April 13, 2018

Discussion: What do you do with your ARCs when you finish them?

So I wasn't actually planning on posting this yet. It was actually gonna be planned for in a few weeks, but I decided to move it up after a renewed interest in the topic this past week.

So if there's anything most of us can agree on in the bookish community its this, don't sell ARCs! I think the one thing that drives most of us nuts is seeing an ARC being sold online, or in a bookstore. This week as I was at one of the locations of my local used bookstore (it has 3 locations around town) I was browsing the Young Adult section as I usually do and low and behold I found this sitting on the shelf to be bought:

This wasn't the only ARC on the shelves either. I found at least one more among the books. Now I'm the person who will buy the ARC off the shelf if it's one I'm interested in just so it won't be on the shelf to be sold anymore or be bought by someone who will then sell it again.

This really really bugs me! So let me explain how my local used bookstore works. They get most of their books/games/etc, through trade in. As in people bring in things they want to get rid of to get trade credit to buy new things. What bugs me is someone knowingly brought this and the other ARC in and made money for themselves off it. Its just wrong. I'm a little less grumpy if say a library is selling an ARC and the money is going towards the library and all it does. But getting money for yourself from an ARC bothers me.

What do you do with ARCs then? These are great things either I've done myself or others do regarding ARCs that don't involve making money off them.

1. Keep Some

Ok, I'm not saying you HAVE to keep them, but some people do keep a few. For example, that background I used, is actually a picture of all my ARCs currently. Out of that I do have a few I'm not parting with. Shatter Me is one of them. It was my first ever physical ARC. I won it in a giveaway from Harper and its special to me. But you know, it's normal for people to keep at least a few I think.

2. Give Them Away

Now, I mean this is a number of ways. You could host a giveaway on your blog/site/whatever you use. I've done this with some ARCs. But, you could also give them to close friends or family. I've done this. In 2012 I won a box of 10 ARCs of Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock. I kept one to read and review. I then gave 2 to friends. Sent a few to other blogger friends who wanted to read and review it. And then gave the rest away for my blogoversary. I kid you not, seeing how happy someone is after winning a giveaway is so much better than making money off an ARC!

3. Trade Them

Nowadays, there's these handy dandy twitter hashtags named #booksfortrade & #arcsfortrade. Lots of people trading books. Now, I haven't used this yet. Mostly because I've heard about some drama with certain people not holding up to their end (like they agree on a trade but then one person sends and the other doesn't). Or the fact some people only want certain books, even if what they have isn't a good trade for said books. One day I might try it, but not yet. I am more willing to trade within smaller groups of bloggers though. That's what I used to do and had no issues with.

4. Donate Them
I haven't done this. I don't think there's a lot of good places in my area I can donate ARCs without seeing them back on a shelf. But I know in other places, people have had luck donating them to places such as shelters.

What do you do with ARCs you no longer want/need? Do you have any other ideas?