ALL books at PBS must meet Book Condition Criteria.

hardcover books: Yes.

• Hardbacks do not need to have their dust jackets to be swapped here, and are worth one credit - the same as paperbacks.

audio cassette books and audio CD books: Yes

• Audio books must be originals.  They do not have to have their original box, but they must be packaged safely in transit and they must be playable.  Audio CDs are valued at 2 Book credits in our system; Audio Cassettes are valued at 1 Book Credit.
• Audio books = books that were also published in bound form, that are read aloud by a narrator.  Audio recordings that accompany a bound book as supplementary materials do not qualify as audiobooks.  Performance recordings (ie, comedy routines) do not qualify as audiobooks (performance recordings on CD can usually be Posted at SwapaCD.com)

Ex-library books:  Yes

• Ex-library books often have stamps inside or on the binding or on the page edges: this is fine.   If you receive an ex-library book that is not clearly marked "withdrawn" (not all libraries do this), you can contact the library to ask them if this book is still part of their collection.

Books that have a signature/note on the flyleaf or title page or inside front or back cover of the book: Yes

BookCrossing books: Yes

• BookCrossing books may have stamps or stickers/decals and they may have writing inside the covers or flyleaf or page edges.  Members receiving BookCrossing books are not obligated to "journal" them at BookCrossing.com, and PBS members may choose to keep the BookCrossing books they receive.  BookCrossing members who Post these books at PBS must accept this.

Print-on-Demand books: No

• These are created by scanning an original copy of a book and printing out the text, typically onto 8.5 x 11 inch printer paper. The covers are typically photocopied images, also onto printer paper. These are of dubious legality, and another main reason that they are not permitted here is that no PaperBackSwap member will expect such an item when requesting a book.

Books without ISBNs: Yes *

• *If they have at least 50 pages.  See information about booklets/pamphlets below
• You can post books that do not have ISBNs using the Post a Book Without an ISBN feature, accessible via a link at the top of the Post Books page.

Books that originally came with accompanying media Materials: Yes IF the accompanying materials are included

• A book with accompanying audiocassettes (for example) will earn 1 credit.
• A book with accompanying cassettes or CDs is not an "audiobook".  An audiobook is a book read aloud by a narrator.
• If the listing for the book indicates that the book comes with accompanying media materials (CD, VHS, cassette, DVD), all materials must be posted with the book.  If you do not have the accompanying materials, the book cannot be posted alone.
• The accompanying media materials (without the book) also cannot be posted alone.

Books that require accompanying NON-Media Materials to be usable: NO

• Non - media items cannot be sent by Media mail
• Example: a book that requires a decoder for its proper use.  Such a book must not be posted here.

Books that originally came with NON-Media Materials that are not necessary for the book to be useful: YES and the non-media items are not required to accompany the book

• As long as the materials are not REQUIRED to use the book (ie, jewelry), these CAN be posted here. 
• The requestor should NOT expect original non-Media items to accompany the used book.

Book Club Editions: Yes

• If these do not have ISBNs, they CANNOT be posted as if they do.
• BCEs are usually smaller, more cheaply printed versions, and often do not have price markings or ISBNs on them.

Books containing multiple "books" in one volume: Yes

• These are worth 1 credit.  1 bound volume is one credit, even if the binding contains multiple full-length or condensed novels.

Reader's Digest Books:  Yes

• The books are allowed, the magazines are not.  If the books do not have ISBNs, they CANNOT be posted as if they do.

Playaways: Yes

• Playaways are like a preloaded mp3 player. They are small and have the book already loaded. You can't reload them with something else. They require batteries to play, and require headphones to listen to them. They come with headphones. They are in a case about the size of a VHS case although the unit itself is about the size of a mp3 player. They have an ISBN.  They are considered audio books.
• If you post a Playaway, you need to be sure that the listing makes the above information clear (you can copy-paste the above paragraph and add it to the book description information using the Edit Book Data feature linked under More Options on the Book Details page for the book), and you can also add "(Playaway)" to the title of the book using the Edit Book Data feature.
• If you post a Playway, the headphones must be included.  The batteries do not have to be included.

Advanced Reader Copies: NO

• These are not the "final" copies of texts
• other names for these: uncorrected proofs, advance copies.

Magazines: NO

• These often contain advertising and cannot be sent MediaMail; even if not, the category is banned from PBS.

Coloring Books: NO

Calendars: NO

Pamphlets/Booklets/leaflets without ISBNs: NO

• These sometimes contain advertising; members also complain at having to pay a credit for these.
• Leaflets = non-children's books with less than 20 pages
• Booklets = non-children's books with less than 50 pages
• Leaflet/pamphlets/booklets with ISBNs may be posted
  • if so, the number of pages must be included in the item description.
• Children's books do not count as booklets or leaflets, even if they are short. 
  • Children's books can be expected to have short pagelengths and the booklet/leaflet designations do not apply.

Promotional First Chapter "brochures" (promos for books): NO

• These are not complete books

Single-Issue Comic Books: NO

• These often contain advertising.

Anything that is not a book: NO

• This is a bookswapping site ONLY.

Related Links:

What can be posted for swapping here?
Book Condition Criteria for 'Swappability' at PaperBackSwap
What materials can be sent by Media Mail postal rate?