Naked Conversations and 8 Book Tips

On today's bad flight sat with a librarian from NC .... he gets to select the books which I actually find to be a dream job. I've loved libraries since grade school when mom took to one weekly where I could get/read entire Cherry Ames series - Cherry's a fictional nurse who had 20+ occupational changes including being an Army nurse, dude ranch nurse and department store nurse. Sort of like being an association manager -- one day it's PAC nurse, next it's legislative nurse, then convention planner nurse, then budget nurse ...

Here are 8 book tips ...
1. Check out your local, state and university libraries. Many are free or nominal fee annually. Can typically order books from other libraries if don't have. If magazine reader, check out stacks of magazines. Often possible to check availability of local library books and audio-books online.
2. Try audio-books on CD. Great way to kill time while driving, especially long distances. And don't lose place like the old cassette-tape books. Libraries often have.
3. Before you purchase textbook for school, check out online prices. I purchased $100 text for my daughter for $3 plus shipping online. Start with Amazon used books, and look around. Insist that school identify ISBN number so get correct version of textbooks. Need lead time to use least expensive media rate delivery option.
4. EBay has many books for sale - hardback, paperbacks, textbooks, audio-books. In regular eBay and on their Half section. Compare to prices on Amazon and BarnesandNoble - sometimes can get better (and more immediate) deals there.
5. Download books onto iPod (such as from iTunes). Can get bestsellers, classics, many others. Sometimes pricey, sometimes 99 cents.
6. Check your national association library, if have one. May order business texts of interest ... and audio-tapes. Fee could be only return postage cost. I used for CAE texts.
7. Buy retail. Part of book experience is going through bookstore and deciding what to buy. Keep your local one in business.
8. Borrow books from family and friends. Read and return promptly so they'll trust you the next time ...

Group of bloggers at ASAE2007 recommended book "Naked Conversations - how blogs are changing the way businesses talk with customers". Read it a month later than should have - excellent advice on starting a blog that could have saved from several initial mistakes (e.g., don't be anonymous, have way to subscribe, etc.) and lots of thought-provoking chapters on business blogging, policies and personal blogging.

What Naked Conversations should you be having?