About Purano Books
What it is
Purano Books is a free noticeboard for second-hand books in Nepal. Readers list the books they've finished to sell or swap, and other readers find them by title, author or district. Buyer and seller meet and settle it between themselves; we don't handle books or money.
Why we built it
As avid readers, we once had plenty of time to read but not the money to buy all the books we wanted, and we always wished for a place to get them cheaply. Now that we have the chance, we've built it.
Finding a book
- Search by title, author or seller from the box at the top. Spelling doesn't have to be exact.
- Narrow the list by district, language, condition, sale or exchange, and highest price.
- Anyone can browse. To contact a seller by email, or by phone and WhatsApp when they share their number, sign in with Google and choose a username.
Selling or swapping a book
- Sign in with Google and choose a username. Add your phone number and tick “Show my phone number” if you'd like buyers to call or WhatsApp you; otherwise they write to your email.
- Choose “Sell”, find the book (or add it if nobody has yet), and say which district it's in, its condition, your price, or that you're open to an exchange.
- Add up to three photos. The first is the cover buyers see.
- Buyers contact you directly. When the book has gone, mark it sold.
A post stays up for 60 days. Then it expires, and your profile tells you so; “List again” puts it back for another 60 days.
Your reading list
Keep a list of the books you've read and rate them, so others can see what you recommend.
Staying safe
Meet in a public place, look the book over, and never pay before it's in your hands. Read the safety tips before your first deal. If a post looks wrong, report it: moderators look at every report.
Thank you
To everyone at r/NepalBookClub for the encouragement that got this started, and a special thanks to the member who suggested a personal book rating and review list, which became the reading list on every profile.