What about the books!

[togacath]

When I traveled with my mother, we would each leave books on the exchange shelf.  Our daily excitement was swinging back by the exchange shelf to see if "our" books had been taken.  Mine usually had been selected by another guest and mom's were usually still sitting there.  Even more fun was when you saw someone in the Lido with the book you had donated!!!

[rkacruiser]

3 hours ago, Horizon chaser 1957 said:

I guess I am among the guilty.

 

Your following quoted post finds you innocent in my opinion.  Who among us have not done such?

 

 

3 hours ago, Horizon chaser 1957 said:

While I try to finish and return ship exchange books before I go, there have been times I’ve taken a book in progress with me to finish on the plane or at home, though never one stamped as ships property. That’s the only book that leaves the ship with me.

 

 

3 hours ago, Horizon chaser 1957 said:

3 hours ago, Horizon chaser 1957 said:

There is a chance your book is now sailing on a different ship.

 

 

Thanks for that encouraging comment.

 

My concern, given the type of society in which we seem to now live, such a one-for-one exchange that "ought to be expected", seems not to be understood.  

[RuthC]

5 hours ago, Horizon chaser 1957 said:

I guess I am among the guilty.   I always take a small number of books from home to start me out, and leave them behind when I debark.  While I try to finish and return ship exchange books before I go, there have been times I’ve taken a book in progress with me to finish on the plane or at home, though never one stamped as ships property. That’s the only book that leaves the ship with me. Next time I cruise, I take it with me and put it in the next ships library along with a couple of extras. There is a chance your book is now sailing on a different ship.

That's almost exactly what I do. Although I have never packed books from home, as all of those have been read many times, I do take a book from the exchange, read it then put it back, and take another. Not until my last cruise had I not finished the last book I was reading (a good mystery) and I needed to read the ending!

So, I did take it home, finished it on the plane, and had every intention of returning it to whichever ship I sailed next. Then covid happened, and I have had my cruises canceled out from under me. 
But I still have the book, and will return it if I ever sail again! If one ever goes looking for a book they left at the exchange and can't find it, remember, the goal you had when you left it has been fulfilled. 

[Norseh2o]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Your following quoted post finds you innocent in my opinion.  Who among us have not done such?

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for that encouraging comment.

 

My concern, given the type of society in which we seem to now live, such a one-for-one exchange that "ought to be expected", seems not to be understood.  

Traveling in 2019 on 2 cruises, same line, different ships, nearly back to back with a day in Miami,  I decided that taking a book from cruise #1 ship and leaving it on cruise #2 ship was ok. 🚢📚🚢

[ontheweb]

10 hours ago, RuthC said:

That's almost exactly what I do. Although I have never packed books from home, as all of those have been read many times, I do take a book from the exchange, read it then put it back, and take another. Not until my last cruise had I not finished the last book I was reading (a good mystery) and I needed to read the ending!

So, I did take it home, finished it on the plane, and had every intention of returning it to whichever ship I sailed next. Then covid happened, and I have had my cruises canceled out from under me. 
But I still have the book, and will return it if I ever sail again! If one ever goes looking for a book they left at the exchange and can't find it, remember, the goal you had when you left it has been fulfilled. 

Right you leave the book that you hopefully enjoyed and hope someone else gets to duplicate that experience. It's the very purpose of an exchange.

[whogo]

4 hours ago, ontheweb said:

Right you leave the book that you hopefully enjoyed and hope someone else gets to duplicate that experience. It's the very purpose of an exchange.

I have never taken a book, but figure people were free to do so. Leave a book, take a book. I also assume that many library books were taken home because people did not finish reading them. It is not like the books were guarded even when HAL had librarians. I borrowed and returned books a time or two without signing them out.

[dockman]

I see no valid reason that a cruise ship cannot designate a few book shelves as a take one leave one for cruisers.  It cost them literally zero as books will be donated by passengers and replenished by passengers.  I also think there are many, me included, passengers who would attempt to keep the books orderly and even toss damaged ones.

 

I have stayed in many hotels, hostels, etc all over the world that have small areas for take one leave one.  Often a lot of travel books are left there along with a wide variety of paperbacks as well as a few hardbacks.  If this small service causes the hotels any problems I have yet to see the problem.

 

And yes I know all about kindles etc but am not the least bit interested in that format.  I love to browse through real books.  I always buy a few used paperbacks from the local library before i go on a cruise and always leave more books than I ever take. I have stumbled onto a few very enjoyable books left by other passengers and hope that other passengers may have enjoyed some of the books I have donated.  Seems a small simple service that might at least be done on a trial basis as very little to lose but some happy cruisers to gain, especially on the longer itineraries.

[rkacruiser]

19 hours ago, RuthC said:

If one ever goes looking for a book they left at the exchange and can't find it, remember, the goal you had when you left it has been fulfilled. 

 

I have not thought of this in quite that way, but you are, partially correct.  

 

I left the book so that others might enjoy the read.  I left the book, also, to help increase the size of the "library".  

 

If one took the book, read it, and enjoyed it:  then, that part of my purpose was fulfilled.  But, if they did not return it or replace it with another, the other part of my purpose was not fulfilled.  

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

I have not thought of this in quite that way, but you are, partially correct.  

 

I left the book so that others might enjoy the read.  I left the book, also, to help increase the size of the "library".  

 

If one took the book, read it, and enjoyed it:  then, that part of my purpose was fulfilled.  But, if they did not return it or replace it with another, the other part of my purpose was not fulfilled.  

Once you left the book, its fate is out of your control. If you think it was a good book, you can hope whoever took it enjoyed it also. You have absolutely  no control over whether they also replace it. No use worrying over something you have no control over. JMHO.

[rkacruiser]

54 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

No use worrying over something you have no control over.  

 

Someone far more well known than me said "it is what it is".  You are correct.  I have no control over it.  But, if the book is not replaced, it does not advance one of the reasons why I left it on the shelf. 

[kazu]

5 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

If one took the book, read it, and enjoyed it:  then, that part of my purpose was fulfilled.  But, if they did not return it or replace it with another, the other part of my purpose was not fulfilled.  

 

I really don't understand your angst/worry about this.

an exchange is an exchange.  I've seen most people leave books and then come back and take one when they saw one that "tickled their fancy".  No big deal.

 

Your book was enjoyed. Possibly left on another cruise, shared at a hotel, whatever.

 

Replacing it is more than satisfactory and a lot do that and even more just leave their books and don't even take one 😉 

It all works out.   As long as  HAl maintains the exchanges which I fear will not happen.

[GeorgesGal]

On 10/26/2020 at 12:59 PM, Norseh2o said:

Agree that HAL has dropped the ball with their libraries. If cost is an issue, cruise lines should visit thrift stores to restock for a library. I would love a job like that, I’d even move to Seattle and work for HAL... Oceania ships still have fabulous libraries, lovely books, cozy seats and a spot to ‘recycle’ your books. I wonder how/if that will change for the future?

 

 

 

I was just about to mention Oceania's wonderful libraries; glad I kept reading so I didn't duplicate your post!

[JimnKaren]

On Eurodam, soon after it was re-configured, I spoke with a crew member in the Crow's Nest asking for the location of the book exchange. She told me that Seattle was discouraging that practice, thus no area set aside for books like that! Boo! Hiss!

Jim

[ontheweb]

13 minutes ago, JimnKaren said:

On Eurodam, soon after it was re-configured, I spoke with a crew member in the Crow's Nest asking for the location of the book exchange. She told me that Seattle was discouraging that practice, thus no area set aside for books like that! Boo! Hiss!

Jim

One wonders why. Having a book exchange can't be costing them anything, and at the same time is a feature that many passengers like and take advantage of.

[whogo]

1 hour ago, ontheweb said:

One wonders why. Having a book exchange can't be costing them anything, and at the same time is a feature that many passengers like and take advantage of.

The interior decorator does not approve of the way a jumble of used books looks in his creation. And he wishes you'd do something about your hair and dress a little more fashionably while in the area or better yet, just admire his artistic masterpiece from afar. Geez, he drew such attractive young people in his renderings.

[Sea42]

3 hours ago, ontheweb said:

One wonders why. Having a book exchange can't be costing them anything, and at the same time is a feature that many passengers like and take advantage of.

In the past, it may have been to reduce the spread of Norovirus. Now there is even more reason to discourage it. At the library we quarantine all items for 4 days before they are checked in and allowed to circulate, due to Covid. I don't think that would work with a book exchange.

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, Sea42 said:

In the past, it may have been to reduce the spread of Norovirus. Now there is even more reason to discourage it. At the library we quarantine all items for 4 days before they are checked in and allowed to circulate, due to Covid. I don't think that would work with a book exchange.

Why? My library does the same, and it used to be for a longer period of time. But more has been learned about the virus. Its spread is airborne. I know we used to use antiseptic wipes on every piece of grocery we bought, but no longer. As we learn more, we should incorporate what we learn.

[Sea42]

1 minute ago, ontheweb said:

Why? My library does the same, and it used to be for a longer period of time. But more has been learned about the virus. Its spread is airborne. I know we used to use antiseptic wipes on every piece of grocery we bought, but no longer. As we learn more, we should incorporate what we learn.

In our case, it is a requirement of the library system to which we belong. It's based on studies on how long the virus survives on different surfaces.Whether or not it is needed is hotly debated!

[ontheweb]

4 minutes ago, Sea42 said:

In our case, it is a requirement of the library system to which we belong. It's based on studies on how long the virus survives on different surfaces.Whether or not it is needed is hotly debated!

I have no doubt that the same thing holds true for my public library which is also part of a larger system.

 

There have been several post by Hlintner (Hank) in which he talks about rights that were given up and a fear that they are never returned. I wonder if this policy is just a small example of how once something is taken away, it does not come back.

 

And actually, I am not sure, but my library may have gone to 7 day book quarantines.

[Ottawa traveller]

55 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

I have no doubt that the same thing holds true for my public library which is also part of a larger system.

 

There have been several post by Hlintner (Hank) in which he talks about rights that were given up and a fear that they are never returned. I wonder if this policy is just a small example of how once something is taken away, it does not come back.

 

And actually, I am not sure, but my library may have gone to 7 day book quarantines.

I was on the Ryndam on a cruise to Iceland where hundreds of people got Norovirus. The library shelves were locked and the librarian told me that all returned books were subject to a 30 day quarantine in the hold of the ship.  I don't know what they did with the book exchange.

[ontheweb]

4 hours ago, Ottawa traveller said:

I was on the Ryndam on a cruise to Iceland where hundreds of people got Norovirus. The library shelves were locked and the librarian told me that all returned books were subject to a 30 day quarantine in the hold of the ship.  I don't know what they did with the book exchange.

A norovirus outbreak obviously changes everything.

[rkacruiser]

9 hours ago, whogo said:

The interior decorator does not approve of the way a jumble of used books looks in his creation. And he wishes you'd do something about your hair and dress a little more fashionably while in the area or better yet, just admire his artistic masterpiece from afar. Geez, he drew such attractive young people in his renderings.

 

🤣🤣

[rkacruiser]

12 hours ago, JimnKaren said:

On Eurodam, soon after it was re-configured, I spoke with a crew member in the Crow's Nest asking for the location of the book exchange. She told me that Seattle was discouraging that practice, thus no area set aside for books like that! Boo! Hiss!

Jim

 

That crew member provided false information as to an area set aside for books left by guests.  January, 2019, there was such an area on the Eurodam and I left a book or two.  

[travelnap]

14 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

That crew member provided false information as to an area set aside for books left by guests.  January, 2019, there was such an area on the Eurodam and I left a book or two.  

I agree, when I was on the Eurodam in November of 2019, they still had an area on the left side that was used for the book exchange.  It was on the opposite side of the explorations cafe.

[iancal]

We do a fair amount of independent travel.  Often to SE Asia and Southern Europe.  Books are always an issue.  We trade, we exchange, we buy.  

 

Often when we go into a hotel or other accommodation that has books we can tell where the majority of their custom comes from.  German and English are the biggies.  And if we cannot find a a book to exchange at our hotel we have been know to go into the lobby of other hotels nearby in search of a book exchange.

 

I got one a few years ago in Thailand.  The original owner was Australian and he had written in the date and the place of where he had left it.  Others followed.  That book had been on several continents over a number of years.  Some people had penned in comments.   

 

Years ago, when we were much younger, we toured Europe in a use VW van.  Invariably would meet up with Australians along the way.  Book exchanges were very common.