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Set up an office rental library
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Former_MSE_Andrea
Posts: 9,611 Forumite
What's it about?
If you work in an office, it’s likely many people have DVDs, books, or Wii/Playstation games they’re not playing.
Why not set up an office rental library where people contribute their games and can take out others for free based on an honesty policy? Or even just start an e-mail round robin to see who's interested and what they've got. This way everyone gets a much wider choice of entertainment without paying more.
Please report your experiences/thoughts below
Related Articles: Cheapest Online Shopping, Cheapest DVD Rental
Important Addendum by Martin: I boo-boo'd here; a good theoretical idea in a brainstorm; yet of course there are copyright issues in setting up a free lending library at work. Sorry.. the note is being taken out of the remaining weekly emails.
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If you work in an office, it’s likely many people have DVDs, books, or Wii/Playstation games they’re not playing.
Why not set up an office rental library where people contribute their games and can take out others for free based on an honesty policy? Or even just start an e-mail round robin to see who's interested and what they've got. This way everyone gets a much wider choice of entertainment without paying more.
Please report your experiences/thoughts below
Related Articles: Cheapest Online Shopping, Cheapest DVD Rental
Important Addendum by Martin: I boo-boo'd here; a good theoretical idea in a brainstorm; yet of course there are copyright issues in setting up a free lending library at work. Sorry.. the note is being taken out of the remaining weekly emails.
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Comments
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Er, thats all well and good but technically wouldn't that be against the law? Doesn't it say on the copyright notice thing that you are not allowed to lend them (play them in schools, oilrigs(!) etc,)?Sometimes you get what you deserve... :cool2:0
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As much as I support money saving by most means, including taking advantage of companies that offer sometimes silly inducements to the public in order to get them to use a service or product, is this latest suggestion not strictly illegal under copyright laws? I'm no lawyer so may be wrong, please correct me if so!
PS thanks for such a useful and interesting site. Long time reader, but first time poster.0 -
Legal or not, I think that this is a bad idea.
Over the past few jobs, I've tried to kindle some kind of caring/sharing office rental scheme and in general, people will gladly borrow your DVDs and very often lose them, lend them onto some other person (forgetting that they were yours) or, the most upsetting, return them broken/scratched.
I even resorted to putting a sticker with my name and mobile phone number on the disk and the sleeve and still people lost/gave away/broke my stuff.
It may sound as though i'm a schmuck being taken advantage of, but these people were good people who just got forgetful or careless.
If you're going to do this, I'd advise a 'swap-shop' instead. That way, it doesn't matter if your DVD doesn't come back - you are happy to keep theirs instead... how many of your DVDs do you watch more than once anyway?This is a system account and does not represent a real person. To contact the Forum Team email forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com0 -
that's what public llibraries are for!!!
LLL
btw my mum does this at her workplace and it becomes a bit one sided as very few lend their stuff but many borrow.0 -
Legal or not, I think that this is a bad idea.
It may sound as though i'm a schmuck being taken advantage of, but these people were good people who just got forgetful or careless.
My experience over the years too, with books and tapes both audio and video.
Unfortunately gratitude is a very short lived emotion, that is why banks like something pledged as security - mortgage anyone? It will only work if there is some sort of deposit scheme with teeth.
Now where was I ?
Ah yes must go on line and renew that library book I haven't even opened yet.
Harry0 -
I dont like lending things out much these days as some people take the Mick and you have to keep asking for items back and when they do they come back damaged0
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Hi everyone,
Just a thought about the rental club idea.
I agree with everyone who says people wouldn't always respect the returns policy. Theres nothing worse than lending someone a book or dvd and either not getting it back or worse still getting it back in bad condition.
I have been thinking about taking my once read paperbacks into my office and asking for a small deposit/donation, say 50p or £1, which would be then sent on to a charity we all agreed upon. That way, at least they are re-cycled and if they are not returned, it would probs be the cost of buying one in a charity shop anyway. If the books are returned ,then everyone is a winner especially the chosen charity. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?? Don't think its illegal is it??Please don't suggest just taking them to a charity shop as I think they pulp the ones that aren't any good for sale and I couldn't bear that to happen.0 -
We already do this. We all bring in books, and it is £1 to take another out. Then the money goes to charity at the end of the year.Money, money, money, must be funny....in a rich mans world.
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It depends how complicated you make it.
The one I set up at work's a little more basic than suggested above. People bring in books they no longer want & then can take away - I've taken 1 book to read on the tube or 5 to take on holiday.
Sometimes the books get read and returned; sometimes they get read, make an impression and get passed around across teams; and other times they get read and not returned.
As long as people lend books they don't want back, it shouldn't be a problem. I've kept books, have read and returned and have passed to others.
We got a bookcase, printed off some posters & send an internal email every 3-6 months begging for books (especially non bodice rippers for the blokes;)) or reminding people it exists. Once a month or so, I go through and cull any really tatty books, those that haven't moved or the Reader's Digest or gardening annuals from 1979 that people dump there ~ they either go in the recycling or the charity shop.
:T:T:TI think it's a great idea as long as you don't give things you want back:T:T:T:T:T"This is a forum - not a support group. We do not "owe" anyone unconditional acceptance of their opinions."0
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