Soaring book prices can limit access to literature and hinder the joy of reading. BookSwap tackles this challenge by fostering vibrant community book exchange programs within libraries and bookstores. This innovative software feature empowers patrons to share pre-loved books in a secure and convenient way.

This idea came from a tweet on Twitter (I remain a radical and will not call that app by its legal name). Someone complained about how the prices of brand-new books had skyrocketed in the last year, and I agreed because I don't remember the last time I read a physical book. Someone suggested (and I quote because I don't remember it accurately), "There should be a site where people can swap books with others," and I came up with this idea shortly after seeing that post.

It served its purpose which was conveying the idea as i had it in my head. I posted this on twitter the next day and one of my moots (yes, its a real word) sent me a dm on how the idea was solid and could be explored further like how the users can easier input their book list by scanning the ISBN code and they are able to see the status of the book, who they swapped with and a picture of the state of the books when they were swapped. Very cool stuff, i agree.

I spoke to a few of my friends who read books pretty often to hear (read) what they felt about the idea. Their major concern was being able to trust the people they were swapping with online. Read some of our conversations below (yes, i was allowed to share these screenshots).

Potential benefits of the BookSwap feature:

• Reduced Costs: Users can access a wider variety of books without the burden of high prices.
• Community Building: BookSwap fosters connections between readers with shared interests, sparking book discovery and conversations.
• Increased Engagement: By incentivizing library and bookstore visits, BookSwap promotes literacy and supports local businesses.
• Sustainability: It encourages book recycling and extends the lifespan of pre-loved books, reducing the environmental impact.

Here are some other elements that were designed for this:

Walkthrough screens