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Little Rock – Airdate: December 4th, 2008

Netflix has proven that movie rental services can work. Now the concept is being tried with books.

But as Seven-On-Your-Side’s Jason Pederson found out in tonight’s “Your Money” report, when it comes to saving money it is hard to beat the local library.

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In the first ten months of this year, the Central Arkansas Library system had already seen book circulation and visitors equal to all of 2007.

(Carrie Snodgrass/CALS Spokesperson) “It goes without saying that in tough economic times people are looking for stuff for free and the library offers a wide range of books, DVDs and CDs for free.”

Yes the books are free but are they available? If you want to read one of Barack Obama (web | news | bio) ’s current bestsellers…get in line. The Central Arkansas Library system has 13 copies of each and a waiting list for each. Another best seller…The Shack….has 76 people waiting to read it.

Holds and reserves have long frustrated regular library goers, so a new “Hot Pick” system has been developed.

It is all holds barred.

(Snodgrass) “As a Hot Pick book there is a book placed at each library that is non-holdable.”

If you don’t live close to a library or don’t like the limited hours, you might want to try Bookswim. It is a subscription service that follows the Netflix business model…no due dates, no late fees, free shipping both ways.

Bookswim charges a membership fee of $20 to $40 dollars a month depending on how many books get. The cheapest plan allows three…the most you can have at once is eleven.

We have not tested book swim so we don’t know if there is a delay getting the most popular books.

If you would like to learn more visit katv.com and look under “newslinks.”

The founders of Bookswim also point out that re-using books saves paper and Bookswim plants a tree for each gift card purchased.