Bookstore Junkies Mailing List (BSJ and BSJ-DIGEST)
Frequently Asked Questions



These are basically the rules of the mailing list. Originally written by Preeti Singh and Julia Frizzell, and now kept by Preeti, this document was last updated on February 11th, 2001. (This FAQ assumes "books"="paperbacks".)

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INTRODUCTION AND SUBSCRIBING:
1.1) What is BSJ?
1.2) What kind of books does BSJ search for?
1.3) How do I subscribe/unsubscribe to the list?
1.4) Is there a digest version?
1.5) How do I switch from list to digest or vice versa or go nomail?
FOR BOOK REQUESTERS:
2.1) How do I submit my want list to BSJ?
2.2) Can I request collectible books on BSJ?
2.3) Do you rate condition of books?
2.4) Do you look for books that are still in print?
2.5) What happens when a book is found for me?
2.6) What if two copies of the same book get found for me?
2.7) How much do you charge for books found?
2.8) Which gets sent first, the book or the payment?
2.9) How are packaging and postage handled?
2.10) I haven't received a book that I paid for. What now?
FOR BOOK SEARCHERS:
3.1) How often are the search lists distributed?
3.2) Should we be looking for books that are still in print?
3.3) If I find a wanted book, what do I do and who do I notify?
3.4) What if the requester hasn't returned any of my e-mail?
3.5) The book I found is being sold at a collectible price/ is tattered/ has a clipped corner/ has writing on it. How do I handle this?
3.6) If there are multiple requests for a book, who gets the first copy found?
3.7) What if a book I find ends up being a duplicate copy?
3.8) Once a book is found, how is payment handled?
3.9) What kind of package do I send the books in?
3.10) How do I deal with postage?
3.11) I haven't received payment for a book I sent. What now?
3.12) Are professional booksearchers/sellers allowed on the list?
3.13) Can I sell my own books on BSJ?
LEGAL STUFF:
4.1) Is there profit in this?
GENERAL INTEREST:
5.1) How did this list begin?
5.2) Who maintains this list and where can I ask questions?

1) INTRODUCTION AND SUBSCRIBING:

1.1) What is BSJ?
BSJ is a mailing list made up of amateur (and now some professional) book searchers who will look for anyone's Want List of genre fiction paperbacks at used bookstores just for the pleasure of making someone's day. BSJ stands for Bookstore Junkies.

1.2) What kind of books does BSJ search for?
We look for genre fiction paperbacks. We maintain five main search lists: (1) Historical, Contemporary, and Paranormal Romance (2) Series Romance (3) Regency and Gothic Romance (4) Mystery, Adventure, and Spy Novels (5) Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror

Sorry, but by popular vote we do not look for non-fiction books. The Non-Fiction Junkies mailing list was created for this purpose.

1.3) How do I subscribe/unsubscribe to the mailing list?
To subscribe to the list, send a blank message to:

bookstorejunkies-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

To unsubscribe to the list, send a blank message to:

bookstorejunkies-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com


1.4) Is there a digest version?
If you'd prefer to get your email from BSJ as a compilation of posts instead of individual messages, you can do so. See Question 1.5 for more info.

1.5) How do I switch from list to digest or vice versa or go nomail?

To switch mail options or go nomail you must be registered at Yahoo!Groups. To register go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/
and follow the directions in the "Sign In" box.
If you're already registered and you want to change your delivery options, SIGN IN at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/mygroups?edit=1
In the resulting page, at the left is a column with all the Yahoo!Groups to which you're subscribed. To the right are the mail delivery options you've chosen for each list. You have the choice of "Individual Emails", "Daily Digest", and "No Mail/Web Only". Choose which option you'd like and then please remember to click the "Save Changes" button.

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2) FOR BOOK REQUESTERS:

2.1) How do I submit my want list to BSJ?
After subscribing, you can send your book request (limited to 20 books across all the Search Lists) to the following e-mail address:

bookstorejunkies@yahoogroups.com

Your requests will be added to the appropriate Search List(s). New members need to introduce themselves before they make any requests. In general, let us know about your reading tastes, which area of the country you live in, and how you found us. Please identify yourself if you're a dealer.

Please format your requests in the following way:
*Author's last name, Author's firstname/TITLE IN CAPS
     Genre <your.e-mail.address.in.brackets> today's date
For example:
*Sala, Sharon/QUEEN
     Cont. Romance <me@abc.com> 27 Jan 01
2.2) May I request collectible books on BSJ?
Yes you may, keeping these two things in mind:

1) Ask yourself, "If I found a collectible book that is being requested, would I offer it to a BSJ member for half-price?" If the answer is no, then you should not request the book for yourself.

2) Books found for you by BSJers aren't to be resold elsewhere for a higher price. If you bought it through BSJ, you are expected to pass on that same generous courtesy you were shown or future requests may be ignored.

2.3) Do you rate conditions of books?
In keeping in the spirit of generosity and fun of our list, we do not allow condition ratings of paperbacks. The only exception are hardcover requests, which may have any kind of special condition, edition, etc. notation that requesters wish. If you are concerned about obtaining a collectible as opposed to a reading copy, then you might want to consider utilizing a professional booksearcher. A listing is provided at http://www.mailinglist.net/bsj/stores.html

2.4) Do you look for books that are still in print?
Yes. However, some searchers will choose not to look for books that are still available new.

2.5) What happens when a book is found for me?
The book finder will e-mail both you and BSJ with the notification and let you know the details. Since the presumption on BSJ is that the book will be accepted by the requester, no further e-mail (e.g. saying "I accept") is necessary.

If you find your book from another source please do let BSJ know promptly.

2.6) What if two copies of the same book get found for me?
Well, it would be great if requesters could buy both copies of the book, but otherwise please accept the first copy found. (The newly evolved exception occurs when the book finder specifically writes "feel free to accept from another book finder if it'll save postage costs.")

2.7) How much do you charge for books found?
We charge only what we ourselves paid for these books at used bookstores. It is common that the book finder may ask half the cover price, tax, postage, and packaging costs.

IMPORTANT: This mailing list is not an arena for selling books at collectible pricing! The expectation is that all books will be offered at about half-price or less. And though there is nothing that we can do to stop you, please do not abuse our efforts on your behalf by turning around and selling some of these books at higher prices.

2.8) Which gets sent first, the book or the payment?
This is entirely up to you and the book finder. It should be handled via private e-mail.

2.9) How are packaging and postage handled?
All books are sent at surface mail rates unless the requester asks differently. Books have been packaged in mailing paper, manila envelopes, and padded envelopes. Unless the requester specifies the kind of packaging, it is at the discretion of the book finder.

2.10) I haven't received a book that I paid for. What now?
The honor system has worked really nicely for us. But if you have a problem, e-mail Preeti and Barbara so they can keep a list of offenders and see if there is a pattern that the entire lists needs to know about.

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3) FOR BOOK SEARCHERS:

3.1) How often are the search lists distributed?
The updated Romance, SF/Fantasy/Horror, and Mystery Search Lists are posted to BSJ every Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings. Four less active Search Lists are only posted every Sunday. In between updates, searchers should keep track of what books have been found and requested.

Several BSJ volunteers work to confirm all the book requests every two months to ensure that the search lists are as accurate as possible.

3.2) Should we be looking for books that are still in print?
We'll include books that are still available new onto the Search Lists. If you don't wish to look for these books in the used bookstores, that's okay. You may wish to notify the requester that the book in question can still be obtained new.

3.3) If I find a wanted book, what do I do and who do I notify?
When a book is found, the finder should immediately e-mail BSJ and the requester first in line on the list. Prompt notification to BSJ helps to avoid the hassle of duplicate finds for other searchers. Please do not assume that every requester reads their list mail, or that they are currently subscribed to BSJ (so don't just post a find only to the list either.)

3.4) What if the requester hasn't returned any of my e-mail?
If you've found a book for a requester and they aren't responding to your notification, it's up to you about how to handle this. You might want to wait for a week just in case the requester is on vacation or her computer died, both of which have been known to happen. And you might want to query the list in case someone knows the requester.

3.5) The book I found is being sold at a collectible price/ is tattered/ has a clipped corner/ has water damage/ is an ex-library. How do I handle this?
Under any of these conditions, ask the requester if she/he is willing to take the book before purchasing it yourself. Perhaps you can have the local bookseller set the book aside for you for a few days while you get confirmation from the requester. In general, we're looking to match requesters up with intact inexpensive books.

3.6) If there are multiple requests for a book, who gets the first copy found?
It's first come, first served. A found book should be offered to the first requester listed under that title.

3.7) What if a book I find ends up being a duplicate copy?
This has happened many a time to our searchers. The best way to avoid being stuck with an already found book is letting a few days (or weeks) elapse between the initial request for the book and beginning a search for it. Or only look for books that you wouldn't mind owning yourself.

But if you end up with an unwanted duplicate copy, one option is to get your books added to The Weekly Booksale organized by Kitty Vickers.

3.8) Once a book is found, how is payment handled?
This is between you and the requester to decide via private e-mail.

3.9) What kind of package do I send the books in?
It's up to you, unless the requester indicates a preference. As BSJ has evolved, most book finders have become extremely creative in recycling packaging material so as not to pass this cost on to requesters.

3.10) How do I deal with postage?
It's always a good idea to *ask* the book requester which postage rate she'd like you to use. In general, though, you can use these suggestions. If you're sending books from the US to another US address (and this includes Guam), send them BOOK RATE. If you're sending books from the US to another country, send them at the surface book rate. M-Bags are a great option if you're sending many pounds worth of books. REMEMBER: Specify both the SURFACE and the BOOKS part.

More detailed information on postal rates and regulations can be found on the US Postal Service web page.

3.11) I haven't received payment for a book I sent. What now?
The honor system has worked nicely for us so far. But if you have a problem, e-mail Preeti and Barbara so they can keep a list of offenders.

3.12) Are professional booksearchers/sellers allowed on the list?
Anyone can join, but offering books to requesters for more than half-cover-price is not welcome. Ideally, BSJ is a second resort for requesters, with their own bookstores being the first and professional searchers being the third.
 
We keep a listing of professional booksearchers that is available for everyone. E-mail Preeti to be added to the list.

3.13) Can I sell my own books on BSJ?
Yes, you can sell your own books to fulfill requests on the search lists, provided that you do so at half-cover-price or less. If you wish to sell for more than that amount, sell non-requested books, or unload duplicate finds, then please do so through The Weekly Booksale or in other arenas on the Internet such as eBay or Half.com.

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4) LEGAL STUFF

4.1) Is there profit in this?
Put as simply as possible -- no. This is a hobby, our members receive no fees or dues. This is NOT a business for us, and none of our members have legal connections with each other. What we are, essentially, is a gathering of friends from mailing lists and word-of-mouth who love to search used bookstores for our other friends. This list is provided as a favor and for fun, and the listowner makes no profit on this. We provide a list of email addresses and URLs of bookstores as a way of helping those who can't get their books found readily as an alternate, and receive no payment from these services.


5) GENERAL INTEREST:

5.1) How did this list begin?
This list was started in August 1996 as an offshoot of the Romance Readers Anonymous Listserv, as a way of helping other members of the list (or their friends) find copies of hard-to-find romance books. Volunteers abounded, and book store hunts began. The response was so overwhelming that the "replying to everyone" option just wasn't going to be enough, so this mailing list was created to handle the traffic.

We average 30-60 messages a day and currently have about 750 subscribers.

5.2) Who maintains BSJ and where can I ask questions?
The original list was organized around August 1, 1996 by Preeti Singh, and then maintained by both Preeti and Julia. Around December 15, 1997, this list changed servers and is now administered by Preeti. On March 19, 2000, we moved our list to eGroups. On January 26, 2001 eGroups changed to Yahoo!Groups

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Since January 27, 1998