1) Why do we have to pay?
That's a very good and completely legitimate question. (Also, please note that we do not accept any sort of payment for ARCs. We only lend out ARCs for close associates who will spread the word and promote the book to the best of their abilities.) And the reason why, to summarize, is this:
We are a private enterprise with no government support whatsoever. As it turns out, our books are also in high demand and are regularly borrowed. While we love to share wonderful books with everyone else, we simply cannot afford to spend hundreds of dollars on books a month with everyone else reading it for free. We just don't have that kind of money.
But we wanted something that would appeal to people. We do not earn any profits from the LOE. In fact, all your proceeds go to either buying new books for YOU to borrow, or to charity.
So that's why you have to pay. Not because we just want to earn money, but because when you pay, we pay, and it's a win-win situation that transcends the boundaries of the economy and provides eleemosynary services in a simple, easy, and efficient way.
You read, you help, you earn.
2) What does the membership card look like?
Oh, you sneaky you. :) Our membership card is EPIC. Here's the front of it:
And here's the back:
You're totally joining now based on the pretty designs alone, aren't you? ;)
3) Yes! It is pretty. But how much does it cost to be a member?
Oh, we're pretty cheap here at LOE. Only $10 for two months of unlimited borrowing! Membership is perfect for those who love to read and reads quite fast. Think about it: it costs $0.75 to borrow one book, and if you borrow 8 books a month (which would cost you $6), you'd save $2! Alright, alright, the real reason why we charge is already answered in number 1, but again, as much as we love to spend hundreds of dollars on books a month and lend it to everyone for free, that's simply not plausible in this economy as we're a) not supported by the government, and b) kind of broke. Not only that, but think about it: You get to read unlimited number of books for two months straight for the price of one paperback novel. Now that's what we call a bargain.
4) I'm teetering on changing my mind about membership. Can you convince me to purchase it?
Oh yes! Even though we charge all that money, for every book you borrow ($0.75), $0.50 goes to buying new books for YOU to borrow while the other $0.25 goes to charity. With membership, YOU get to choose the percentage of money that goes to buying new books and the percentage of money that goes to charity. Come on, don't ya want to help out some kids? *wink* Keep in mind that those percentages will still be donated even if you're not a member, but if you're a member, you'd be donating more money! Yay for eleemosynary!
5) Alright, you convinced me. So, how much is the late fee?
Well, you get two weeks to borrow the book. After that, you can either renew it once we make sure there has been no damages, or you can forget it. If you do the latter, we'll charge you $0.10 per day until you return the book, because after it's late, you can't renew it unless there is an emergency. You can re-borrow it two weeks later, however, and after you pay the late fine, of course!
6) What are the member privileges, besides the whole saving money thing?
Oh, I'm glad you asked! Have you checked out our catalog yet? If you have, you would've noticed the members only shelf. That shelf comprises of our favorite books that we do not lend easily nor frequently, and is, quite truthfully, very precious to us. Those books are usually the best books you can find, but you can't borrow them if you're not a member. If you are, though... Congrats! :D
7) Wait, so, can non-members borrow books?
Yes! Non-members can. You just have to fill out the form in the sidebar to borrow a book, and when it asks you if you're a member, you can just say no.
8) I live in Canada/Antarctica/Mercury, can I become a member?
You can become a member, but you won't be able to borrow any books, sorry! We're a local run business that only lends books to citizens of Claremont, California, U.S., and trusted friends in surrounding towns. We might expand in the future, though, so be sure to check back constantly for updates or sign up for our e-newsletters!
9) Your website is so pretty. Who designed it?
Oh, thank you, Juli did with Irene Alexeeva's Sail to the Stars kit! You should totally check out her [Juli's] blog. She recently opened up a design business called Dreamless Designs. Check it out; her designs are wonderful and affordable!
10) How do you deliver the book to us, and how do we pay?
I only deliver two book orders a day, so you might want to book in advance. Check out our catalog for the status of books and see whether they're lent or still available. If still available, e-mail me or just let me know which book(s) you'd like to borrow, and I'll tell you the day I can deliver them to you. I expect prompt payment either the day before, on the day, or the day after I give you the book. Payment can be through check, cash, or change. No credit card unless it's an over $20 order. If you don't pay me by the second day I delivered the book, I will start charging an additional $0.15 a day until payment is received.
11) What if I lost the book? Or what if I damaged it?
Well, let's just hope that never happens. But if it does, I expect payment in the full value the book was worth, minus the borrowing fee. So, say you borrowed a book that cost $10.00 for me to purchase. I lend it to you for $0.75. You lose/vandalize it. It is your responsibility to let me know as soon as possible and pay me back the $9.25, or I might start charging more money if you don't pay me back in a reasonable amount of time.
12) Alright, are there anything else I should know?
Yes! Every month, we ask our members and regular borrowers to suggest a book they'd like to see added to the catalog. After everyone's nominees are in, we vote. The winning book will be purchased and available for borrow!
13) Oh, what's the deal with ARCs?
ARCs are Advanced Reader's Copies. Because Juli is a book reviewer, sometimes she gets ARCs. ARCs are real and not for sale, but we let you borrow them for free. These will be categorized specially in the catalog.
14) Last question! What if I have a Nook/Kindle?
We have a Nook, but not a Kindle, sorry! But if you have a Nook, we have lendable books that are available in the catalog. They're usually free to borrow, but you must friend us on the Nook first. Just e-mail us and we'll get it settled!
10) How do you deliver the book to us, and how do we pay?
I only deliver two book orders a day, so you might want to book in advance. Check out our catalog for the status of books and see whether they're lent or still available. If still available, e-mail me or just let me know which book(s) you'd like to borrow, and I'll tell you the day I can deliver them to you. I expect prompt payment either the day before, on the day, or the day after I give you the book. Payment can be through check, cash, or change. No credit card unless it's an over $20 order. If you don't pay me by the second day I delivered the book, I will start charging an additional $0.15 a day until payment is received.
11) What if I lost the book? Or what if I damaged it?
Well, let's just hope that never happens. But if it does, I expect payment in the full value the book was worth, minus the borrowing fee. So, say you borrowed a book that cost $10.00 for me to purchase. I lend it to you for $0.75. You lose/vandalize it. It is your responsibility to let me know as soon as possible and pay me back the $9.25, or I might start charging more money if you don't pay me back in a reasonable amount of time.
12) Alright, are there anything else I should know?
Yes! Every month, we ask our members and regular borrowers to suggest a book they'd like to see added to the catalog. After everyone's nominees are in, we vote. The winning book will be purchased and available for borrow!
13) Oh, what's the deal with ARCs?
ARCs are Advanced Reader's Copies. Because Juli is a book reviewer, sometimes she gets ARCs. ARCs are real and not for sale, but we let you borrow them for free. These will be categorized specially in the catalog.
14) Last question! What if I have a Nook/Kindle?
We have a Nook, but not a Kindle, sorry! But if you have a Nook, we have lendable books that are available in the catalog. They're usually free to borrow, but you must friend us on the Nook first. Just e-mail us and we'll get it settled!
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Happy reading!
