Book Lovers Day

Books are the purest form of escapism.?You can be taken to any time, place, or culture.?August 9th is honored as National Book Lovers Day, we put away our smartphones, pull out a good book and simply read.?From clay tablets to today’s eBooks, literature has played a crucial role in preserving cultures, educating the masses, and storytelling.?Thank to Gutenberg’s 15th-century printing press, anyone, not just royalty, monks or landed gentry, could read and own books.?There was no overnight shipping available back then.?Today, join a book club or re-read a favorite novel because National Book Lovers Day rocks!

Book Lovers Day appreciates the medium that has withstood and preserved its importance in time, literature.?Our love for books knows no bounds.?Someday we’ll write a book on it.

Today’s book is made by binding paper with a choice of paperback or hardback.?Before the invention of paper, books came in the form of tablets, scrolls, and engravings.?Every civilization had its own way to document events.?Some time in 3500 B.C., the Mesopotamians would make markings on clay tablets using a pointed device, made from stem of the reed plant, called the calamus.?Writings on the moist clay were called ‘cuneiform.’?Approximately 20,000 of these tablets were discovered in modern-day Iraq.?

In the 1st century A.D. paper was invented in China.?By experimenting with various materials such as hemp, fishnets, and mulberry plant, Ts’ai Lun invented the first paper.?Printing on woodblocks also became the go-to way of reproducing books in China.?Ancient scrolls dating back to the 4th century B.C. are considered the first ‘books,’ but by today’s definition, the oldest surviving compiled book is “The Diamond Sutra” which was published in China on May 11 868.?

At the start of the 20th century hardback books ruled the market with a certain prestige associated with the hard bindings of books.?From 1937 onwards, paperbacks rose in popularity, paving the way for digests, pulp fiction, and pocket-friendly books.

Advancement in computers and technology led to the digitization of books, with the first book sold in CD format in the 1980s, “The New Grolier Electronic Encyclopedia.”

TIMELINE

1440-Fit to Print

Ex-goldsmith Johannes Gutenberg invents the printing press.

1920-Ulysses

Iconic Left Bank bookstore Shakespeare and Company publishes James Joyce’s masterpiece when no one else would give it a chance.

1956- “America I’ve given you all and now I’m nothing…”

Poet Allen Ginsberg’s book “Howl” is so controversial that Lawrence Ferlinghetti, owner and publisher of City Lights in San Francisco, winds up busted for obscenity.

1996-Oprah’s Book Club debuts

At the height of her popularity Oprah Winfrey names “The Deep End of the Ocean” by Jacquelyn Mitchard as the first offering in her book club.

5 THINGS EVRY BIBLIOPHILE AGREES WITH!

1 Best gift ever

A book is the best present that someone can give you on your birthday

2 The book was better

The book will always be better, no matter how faithful the movie adaption is.

3 No fancy bookmarks here

Anything can be a bookmark if you are creative enough.

4 Lost in translation

Bibliophiles take time to recover from the stories they have been immersed in, especially if there is a death of their favorite fictional character!

5 Books that don’t get returned!

People who borrow books and never return them are the bane of bibliophile’s existence!

Q&A

What is the cheapest way to ship a book?

USPS Media Mail is by far the cheapest way to ship books within the United States. The rates are a fraction of the cost compared to other mail services like First Class, Retail Ground, or even Flat Rate boxes.

Does the USPS have a book rate?

The United States Postal Service's Media Mail Service – formerly known as Book Rate – is a cost-efficient method of shipping educational materials, and is calculated purely on weight and size

What is the best way to package books for shipping?

Wrap each book individually in clean tissue paper or bubble wrap. Secure all sides with tape, ensuring no tape is placed on the surface of the book. Wrapped books can be packed in a proportionate box, ensuring that all gaps are filled with extra bubble wrap or crumpled paper.

How expensive is it to ship a book?

A typical paperback (weighing up to one pound) costs $3.19 to send by Media Mail postal rate. A heavier book (a large hardcover, for example) weighing between 1 and 2 pounds will cost $3.82 to send by Media mail.

*Below is an example of comparing UPS and FedEx shipping.

Box size UPS* ????? ?FedEx*

Extra Small $9.25-$21.25 Not available

Small ????? ??$11.50-$24.50 $9.50-$136.55

Medium $15.50-$33.50 $12.35-$148.95

Large ????? ??$21.00-$50.00 $19.05-$165.10

Extra large $25.00-$61.50 $30.85-$212.95

Are you shopping around for cheaper parcel rates?

Do your invoices seem to be getting higher every year??

Are you looking for a way to compare prices against your current rate??

Is your UPS and/or FedEx rep not complying to your needs?

Have you looked to see if you’ve spent too much and could get a refund??

Here at Ship Audit Pros, we offer answers to the above questions using our FREE Instant Analysis Tool to see if you are getting the best rate you believe you are getting.?There is no cost to you to run an analysis.?You simply input your info and our program does the rest for you.?There is no hassle in paying someone to do the job for you.?If you are getting a good rate then you can be sure, but if you’re not we can help you ask for Cheaper Rates!!

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~Manda Sadler