I post after I read them; just because you never know, that book might  surprise you and be on someone's wish list and get a request right away.

I always wait until I've finished reading the book before posting.  That way I can decide if the book is a keeper or a mover and I know for sure that it's still in postable condition.  There's always the chance that something could happen while I'm reading the book, a stray spill, bad binding, etc, that could cause the book to suddenly become unpostable and I'd hate to have to cancel an order because of that.

I usually post when I'm about half-way through the book, figuring I'll finish it before someone orders it, even if it's a WLd book. Pat

I never post till after I've read a book.  Otherwise I'm a nervous wreck with it, trying to keep it from any damage.  I read a lot when I'm eating, so between accidental splashes of spaghetti sauce (for example) and my hands picking up a sweaty drink, there's lots of potential for damage.  LOL

And I have hundreds of books to read so a book I receive could hang around for several months before I get around to reading it. 

I live on the edge and post a few books without reading them.  Mostly if there are many copies in the system, I received them for free, or if they are very short.

I'd never post it before reading it. I have a huge TBR pile, and don't like to feel like I'm reading to someone else's interests. I love being able to pick up exactly what I'm in the mood for, with no time limit.

Which is why I get so many book here rather than from the Library. Due dates make me nervous!

I rarely post before reading. Sometimes if I notice a book only has 1 or 2 wishers, I'll post it before I read it. But only if I'm in the mood to read it and know I'll have time. I'm a fast reader.  I will also sometimes post heavily posted books before I've read them to start their way up FIFO. But never more than a few at a time so if one gets ordered, I can speed read it.  I put my shelf on hold if I'm going to be busy. 

I have a huge TBR so sometimes I get books from here and don't read them for a year and sometimes I read them the day they come. 

I only post books that are ready to mail immediately.  I'm rather stubborn about reading what I want, when I'm in the mood vs. having to read this one right now.

I only post books when I'm ready to trade em away to someone else.

-RD

Most of the time I wait until I read a book before I post it.  If I know there are several copies in the system, and I know I'll be reading the book in the next month or two I'll go ahead and post it.  I figure that gives it a little time to move up in the FIFO list.

Sometimes, if I'm reading a wishlist book and know that there are only a few wishers for a book I'll post it.  But only if I know I'll be finished reading the book in a day or two.  I usually try to mail books right after someone requests them (I have a blue box I can drop books in outside the office I work at), so I don't like to post anything if I know it'll take me longer than a couple of days to finish up.

How soon after receiving a book do I post it? That varies widely. I have a huge TBR, so most of the time it's months or years after I get it, except for the occasional highly anticipated book, and then it's usually a few days to weeks.

I usually post a book when I'm done with it, but occasionally for lighter, fluffier books that only take me a few hours to read, I'll post it when I'm halfway done. A few years ago, I used to post some of the more heavily-posted books well ahead of time thinking I would be the hundredth in line and in no danger of getting ordered...but got burned a few times when people ordered a wishlisted book and then apparently hit "order more from member" and requested a book I had posted but hadn't read yet and wasn't really in the mood to tackle...so I had to send it off without reading it and then order it again later when I wanted it. Now I just wait.

Cheryl

That depends on what kind of a book it is.  If it's a book with a wishlist, I post it as soon as I receive it and put it at the top of my TBR pile.  Since I read at least one book a day, I don't worry about finishing it before it's requested.  And even if I do get a request before I read the book, I simply make that book that day's reading.

I also regularly go through my bookshelf to make sure that I haven't read a book and forgotten to repost it. 

Usually once I read it, but that's rare. I don't repost most of what I request here. I post what I buy (also rare) or acquire from family and friends.

When I have read it. I have book on my shelf that have been there since I joined PBS in 2005. If it is a wish listed book, it might be a week or so-less then a month anyway.

I post the book when I am finished with it.  That could mean finished reading it or finished loaning it to friends or whatever.  I pay no attention to the fact that a book is on someone's wish list.  I just read what I want to read.  So. . . it could be days after I received the book or it could be weeks, months or maybe never.   I would never post a book until I was sure I didn't want it anymore.

I once posted a book before I was finished.  Of course it got ordered right away.  Then I was taking it everywhere and reading every spare second so I could get it mailed in time.  So then of course I dripped some Pibb X on it.  Had to PM explain what I did.  Cancel. Be embarrased.  Then the sweet receipient said thats OK send it anyway.  But by then it had rolled over to the next Fifo. 

So I learned my lesson.

I will Never Ever Post before I'm finished again.

I post after I have finished reading. That gives me the chance to decide if I want to keep it or let it go. I would hate to post it first, then decide I love it so much I don't want to give it up, which would mean either I would have to disappoint the requester, or put myself back on the end of the wish list to get another copy. Plus my TBR is huge and I also don't like to read books just because they are WL'd. I want to read what I want to read, when I want to read it.

If its a book that has been sitting around for awhile and I keep reading other stuff instead of it, I'll post it just to kick start me into reading it. Other than that, I post it after I'm done reading it, which can be as short as the same day or as long as a month. 

I post when I'm done reading it. I have 2 bookshelves. One for my TBR books and one for my posted books. Both are in alpha order by author and then by series order (if a series)

Books laying around the house are usually in the process of being read, just arrived and haven't made it to the TBR bookshelf or they are on the cabinet that holds the books that are read and ready to be shelved on the posted bookshelf, both real and virtual.

Gee, this makes me sound just the tiniest bit anal about my books.

susan/vt

I tend to wait until I have read the book.  First, I have some books that I have promised to people I work with before I can post them here (sorry PBS buddies).  Second, I am in school and so I don't always get to read in the order I want or read my fun books as fast as I want.  And finally, when I get to read for fun I like to read to my interests at the moment.  For instance, I went to my favorite used bookstore and happened upon The Warrior Heir and ended up getting it after reading a couple of pages.  Then it ended up leaping over my ever expanding TBR list along with the second in the series (and the third if I can find it soon). 

I wait until I'm done, or very nearly done, reading it.  I've been a member for just over a year, and my TBR has grown from 0 to about 110 books.  I can't read as fast as I receive them, and there's no telling when I'll get to any particular book.