I’m an avid reader. More than that, I love books—the way they feel and smell. When I open a book for the first time, regardless of its condition, I feel a mixture of anticipation and belonging, as if the pages are beckoning me. I would rather read the book than see the movie. Like all readers, I revel in imagination—my own as well as others’. I know I’m not alone. There are book lovers everywhere, even on the Internet.

Google Books, Project Gutenberg, and Fullbooks.com have compiled an impressive list of titles, thousands in fact, that are in the public domain, meaning no one holds a copyright on them: they are free for the taking. I’ve downloaded hundreds of titles from these sites, titles like The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Love Among the Chickens, and The American Farmer. As much as I enjoy searching for and downloading digital books, I still pine for the real deal now and then. And once again, technology has opened a whole new vista for book lovers everywhere.

BookMooch.com is a service that allows members to give away books they no longer want and get books they do want for free. Each member is responsible for paying the postage on the books they ship. Other than that, the service is absolutely free. It’s like a dream come true. I can trade titles with other book lovers and be part of a community of readers. I am actively trading books on BookMooch.com. I invite you to join me. Winter’s setting in, and nothing goes better with snow, sleet, and blizzard conditions than a cup of hot cocoa and a good book.