The Literary Life

From the staff of BookSwim.com

Day: Tuesday, November 25th, 2008

BOOKSWIM.COM ACCEPTED INTO NJIT ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT CENTER

Online Book Rental Company Continues its Growth as it Enters Acclaimed Business Incubator Program

NEWARK, NJ — BookSwim.com (http://www.bookswim.com/), America’s first and only online service that rents paperback and hardcover books (Netflix-style), has been accepted into the New Jersey Institute of Technology’s (NJIT) Enterprise Development Center (http://www.njit-edc.org). As part of this incubator program, BookSwim.com has moved their headquarters from Aberdeen, New Jersey, to NJIT’s Newark campus.

BookSwim’s acceptance into the NJIT incubator program is the result of the company’s continuing growth, as it is working to become the definitive Web service for renting books. Originally started as an idea between two book lovers, George Burke and his business partner Shamoon Siddiqui, BookSwim was founded after they realized that most people at the local bookstore wanted to stay and read books, but not necessarily purchase them. Since mailing out their first book in March of 2007, BookSwim has sent over 100,000 books.

“We are thrilled to have been accepted to this program which is completely dedicated to the growth and success of New Jersey technology start-ups like BookSwim,” said George Burke, founder and chairman of BookSwim.com. “With our new home at NJIT’s incubator, we will grow our business to reach our goals to put more books in people’s hands and to have 1,000,000 books rented through BookSwim by 2010.”

“The NJIT Enterprise Development Center gives new technology companies the opportunity to develop resources and expand their vision in an environment that aides them every step of the way,” said Jerry Creighton, Sr., executive director, NJIT Enterprise Development Center. “We are happy to have BookSwim join the program as a means to assist this growing company.”

About BookSwim.com
BookSwim (www.bookswim.com), launched in May 2007, is the first and only online paperback and hardcover book rental library club, allowing subscribers to rent books with free shipping both ways, and no due dates or late fees. The site provides book rental service nationwide, offering hardcover new releases to paperback classics, and bestsellers to children’s books. BookSwim subscription plans start at $9.95 per month and allow as many as 11 books borrowed at a time, with an option for members to purchase the books they love.

About NJIT Enterprise Development Center
Since 1988, NJIT’s Enterprise Development Center has enabled inventors to move innovative products out of the laboratory and into the marketplace. A high-tech business incubator housed in two of Newark buildings, the Center provides office and lab space, financial help, business and technical services, and the shared expertise of the center’s managers. The Center is open to for-profit enterprises, operating fewer than four years and that offer new technologies. The companies must have a business plan, and show evidence that they will be likely to benefit from the three-year tenancies available. The Center has graduated more than 75 companies.
NJIT, New Jersey’s science and technology university, at the edge in knowledge, enrolls more than 8,000 students in bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in 92 degree programs offered by six colleges: Newark College of Engineering, New Jersey School of Architecture, College of Science and Liberal Arts, School of Management, Albert Dorman Honors College and College of Computing Sciences. NJIT is renowned for expertise in architecture, applied mathematics, wireless communications and networking, solar physics, advanced engineered particulate materials, nanotechnology, neural engineering and e-learning. In 2006, Princeton Review named NJIT among the nation’s top 25 campuses for technology and top 150 for best value. U.S. News & World Report’s 2007 Annual Guide to America’s Best Colleges ranked NJIT in the top tier of national research universities.

No Comments by Eric on November 25, 2008
filed in Press Releases

mommy track’d: Swimming in Books.

Read the full article at mommytrackd.com

Long before there was Netflix there was Books on Tape, a wonderful service for readers that supplied a huge selection of books for a monthly rental fee, but it went out of the rental business a few years ago, leaving a huge gap for those of us who like to “read” in the car or while we’re doing household chores, or who just enjoy the sound of being read to by skilled professional voices. I, for one, have missed them.

Now, though, there is BookSwim, an online service that rents paperback and hardcover books. Like Netflix, the service allows you to keep the books for as long as you like with no late fees. Once you return it, the next book is on its way to you, with free shipping in 100% recycled bags both ways. The site is also offering digital gift cards starting at $9.95 per month. For every one of these sold, BookSwim will plant a tree to offset the environmental impact of producing paper for books. Check out the site and the selections.

by Eric on November 25, 2008
filed in Press & Media Clippings

WiseBread.com: “Unique Subscription Services that Might Save You Money” by Linsey Knerl

Read the full article at WiseBread.com

Most of us have used a subscription service in our lifetime. Cable TV, magazines, and movies are usually purchased in monthly installments. I recently took a look at three subscription services that were a bit off the beaten path: MagHound, BabyPlays, and BookSwim. But are they a good deal?

If you’ve ever considered convenience or variety to be valuable, you may find these services to be especially enticing. I haven’t used these services personally, so I can’t vouch for the quality of customer service or the integrity of the products shown. What I can tell you is my experience in purchasing these items traditionally, the cost involved in the subscription plans, and how they could possibly affect your bottom line.

Book rental subscriptions via BookSwim – I’ve heard a bunch of good stuff regarding this book rental service. In a nutshell, you check out books much like movies, sending them back when you’re done and getting new ones when they’re available. The plans cost the following prices for an unlimited number of exchanges per month:

3 at a time for $9.95 the first month (then $19.98 a month thereafter)

5 at a time for $12.45 the first month (then $24.97 a month thereafter)

7 at a time for $14.94 the first month (then $29.96 a month thereafter)

9 at a time for $17.44 the first month (then $34.95 a month thereafter)

11 at a time for $19.93 the first month (then $39.94 a month thereafter)

*There’s also a 2 at a time plan for $14.99 a month (not including a first month at a discount, but why would anyone get this rotten deal?

The pricing on this service will cost you between $1.81 and $3.31 per book, per month (not including the atrocious 2 at a time deal) THE FIRST MONTH ONLY (then prices go up. If you can handle having your books shipped via USPS media mail (which can take between 4 and 14 days to arrive), you may get one or two new books per rotation. Here’s the big IF in the matter: Because BookSwim makes you mail back books in bunches (anywhere from 2 to 4 at a time), it may limit your ability to exchange books quickly. If you can get just one exchange per book per month for the first month, it decreases your book cost to between $.90 and $1.65 per book.

Bottom Line: If you have a well-stocked library close by, and you enjoy making the walk/drive/ride, this isn’t a necessary service. Those in remote locations or who fear library late fees, however, might find BookSwim to be an angel from heaven. This is a service that will fair best for the well-read or the homebound. Traditional library geeks might want to save their money.

by Eric on November 25, 2008
filed in Press & Media Clippings

Silly Survey – Week 1

This week’s Silly Survey is a tough call. Check out the latest Literary Life podcast to hear Chip and Eric weigh in, or just place your bets here:

Wanna fight about it? Or have a suggestion for next week’s question? Comment below.

3 Comments by Eric on November 25, 2008
filed in The Literary Life