Hit The Books

NLB’s annual book swap is back

Breathe new life into your old bookcase with this year’s National Library Book Exchange!

Drop off your old books at any public library from the 13th to the 27th of April and redeem coupons, which you can exchange for used books at the book swap. The swap takes place at the The Plaza, National Library Building on the 28th of April from 8.30am to 6pm.

Here’s our survival guide to help you get the most out of your book exchange:

1.       Come early: Based on previous years experience, people start queuing as early as 7am. So gather your mates and arrive early to get a good spot in the line.

2.       Do your homework: Decide what sort of books you want, and arrive with a plan. You may not be able to find the exact titles, but the books are sorted neatly into categories so you can hone in on your favourite genre.

3.       Divide and conquer: Come with a group of friends, so you can each take charge of a certain genre. This way you cover all bases!

4.       Set up a collection: The coupons are transferable, so if you have friends with unwanted coupons, you can collect theirs to use as well. However, there is a maximum of 50 book exchanges per person.

5.       Give to charity: If you have any extra coupons, pass them to a charity organization at the event. Several have turned up in previous years. For instance, the Tana River Life foundation donates books collected to Kenya to start libraries. Find out more about them here.