Paperback Book Swap Scorecard

Condition Grading Guide

Use the same grading standard every time so your contribution scores stay consistent. Here is a quick reference:

• Like New (5 pts): No spine creases, no yellowing, tight binding, no marks inside. Looks almost unread.
• Good (3 pts): Light spine creases, minor edge wear, pages may be slightly yellowed. No loose pages or stains.
• Fair (2 pts): Obvious creases, worn edges, possible small tears or a name written inside. Still readable.
• Poor (1 pt): Loose pages, heavy staining, water damage, or missing cover. Best for reading copies only.

A Walkthrough: Sarah's First Month

Sarah joined a neighborhood book swap. She brought three paperbacks: an old mystery in Fair condition, a recent thriller in Good condition, and a fantasy novel in Like New condition that everyone wanted. She logged each swap. After four events, her dashboard showed she received mostly Science Fiction and Fantasy, her average contribution was 5.2, and her collection was 12% toward her goal of 100 books. She noticed she gave more desirable books than she received. Next month, she adjusted: she brought fewer high-demand books and focused on trading for her target genres. Her collection completion jumped to 18% and her average contribution evened out.

Common Mistakes

• Overrating condition: Call a book Like New only if it truly looks unread. Overrating inflates your contribution score and makes trends less useful.
• Ignoring desirability: A tattered copy of a popular title can be more desirable than a pristine copy of an obscure book. Check the desirability box based on demand, not condition.
• Not setting a goal: Without a target number, the collection progress bar stays at zero. Set a realistic goal (even 20 books) to see progress.
• Forgetting to export: Your data lives in your browser. Export a CSV file every few weeks so you have a backup.

Assumptions and Limits

The contribution formula is a simple weighted sum. It does not account for market prices, edition rarity, or signed copies. Genres are self-reported and can overlap. The collection goal is a single number; you cannot set per-genre targets yet. All data is stored in your browser's localStorage. If you use a shared or public computer, clear your data after each session. This project does not connect to any book database, so book titles are free-text entries. For best results, use consistent spelling for the same book across swaps.

Why This Exists

Book swapping is a great way to refresh your shelves without spending money. But most people have no idea whether they are trading fairly or building the collection they want. The Scorecard gives you a clear picture. It was built for people who attend library swaps, community book exchanges, or informal trading groups. The goal is simple: help you make better swap decisions over time. No accounts, no ads that track you, no data leaves your device.

Quick Tips

• Log swaps right after the event while details are fresh.
• Use the genre filter to see if you are receiving the types of books you actually want.
• Watch your average contribution. If it stays above 6, you may be giving away more value than you get back.
• Share your CSV export with a swapping partner to compare notes.