I'd like to read about condition of the books that can be swapped.  I thought that there was some level of cleanliness, whiteness of page that had to be followed. 

(This is triggered by my last swap.  I never put requestor conditions, because all I have been swapping up til now was basically contemporary and romance novels under 5 years old.  Then I put in an order for an older book and I am just disgusted with it.  I would never send out an old brown paged book!  Some things need to be trashed.  Yet I would love to read the book, but I can't put my nose in that thing, it's just a gross experience, and I like to enjoy my reading experience!  So if I want to read a book that's been out of print for 20 years there is probably no hope of getting a good copy on here because I could waste many credits going through many unacceptable copies, right?)

Hi Julie,

Look under Help Center ->Browse Help Docs ->Posting books->Book condition guidelines.

Susan

Hi Julie;

Here's a link to Book Condition Guidelines

It comments about Yellowing pages.

General remarks:

This is a used-book swapping site; books are not expected to be in like-new condition.

• Older books may have some page yellowing or spine-creasing or dogeared pages; these are all OKAY.

From the help files:

Older books may have some page yellowing or spine-creasing or dogeared pages; these are all OKAY.

It seems like I recall seeing at one point something about no "dirty" books but all I can find now is that books should not be soiled.

Paperback books prior to 1980 are likely to have yellowed or even brown pages - this is fairly normal, it's just what happens to the poorly quality paper as it ages. Hardcover books generally take another decade or so to develop yellowing. That being said, I do have some books from the 1890s in almost pristine condition - but then again the paper was MUCH better quality back then than it has been in the last 50 years.

The only real way to stop getting older books that show ageing is to have requester conditions stating that you don't want books with yellowed or browned pages.

Thanks, all.

I did put in RC's.  Better than wasting a credit.

Unfortunately that's a risk when looking for older books, last few years books have been made more cheaply, and don't hold up that well.  I have some books I know on my shelf, at least 5 yrs old that have never been anywhere other than my hand or my bookshelf that probably have brown and/or discolored pages.

I also have some books < 10 years old that I got new, and have some yellowing.  If it bothers you that much it's good you put RCs in, so you won't be disappointed