Announcing "Joad"

On Saturday afternoon (April 10, 2010) I sent this letter to 58 people:

Dear friend

This email is going to a number of people, anonymously.

I recently bought "Why We Disagree About Climate Change" by Mike Hulme, in shares between three people at a cost of $11.60

[To my favorite bookshop: I did not buy this book from you because I thought you would not have it. It was easier to buy online.]

This purchase crystalized some ideas I had been having, along the lines of,

"How can I get books to read without going to a library, which won't have the ones I want anyway?"

"How can I get my impulse to buy books under control?"

"How can I get someone else to pay for my addiction to books?"

Not really. Just kidding...

and

"How can I share my love of books with my friends in a way that does not send me broke, and allows me to let go of them wisely, when I am done with them?"

Then this idea popped up:

"Project Joad" !!

Joint

Ownership

And

Donation

(of books to begin with...)

Here's how-

Several people get together to buy a book they want to read, but don't need to keep.

Some ideas:

The fastest reader takes the book first

After that we decide who is likely to read it fastest, and so on, down the line

One reader could write a review (Hmmm.. I knew there would be catch)

After the buying partners have read the book (quickly of course)

The book is donated to one of the following

• The buying partner who can convince the other partners that they really, really need it (! LOL !)
• A local library (the one we agree is most suitable)
• A charity (ditto)
• or someone who, we agree, could make intensive use of it to benefit our community

This method could be used for other "durable, shareable, short-consumption-time" items,

such as DVDs, quality journals and magazines

(eg. I would like to read some monthly and quarterly publications, but I can't afford to) ,

and...

you tell me what else...

Let me know how you feel about this, and I will launch the project!

PS.

[To my favorite bookshop: this could help sell you more books]

Tell me if you don't want to hear more from me on this topic, because I have put you onto one of my mailing lists.

Reply to this email with the words "Get lost!" or something more polite, and you will be removed from the list instantaneously.

Rest assured, I will not be sending many emails on this subject.

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Four people have politely asked to be taken off my mailing list.

Eight people sent me emails, ranging from enthusiastic to "I am too busy to make use of it"