Okay, I have been a member for awhile, and have swapped a lot of books here.  I really like PBS an intend to keep swapping!  Because I no longer frequent the forums and don't poke around much other then just managing my wishlist and bookshelf, I seem to have missed out on a bunch of stuff.  I work fulltime, and ride horseback daily and try to read daily so it limits my time at keeping up with the website. 

I was skimming the forums the other day, and got "wind" of a few things that didn't make any sense to me at all.  In addition, I had forgotten I even had people on my buddy list, but I received requests from some of them to be added to the new buddy list, so I gathered there is some changes afoot there too.

So, here are my basic questions:

-I read in a forum post about swapping directly with buddies instead of going FIFO.  How does that work, I mean, it seems like once you post a book, if it is wishlisted, it is immediately held for the first person in line.  If the buddy doesn't post the book, how are you supposed to know they have a book you want?  I am just puzzled/curious, I don't have an opinion about the subject one way or another.

-When the wishlist thing changes, do i have to actually do anything?  My wishlist is essentially made up of books I have been waiting on for a very very long time (we are talking since 2005 and 2006) PLUS less common books that probably never get posted anyway - horse training books actually!  If I just let the changes all happen around me without going in and ranking or whatever, does that mean I will never get another WL book again?

-On the subject of my obscure wishlist books - horse training books - is there a way to find buddies by interest so that people can swap directly these low interest type books?

-Finally, in the past, I would add multiple ISDN for the same book since I didn't know which one would come up faster and I don't really care that much if I get hardcover versus paperback (although trade paperbacks are my favorite!).  I often found that the system claims to automatically remove the duplicate ISDNs when you receive a wishlist book, but much to my dismay, I discover later that it didn't.  I have turned down wishlist books because of this (I have also received duplicate books because of this!)  Anyway, I don't really understand how multiple versions of the same book is handled in the new wishlist thing.  I also don't understand why the system doesn't always remove the duplicates when it says it does.

Anyway, as a long time member, I would have to say I still love PBS!  I have traded hundreds of books, and have had very few problems or issues.  I am so impressed with the overall honestly, care and carefulness that swappers have - I guess as fellow book lovers people try to take care of their books!  For me, since I have other priorities right now, I limit how many books I keep on my bookshelf since I can't cope with going to the post office very often etc.  I have a lovely collection of TBRs and books that I have been sharing with family and friends that will make it back into the system.  It brings me a lot of satisfaction that books that I have very much loved have been swapped with others and to know that my books are getting read by people, and not just stuffed into boxes in my closet! 

Thanks in advance for any answers!

Whew!  Lots of questions!  I'll try to help.

1.  You are correct - once you post a book, and IF it is wishlisted, you can't get around FIFO.  However, you can swap with buddies if the book in question isn't on a wishlist hold.  All you have to do is go to your buddy's bookshelf and order directly from there.  MAKE SURE you hit the order button while you are still on your buddy's shelf.  Some people forget this part and navigate away from the shelf and end up ordering from someone else.  You also asked " If the buddy doesn't post the book, how are you supposed to know they have a book you want?"  I am not quite sure what you mean by this, but I think you mean like a friend of yours has a book in their house but not posted to PBS?  In that case, you just handle it the way you handle everything else with your friends - pick it up when you come over or whatever.  The term "buddy" on PBS does not necessarily refer to friends you have outside of PBS.  I have many buddies on my list who I wouldn't know otherwise. 

2.  Don't worry about the wishlist changes yet.  They aren't happening right now, so no need to stress yourself out over them now.

3.  I am not aware of  a way to search for buddies by reading interest, sorry!

4.  Here's what I'd advise you to do in the case of having multiple versions of the same book on your wishlist.  AS SOON as you receive a copy of the book in the mail, make sure you login to your PBS account and take off the other versions.  That's what I do and I've never had to turn down WL books and I've never received multiple copies of one book.

Hope that helps!

Sheryl!  So very good to see you back, as you absolutely were a grand contributor to the forums.  I've wondered where you've been since the Today show was doing Where in the World is Matt Lauer, and he ended up being in your hometown!  That was not this past year's Where in the World, but the year before...I think.  Missed you.

Hi Sheryl - I remember you. :)  Hope all is well! (I usually have an avatar oif my son J, so I may not look familiar. )

As for #3 - You can post a noitice in the Book Bazaar asking if anyone would be interested in certain books.  You can also become a BOB member and search for people who list horse-training books and send them a PM.

Hi, I remember you, too! Good to see you!

I did a forum search for subject only Horse and got this result: http://www.paperbackswap.com/forum/search.php?q=horse&s_type=s&action=search  Maybe there will be some members in there new to you that you could buddy with regarding horses and make your own group.

Les

 If the buddy doesn't post the book, how are you supposed to know they have a book you want?" 

I *think* this refers to her quetion about: swapping directly with buddies instead of going FIFO

To me it read like she was under the impression that FIFO was no longer the case at all, and in order to trade non-WL books you would have to access a buddy's list and choose rather than just searching picking a book and having the trade go through as usual.

And I am so hoping she is just confusing the upcoming WL changes with regular trading and that FIFO will remain alive and well. 

Right?  lol

Regarding the buddy list vs FIFO - some people don't like to wait out acceptance on a WL book so they will go through their buddies bookshelves and look for someone wishing for it and post it directly to their shelves with the expectation that it will get accepted more quickly. The FIFO system is alive and kickin', some just prefer to go around it.

The new WL when it gets here - you will be able to have the system autorank your books and let it be just like you do now. You may get an occasional email (2 weeks in advance) letting you know that someone else might pass you in the WL line. You have the option to go to your WL and rearrange it to keep your possition on that book.

Multiple ISBN books - by keeping them on your list when another is in transit, you do run the risk of having to turn down the other version, or ordering two versions to ensure you get at least one.  With the new wish list coming you will be able to put WL books on hold, they won't continue to earn points, but at least they will hold their status until you can determine if the first version will show up.

Of course I remember Bonnie, LG, Les!  It is nice that you remember me.  Yes, I was a very active poster here, but my life got pretty turned upside down when my little sister's cancer advanced and eventually led to her death - I was very involved in her daily care.  Then, I did the 3-Day Breast Cancer walk in Sept 07. 

Since last summer, I have been enjoying getting back into riding horses as a way to stay busy, focused on a challenge, while experiencing a rewarding physical activity as well as meeting new people and kind of building a new life.  I have gone through alot of other changes too... kinds growing up and moving out etc etc.

Anyway, I think Anna answered my question.  This buddy swap thing seems like it is geared more to situations where you have a posted book... maybe there are 10 copies in the system, but a buddy can order it directly off your shelf.  It does not change the FIFO waiting list for your wishlist books.

Seems like PBS has really continued to grow and expand - things seem to be going great!

It sounds like the other questions have been answered.... As far as the specific interest type book buddies, what I have done is when I order from someone who seems to have alot of the type of books I am interested in I buddy them and then go back and check their shelves every now and then. For example, my older son is really into Pokemon and I have a couple of people I've ordered Pokemon books from buddied so when he's wanting a new book I often just have him browse their shelves instead of doing a full search so he's looking at books that are actually in the system and not finding things that will have to be wishlisted (he does wishlist also, but sometimes I want to get him a book *now*)   You could do this w/ horse books - just buddy the people you order them from and go back and check their shelves or even pm them and ask to let you know if they post books on that topic....