, it is time to do what every good scientist does: analyze the data. Really I just want to point out that BookJingle offers the best prices. Not only was BookJingle purchasing all six of my books, their total offer was almost $4.00 more than the next highest offer. Additionally, on average, BookJingle would purchase each of the books I entered at a price of $2.97 each — while site #2′s average was $2.78, and #3 was only $1.75.
Of course, you may find that BookJingle doesn’t purchase each book you enter (due to demand and stock, etc.), but I am sure (like me) you will find that they do offer the best prices for your used books!