Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Discussion Forums - Questions about PaperBackSwap Questions about PaperBackSwap

Topic: any way to use a barcode reader to enter books for posting?

Club rule - Please, if you cannot be courteous and respectful, do not post in this forum.
  Unlock Forum posting with Annual Membership.
catsknit avatar
Subject: any way to use a barcode reader to enter books for posting?
Date Posted: 7/12/2012 9:58 AM ET
Member Since: 9/28/2008
Posts: 8
Back To Top

I have a bunch of books to post and it occurred to me that it would be so much faster if i could scan in the ISBNs.  Goodreads lets me do this with an android app for my phone - is there anything that would work for pbs?

thanks.

entRedRaider avatar
Standard Member medal
Date Posted: 7/12/2012 10:06 AM ET
Member Since: 5/21/2008
Posts: 1,261
Back To Top

There's an app called Book Swap Droid that I think will let you post to your bookshelf.  IIRC, you have to download the scanner separately.

I just scanned a book with it, and there was a "post" button.

I also use it to search for WL books while I'm at the UBS.

Hope this helps!

Generic Profile avatar
Friend of PBS-Silver medal
Date Posted: 7/12/2012 10:20 AM ET
Member Since: 3/4/2007
Posts: 4,598
Back To Top

FYI, the free version of the BookswapDroid app will not let you post books, but the $1.99 version will.  Just thought I'd mention that.  I had the free version on my DroidX and found that it took forever to load and really wasn't all that useful to me, so I uninstalled it.  The paid version gets better reviews, 3.7 stars as opposed to the free version's 2.8.  For the price, it sounds like the paid version might be just what you're looking for though.  If you do install it, let us know how it works.

entRedRaider avatar
Standard Member medal
Date Posted: 7/12/2012 11:25 AM ET
Member Since: 5/21/2008
Posts: 1,261
Back To Top

Thanks, Sandy, looks like I was wrong.  I only have the free verison, and never have used it to post books.  They always go on my TBR and I post from there (almost always from my PC, though).  Love it for checking availability/WL at the UBS, though.

Might have to try posting the next one I finish.  I'd love to hear how OP likes the full version, too, if she goes that route.

janply avatar
Date Posted: 7/12/2012 2:51 PM ET
Member Since: 4/30/2012
Posts: 127
Back To Top

A little off the OP question, but on the subject of apps. I use an app called Paperback Swap Wishing (PBS Wishing). It only lets you scan or enter manually the ISBN number and then tells you how many people are wishing for the book. That's all it does, but it's simple enough and fun to use. I use it at the UBS and book sales and now I have more wishlisted books than I have the funds for postage, lol.

soelo avatar
Standard Member medalFriend of PBS-Silver medal
Date Posted: 7/12/2012 5:22 PM ET
Member Since: 5/4/2009
Posts: 718
Back To Top

I would use the goodreads app to scan the codes and then export the list to a file on your computer and then import that into PBS. It is a lot of work for a few books, but if you have many you want to post, it would be faster. If I recall, the GR app will only let you add the books to one of the three standard exclusive shelves: read, currently-reading or to-be-read.

Generic Profile avatar
Friend of PBS-Silver medal
Date Posted: 7/12/2012 6:32 PM ET
Member Since: 3/4/2007
Posts: 4,598
Back To Top

I use the PBS Wishing app all the time and really like it.  One thing I've noticed though is that it's not always up-to-date.  Not a big deal really, but I tend to pick up obscure books with only one wisher and about half the time the wisher is gone in the time it takes me to get to the car and post the book.  Now it could very well be that someone just beat me to posting, but it's happened a few times too often for me to believe that's the case.

 

Generic Profile avatar
Date Posted: 7/14/2012 7:10 AM ET
Member Since: 5/16/2011
Posts: 64
Back To Top

funny thing, I use the PBS app on my ipad/itouch app. I can see requests, books I've mailed, credits, my bookshelf,lists (my WL, TBR, books just posted), search listings and then post using ISBN typed or scanned. The only thing I cannot do is mark mailed or accept requests. and in this case see how many people are wishing for a book. The creator of the app is Cox Data System, not PBS itself. how about the android app?

djwalker avatar
Date Posted: 7/14/2012 9:48 PM ET
Member Since: 11/11/2011
Posts: 593
Back To Top

The Android app is called BookswapDroid and it works great.  I bought the paid app and have it loaded on my tablet. 

I also tried PBS Wishing.  The problem is that it will show wishes that are on hold or where the account is suspended.  If it also checked to see if the book was available and then marked it as 0 wishing when it was available, then the results would be more accurate.

I also have BooksSwap on my iPhone which works very well also. 

How these programs work is by sending a url to PBS and getting a return (called an API).  There is a limited number of API's that are supported by PBS, so that is why the applications do not do more.  For more technical info look here: http://www.paperbackswap.com/developers/v1-xml.php

 

 

 

Generic Profile avatar
Standard Member medalMember of the Month medalBook Data Correction Group medalTour Guide Leader medalFriend of PBS-Silver medal
Date Posted: 7/14/2012 9:55 PM ET
Member Since: 8/27/2005
Posts: 4,138
Back To Top

Karen, I see you've been a member for a while so you probably know this, but if any newer members plan to post a large number of books at a time, be aware that if you have lots of wishlisted books you might get hit with a lot of orders and big postage bill!  It might be better to post in smaller groups until you get a feel for how popular your books are.

Diane

 

Sianeka avatar
Sianeka - ,
Member of the Month medalFriend of PBS-Double Diamond medalPBS Cruise Attendee medalPBS Blog Contributor medal
Date Posted: 7/16/2012 2:08 PM ET
Member Since: 2/8/2007
Posts: 6,630
Back To Top

Good thing to note, Diane!  Glad you posted this for the benefit of new members.