Building a home library abroad ?

[BrandonMommy]

Where to order large selections of books or book "packages"? I see Rainbow Resource has some for FIAR and the Let's Read and Find Out science book packages. Are there any others I've missed (their product list is massive!) Also, there's ebay. Any other sites I could order large selections from? Even sites that may cater to schools?

[Um_2_4]

Good question, I'll wait to see answers.... maybe Scholastic?

[skeeterbug]

Is there a reason you want to order packages?

 

Sonlight cores would be packages, but their intl shipping is atrocious imo. Maybe other lit-based programs?

 

RR shipping is 20% when your order is over $500, and their prices are low enough that they are often the best deal for shipping to me here in Australia. They carry many books, but the only packages I can think of are the two you listed.

 

The other source I use most often is Book Depository, they don't have packages, but free shipping (but often built into the price when compared to say, Amazon US).

[Niranut]

The way I've read the OP is that she's getting book lists from places like FIAR and such, and is looking for the best ways to get those titles overseas. If that's about right, then how you get materials will depend on where you are.

 

We live in Thailand and also use Book Depository, as they offer free worldwide shipping to more than 90 countries (and my country is one of them). Their selection and pricing is usually similar to Amazon (sometimes slightly more, but always much less than if you went with Amazon + shipping). Also, for those in the U.S., Book Depository is a UK based company and they do carry a nice selection of UK-based books (with free shipping to the U.S.). I've ordered Peace Hill Press and Memoria Press materials from them, along with lots of other homeschooling things. They also carry the full range of literary books (i.e. FIAR).

 

Another option is Better World Books. They also offer free worldwide shipping. Their pricing is not always as competitive, but they do have a good selection and also offer used books (Book Depository books are all new).

 

Both BD and BWB ship via regular mail, so for us it takes anywhere from 3-10 weeks, with most things arriving is about 3-4 weeks. It was just one time that it took a couple months. So if you order in advance to allow for the slower shipping, you should have no problems. They are both also good about refunding or replacing lost items. I did have one book from BD that never arrived and they sent another one right away. I also had one used book from BWB that was not as described (it was supposed to include a cd, but it didn't have one). They refunded what I paid and let me keep the book because it was cheaper for me to keep it than for them to reimburse me for return shipping. If it had been a more valuable item, they would have refunded the value of the book and return shipping.

 

We are also Sonlight users, and SL is very good at working with you-- they will send things any way you'd like. For us, it works out to be about the same to do the discounted SL Fedex rate as opposed to the U.S. Priority Mail. One trick I learned that has been helpful is to have SL send me a shipping invoice *before* they actually ship my order. I then forward the invoice to my local Fedex office to get a quote from them on exactly what the import fees will be-- this has saved me quite a bit of hassle, since the fees can vary widely from shipment to shipment. But... SL will ship via U.S. mail or any other type of method you prefer-- you just ask them for quotes on the different methods of shipping and they can let you know the costs. The default international shipping costs in their checkout process is for Fedex, but you can contact them via email for other options and they will tell you how to place your order accordingly (usually just a matter of making a note in the notes box at checkout).

 

HTH.

[Hunter]

Dover publishers sells 2 collections called "evergreen classics" and "thrift classics" that come in very large sets. They are printed in small text on cheap paper so don't weight much, or take up much room. I frequently get 20% off and free shipping coupons from them.

[BrandonMommy]

The way I've read the OP is that she's getting book lists from places like FIAR and such, and is looking for the best ways to get those titles overseas. If that's about right, then how you get materials will depend on where you are.

 

The reason I asked about packages particularly because it just seems easier to me with having to turn in a list of books (for an education allowance) to list packages instead of long lists of books, if that makes sense. Maybe not; that's just my thinking. I could very well do individual titles (as I do now from some sites) but that just seems easier, iykwim?

 

We live in Thailand and also use Book Depository, as they offer free worldwide shipping to more than 90 countries (and my country is one of them). Their selection and pricing is usually similar to Amazon (sometimes slightly more, but always much less than if you went with Amazon + shipping). Also, for those in the U.S., Book Depository is a UK based company and they do carry a nice selection of UK-based books (with free shipping to the U.S.). I've ordered Peace Hill Press and Memoria Press materials from them, along with lots of other homeschooling things. They also carry the full range of literary books (i.e. FIAR).

 

Another option is Better World Books. They also offer free worldwide shipping. Their pricing is not always as competitive, but they do have a good selection and also offer used books (Book Depository books are all new).

 

Both BD and BWB ship via regular mail, so for us it takes anywhere from 3-10 weeks, with most things arriving is about 3-4 weeks. It was just one time that it took a couple months. So if you order in advance to allow for the slower shipping, you should have no problems. They are both also good about refunding or replacing lost items. I did have one book from BD that never arrived and they sent another one right away. I also had one used book from BWB that was not as described (it was supposed to include a cd, but it didn't have one). They refunded what I paid and let me keep the book because it was cheaper for me to keep it than for them to reimburse me for return shipping. If it had been a more valuable item, they would have refunded the value of the book and return shipping.

 

We are also Sonlight users, and SL is very good at working with you-- they will send things any way you'd like. For us, it works out to be about the same to do the discounted SL Fedex rate as opposed to the U.S. Priority Mail. One trick I learned that has been helpful is to have SL send me a shipping invoice *before* they actually ship my order. I then forward the invoice to my local Fedex office to get a quote from them on exactly what the import fees will be-- this has saved me quite a bit of hassle, since the fees can vary widely from shipment to shipment. But... SL will ship via U.S. mail or any other type of method you prefer-- you just ask them for quotes on the different methods of shipping and they can let you know the costs. The default international shipping costs in their checkout process is for Fedex, but you can contact them via email for other options and they will tell you how to place your order accordingly (usually just a matter of making a note in the notes box at checkout).

 

HTH.

 

Niranut, thanks for those sites. I believe I've gotten books before from Better World Books but through Alibris. What would be the difference between getting the books through Alibris and BWB directly?

 

In the shipping invoice from SL, does it tell you the weight of the packages? This would definitely help me compare costs. I can order books from the US easily but usually have them forwarded through a service that charges a per pound cost. So, I could use international shipping or this service where it ships to a US address (usually free on the US side). I'm just wondering which is cheaper.

 

Oh, and I can get books from different places and that is okay with me. Just thought some packages would be nice.

 

I am on Lakeshore now and see they have lot of packaged sets (libraries) too.