Requests are unpredictable--you can get several in a week, and then none for weeks after that.  It depends on how many books you have Posted, and how in-demand the books you have are, how many copies of those books are already in the system, and how visible your bookshelf is to other members. 

• Strategies to increase your bookshelf visibility:

  • Make a PBS Profile. 
    • Having a public profile means you are searchable in the Member Directory and can easily be added to another member's Friends--Friends often keep an eye on each other's bookshelves. (Note: The Member Directory is accessible only to members enrolled in Limited or Standard Membership.)
    • To make a public profile, Click Settings under My Account in the toolbar at the top of the site and then click the link to Profile Settings.  Don't forget to click  when you are done!
  • Get involved in the Discussion Forums.
    • Members who see your posts can click on your posts and look at what you have to swap.
    • The more members who get to see your bookshelf, the more likely your books are to be ordered.
    • Members can order directly from you by clicking  next to any title on your shelf (this bypasses FIFO!).
    • The Book Bazaar Forum is a good place to advertise your books.
      • Start a topic decribing the contents of your bookshelf: 'Gothic Romances!' for example, or 'Mystery/Thrillers and How-To Books!' In the messsage area in your Post, you can 'spotlight' particular titles with descriptions and reviews. You can also start topics offering 2-for-1 deals or more creative 'specials,' if you like.
    • Or try the Hidden Gems Forum, where members discuss favorite authors or titles.
      • Members whose tastes match yours will click on your post to browse your books. 
    • You can get to the Discussion Forums by clicking "Discussion Forums" under Community in the toolbar at the top of any page on the site. 
  • Post more books!
    • When book orders slow down, most members recommend posting more books.
    • Whenever someone clicks ,  there is the opportunity to order more books from the same member.
    • This means that if you post a title that catches someone's eye (in the Books Posted Today, for example), that person might add one of your earlier-posted books to their order.
  • Join Box-O-Books
    • Boxers can swap multiple books directly with each other without using credits (this is the only way that direct book-for-book swapping allowed on the site) and can search each other's bookshelves by genre or author, etc.  So a Boxer might order several books from you at once if you have the type of books he or she wants to swap.

• Remember, FIFO is always working for you. 

  • Because of the FIFO (first-in, first-out) principle that governs swapping at PBS, the books that have been waiting the longest to be requested may be the next to go!  

As our membership grows, each new member brings a new set of interests and 2 initial credits to spend. You may have just the books she is looking for!

Related Links:

How do I choose a PBS nickname/make a public profile?
What are the PaperBackSwap Discussion Forums?
About the Specific Discussion Forums
How to post a book
How do I direct my request for a book to a specific member?
What is Box-O-Books?