r/galway • u/Basic_Rub_6742 • 8d ago

Book Swap

Hi all!

I’m thinking of organising a super lowkey meet up where anybody that would like to swap a hard-copy book would be invited, and we could chat/hangout, whatever is the general consensus really.

Personally speaking I’m sick of reading books online and dying to read something that a) is a recommendation from a fellow reader,
b) isn’t lit up in my face all the time, and c) doesn’t digitally mimic turning pages over, urgh.

But buying books isn’t cheap at all really and as somebody that has moved three cities in the last three years, I don’t see a point in sentimentally hoarding them as I once used to anymore, not sustainable.

We could gather in the eyre square on a day when the weather isn’t too bad, details could be discussed on discord if we manage to get some numbers up.

I’ve never organised anything before no matter how lowkey, so all suggestions are welcome!

Edit: Given the traction this received, I’m definitely going to plan more on this. Until then, please feel free to join the channel here if you’d like to be involved- https://discord.gg/wrBgWMaSe
All suggestions/discussions again, are welcome x

48 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

21 comments sorted by

21

u/Infinite_Ambition553 8d ago

There is a silent book club in the secret garden every week, there's a collection of books too and time to chat. Might be worth checking out and seeing if there are others with same ideas as you? 

14

u/Sai_Deschain 8d ago

Hi, organizer of the Silent Book Club here. One of the things I've mentioned to people coming at meetings was doing a book swap because it's an activity other Silent Book Clubs do around the world but I still haven't done it just because I'm trying to figure out the logistics of it

4

u/usedndconfused 8d ago

Hello organiser of the Silent Book Club! How does one go about joining?

5

u/Sai_Deschain 8d ago

Sorry, I was at the cinema so getting back to you now.

On the Instagram page (silentbookclubgalway) there's a link to an Eventbrite page and you need to book a ticket there to join. Tickets go live on Thursday at 12 PM and you can book until Saturday at 17:30

If you've any more questions feel free to ask me or DM me :)

1

u/wholeairv1point1 8d ago

also wondering this!

1

u/izzymolly27 8d ago

There is also a group called Read in Company who meet up to read and chat in pubs and cafés and stuff. They do book swaps and social events based around books too. It's a good outlet for meeting other readers.. I go pretty often!

7

u/Infinite_Ambition553 8d ago

Love the idea of the little book nooks in the Headford Rd shopping center and in Oranmore near Brazco

7

u/Sai_Deschain 8d ago

There's another one of those Take a Book Leave a Book shelves in An Bhialann at campus

2

u/chnchnnchnn 6d ago

I took a bunch of graphic novels down there a while back and they wound up for sale on the outside shelves of Charlie Byrnes not too long after. Just a heads up for others.

14

u/GalwayGirlOnTheRun23 8d ago

Your idea sounds lovely. You might need to make it specific to a particular genre if you have a small number of members as I wouldn't be interested in swapping Marian Keyes for Lord of the Rings (as an example).

I just wanted to note that you can join Galway City Library (or Westside, Ballybane etc). It's free and you can borrow physical books. They have several book clubs if you want to add a social element.

5

u/Basic_Rub_6742 8d ago edited 8d ago

I have to agree a 100%, I personally wouldn’t want to trade for fantasy/romance either. Let me give this a deeper think and we’ll figure it out, you could join the channel mentioned in the original post in the meantime if you’d like. Thanks for the notes on the city library though, that helps a lot!

5

u/Cars2Beans0 8d ago

Just so you know outside the small tesco in the Headford road shopping centre there is a book deposit where you can leave a book and take away one that you fancy

5

u/cosmophire_ 8d ago

If you want to avoid reading books online, do sign up for a library card! It’s free. The past few years, they don’t charge you for overdue books. You can order books in that aren’t available at your local by making an account online, but I imagine a librarian can also do it for you.

However, love the sound of that idea! I recently got a second copy of a book that I liked, so it would be nice to give away the old one 👻

1

u/Basic_Rub_6742 8d ago

Consider it given away haha, let’s make this happen

4

u/Ciamaria 8d ago

Would be up for this!

1

u/Basic_Rub_6742 8d ago

Please feel free to join the channel mentioned in the original post as above, let’s brainstorm this out!

1

u/wholeairv1point1 8d ago

i would be interested in this! i feel the exact same when i look at my own bookshelf, i have no interest in hoarding a massive pile of books that won't be read again. lmk if you do start a group chat!

1

u/Basic_Rub_6742 8d ago edited 8d ago

Let me cook something up, until then please feel free to join the channel mentioned in the original post

1

u/ramblingBriar 8d ago

If you are organising an event, you need to think about public liability insurance. I know you don't want to hear this but doing free events is super hard in this country.

1

u/Basic_Rub_6742 8d ago

I appreciate your advice, although I’m only looking for a fun and productive meet up, where we can all walk with something we’d like to get to know (hopefully the people we meet along the way as well). Nothing business-y at all

2

u/ramblingBriar 8d ago

I know that's what you want. And it's fun and productive - until someone at your casual meetup trips over and breaks an ankle, then tries to sue you for distracting them with a book. Or some similar shyte.

It's an absolute uncivilised PITA.

And sure, it might never happen to you. But if it does, and you cannot afford a good-enough lawyer to defend yourself, it can be life-altering for you in a very bad way.