Dilemma moving personal library overseas

[Chengyi]

Currently, I am in graduate school working on obtaining a master degree in TESOL. Lord willing, I will be completing my graduate studies next summer. The plan is to seek employment as an EFL teacher in China after graduation. The dilemma I have is how to move my personal library. I understand that it will not be economically conceivable to bring everything I currently own. Nevertheless, I truly hope that I can relocate a good portion of my personal library. If you have any suggestions it will be greatly appreciated. Also any suggestions on where I could sell books that I do not intend to bring with me would be great.

 

[Pergamum]

Go with a Kindle and a DVD of PDF books. As much as possible avoid hardcopy books. Those you must have, it is often better to pay overweight luggage once then to ship books.

If you plan on spending several hundreds dollars to ship books, you might just be able to buy all those books (especially old dead theologians) again in their kindle format.

 

[Chengyi]

Go with a Kindle and a DVD of PDF books. As much as possible avoid hardcopy books. Those you must have, it is often better to pay overweight luggage once then to ship books.

If you plan on spending several hundreds dollars to ship books, you might just be able to buy all those books (especially old dead theologians) again in their kindle format.

Where do you suggest I pack hardback copies, with carry on or check baggage?

 

[chuckd]

Where do you suggest I pack hardback copies, with carry on or check baggage?

A flight from the U.S. to China will afford you two checked 50 lb. bags limited to 62 inches adding L + W + D. To optimize volume, that comes out to a 20 x 20 x 20 cube. You can get a cardboard box at UPS, Office Depot, etc. so as not to waste any weight in the luggage itself. With books, you will certainly reach the weight limit before filling the box.

So the strategy would be to fill the box with lightweight things like clothes and fill your carry on first with books. Your carry on will have weight limits as well, but will likely not be weighed.

When approaching the check in, DO NOT take your carry on or personal bag. JUST your checked bags. If the attendant feels the need to weigh your carry on, you may have to check that and they charge BY POUND. It will get expensive to the point UPS would be cheaper. The probability of weighing your carry on at the gate is next to nothing.

If you plan to make any trips from now until then AND you are FOR SURE going, take some of the library then and leave with a friend / coworker. New York to China is a popular route so ask around, post on social media, here if anyone is making the trip.

As far as selling unused books, post here. Otherwise, use bookscouter.com. Type in the ISBN and they'll tell you the highest bidder.

 

[Chengyi]

Where do you suggest I pack hardback copies, with carry on or check baggage?

A flight from the U.S. to China will afford you two checked 50 lb. bags limited to 62 inches adding L + W + D. To optimize volume, that comes out to a 20 x 20 x 20 cube. You can get a cardboard box at UPS, Office Depot, etc. so as not to waste any weight in the luggage itself. With books, you will certainly reach the weight limit before filling the box.

So the strategy would be to fill the box with lightweight things like clothes and fill your carry on first with books. Your carry on will have weight limits as well, but will likely not be weighed.

When approaching the check in, DO NOT take your carry on or personal bag. JUST your checked bags. If the attendant feels the need to weigh your carry on, you may have to check that and they charge BY POUND. It will get expensive to the point UPS would be cheaper. The probability of weighing your carry on at the gate is next to nothing.

If you plan to make any trips from now until then AND you are FOR SURE going, take some of the library then and leave with a friend / coworker. New York to China is a popular route so ask around, post on social media, here if anyone is making the trip.

As far as selling unused books, post here. Otherwise, use bookscouter.com. Type in the ISBN and they'll tell you the highest bidder.

Thank you for your suggestion they will be very helpful. Currently, there is no trips plan to go to China in the near future. And no, I am not sure. It would be presumptuous of me to say that I am sure however what I will say is that if the Lord does not open the door for my family to relocate to China I will be greatly surprised. That is because, at least from my significantly inadequate perspective the direction of my life has been moving in that direction for some time now. Additionally, the last two years of my undergraduate studies was focused on studies in Chinese Culture (non-language). I am unsure of the significance or the practical usefulness of those years studying Chinese culture in-depth if the Lord is now going to redirect my life in a different path. Furthermore, I am not sure why the Lord would place a great burden on my heart for the Chinese people along with a desire and willingness to serve overseas and then not open the door.

 

[johnny]

Isnt it fantastic that we now "take it for granted" that you can bring Christian books
and Bibles into China without having them scrutinized and confiscated.

 

[Jerusalem Blade]

Check with an international moving company. I took a large library, around 58 boxes of books--approx 22in X 18in X 18in--in a 20 foot container, from NYC to Limassol, Cyprus, along with our household stuff (initially we were thinking to stay there all our lives, but later changed our minds). I think it cost $6,000 USD for the lot. One can also get a "crate" for smaller volume, which would then go in a container along with other crates. It's be much cheaper for a crate with just books.

One can also pack up boxes of books and send by mail, which is pretty cheap. If there are only books in the boxes there is a special rate for that--I forget the name of it. They should be packed WELL, and WELL taped. Check with the Post Office for details.

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

Go with a Kindle and a DVD of PDF books. As much as possible avoid hardcopy books. Those you must have, it is often better to pay overweight luggage once then to ship books.

If you plan on spending several hundreds dollars to ship books, you might just be able to buy all those books (especially old dead theologians) again in their kindle format.

Consider what it would cost to obtain an electronic library of most of your holdings from Logos software versus the cost of mailing, shipping, paper books, too. Four thousand books on a computer is very light weight.

 

[bookslover]

You guys are making this way, way too difficult. Thomas, just send all your books to me while you're in China (whenever that is) and I'll take good care of them for you.

See? Problem solved! LOL

 

[Chengyi]

Go with a Kindle and a DVD of PDF books. As much as possible avoid hardcopy books. Those you must have, it is often better to pay overweight luggage once then to ship books.

If you plan on spending several hundreds dollars to ship books, you might just be able to buy all those books (especially old dead theologians) again in their kindle format.

Consider what it would cost to obtain an electronic library of most of your holdings from Logos software versus the cost of mailing, shipping, paper books, too. Four thousand books on a computer is very light weight.

I have given the electronic library some consideration however what happens when I replace my current computer. Will I be able to download them onto a new computer without having to buy them again? Or can I simply back up the files on a external drive?

 

[Chengyi]

You guys are making this way, way too difficult. Thomas, just send all your books to me while you're in China (whenever that is) and I'll take good care of them for you.

See? Problem solved! LOL

 

[Pergamum]

Go with a Kindle and a DVD of PDF books. As much as possible avoid hardcopy books. Those you must have, it is often better to pay overweight luggage once then to ship books.

If you plan on spending several hundreds dollars to ship books, you might just be able to buy all those books (especially old dead theologians) again in their kindle format.

Where do you suggest I pack hardback copies, with carry on or check baggage?

We check it all to save our backs. If the airline has a generic fine for overweight bags...we severely overload the bag since 10 over and 20 over would be the same.

 

[Pergamum]

Go with a Kindle and a DVD of PDF books. As much as possible avoid hardcopy books. Those you must have, it is often better to pay overweight luggage once then to ship books.

If you plan on spending several hundreds dollars to ship books, you might just be able to buy all those books (especially old dead theologians) again in their kindle format.

Consider what it would cost to obtain an electronic library of most of your holdings from Logos software versus the cost of mailing, shipping, paper books, too. Four thousand books on a computer is very light weight.

I have given the electronic library some consideration however what happens when I replace my current computer. Will I be able to download them onto a new computer without having to buy them again? Or can I simply back up the files on a external drive?

I've bought 2 kindles for myself now and all the books transfer over to your new kindle if you register it in your name.

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

Go with a Kindle and a DVD of PDF books. As much as possible avoid hardcopy books. Those you must have, it is often better to pay overweight luggage once then to ship books.

If you plan on spending several hundreds dollars to ship books, you might just be able to buy all those books (especially old dead theologians) again in their kindle format.

Consider what it would cost to obtain an electronic library of most of your holdings from Logos software versus the cost of mailing, shipping, paper books, too. Four thousand books on a computer is very light weight.

I have given the electronic library some consideration however what happens when I replace my current computer. Will I be able to download them onto a new computer without having to buy them again? Or can I simply back up the files on a external drive?

Yes, with a new computer you simply reinstall Logos, login and all your materials are reinstalled. Also, all your Logos books are available from any web browser at any time at http://www.biblia.com. Finally, with Logos 6, most books, depending upon the publisher restrictions, are also made available for uploading to your Kindle account.

 

[Leslie]

With some airlines, if you call them and tell them you are moving to your new location for the long term, they may give you an extra bag or two free. It was that way for me when I brought a lot of medical equipment to Ethiopia. It doesn't hurt to try.

 

[Chengyi]

I truly appreciate all of the wonderful suggestions that I have been receiving in response to my post. Yesterday my wife asked a friend in China and she also recommended investing in electronic books. She also suggested selling my books and buying them when we arrive in China. If I were to sell some of my books here on the puritan board where would I post them? Right now what I am considering selling are commentaries from the following series NICOT, NICNT, BCOTWP, NIVAC, REC,PTW and TOTC. It appears that all of these are available in electronic format and a couple of them, namely NIVAC and TOTC are available for sell in China.

 

[Steve Curtis]

If there are only books in the boxes there is a special rate for that--I forget the name of it.

I think its called "book rate"

 

[Jerusalem Blade]

Steve, you made me google it for the specs I wanted: It's called an Airmail M-Bag: https://www.usps.com/international/mail-shipping-services.htm (scroll down to the bottom for the M-Bag). Pretty cheap for a lot of books.

Thomas, I don't invest in digital Bible software (or very little), as when / if the electric grid goes down I want to keep my library. We take our comfortable and peaceful situation way too much for granted. Is not "the fierce wrath of the LORD" upon such a nation as this, despite the godly in its midst?

 

[Chengyi]

Steve, you made me google it for the specs I wanted: It's called an Airmail M-Bag: https://www.usps.com/international/mail-shipping-services.htm (scroll down to the bottom for the M-Bag). Pretty cheap for a lot of books.

Thomas, I don't invest in digital Bible software (or very little), as when / if the electric grid goes down I want to keep my library. We take our comfortable and peaceful situation way too much for granted. Is not "the fierce wrath of the LORD" upon such a nation as this, despite the godly in its midst?

Steve, thank you for searching what you mentioned further. A concern I have with mailing my library is not only the cost but also if I will ever see it again. I have read others experiences shipping personal items that never arrived. I would rather give a book away instead of having it display in the mail. Also, I do not see myself investing a lot into a digital library. Not necessarily for the reason you mentioned although that is a concern of mine. When it comes to reading I simply love the feel of having a book in my hand. There is something about turning real pages that keeps me from ever wanting to switch totally. However, I do see the benefits of having some resources on my computer.

 

[Steve Curtis]

Steve, you made me google it for the specs I wanted:

Thanks, Steve! I was actually serious - I remember shipping books via "book rate" with the USPS, but I like your idea much better! I deal with the how-to-ship-lots-of-books issue often, as I keep relocating and as I work with folks in pretty remote locations. I will be bookmarking that page!

Thomas, I understand your concerns about whether the books will actually arrive - I have had a few boxes that didn't, when I shipped them to various places in the Majority World. However, for the most part, they do arrive (though sometimes weeks or months later than I had expected!)

 

[Chengyi]

Steve, you made me google it for the specs I wanted:

Thanks, Steve! I was actually serious - I remember shipping books via "book rate" with the USPS, but I like your idea much better! I deal with the how-to-ship-lots-of-books issue often, as I keep relocating and as I work with folks in pretty remote locations. I will be bookmarking that page!

Thomas, I understand your concerns about whether the books will actually arrive - I have had a few boxes that didn't, when I shipped them to various places in the Majority World. However, for the most part, they do arrive (though sometimes weeks or months later than I had expected!)

Thanks Steve, that is comforting because I am pretty sure that between all the books that my wife and I own there is a good possibility that we will ship something. When my wife moved here from China a couple years ago. She shipped six large boxes of clothes and shoes. Thankfully they all arrived without incident.

 

[Edward]

If I were to sell some of my books here on the puritan board where would I post them?

When you have a few more posts, you should get access to the "Let's Do Business" subforum. That's where sales items should be posted.

 

[lynnie]

as when / if the electric grid goes down I want to keep my library.

So, I am not the only person left who prefers real books and also expects grid troubles. Thanks

 

[Shadyplace]

I have moved internationally twice, the first time i left books behind, but regretted it, the second time I took everything, it was worth the cost!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Jerusalem Blade]

Thomas, I have had books sent to me internationally via surface mail which did get lost, but not via Airmail M-Bag. Nor did it take that long. Surface? it's "the slow boat to China"!

 

[TexanRose]

When my dad moved to Israel, he shipped his books ahead of him using the M-Bags. They all got there safely. As I recall, the clerks at the local post office didn't seem to know anything about M-Bags, so he had to find the answers to his questions online.

 

[Chengyi]

Thomas, I have had books sent to me internationally via surface mail which did get lost, but not via Airmail M-Bag. Nor did it take that long. Surface? it's "the slow boat to China"!

Steve, thank you again. I have visted the USPS website and have found information about shipping with the M-Bag. I will certainly consider it for books I am unable to bring in my luggage.

When my dad moved to Israel, he shipped his books ahead of him using the M-Bags. They all got there safely. As I recall, the clerks at the local post office didn't seem to know anything about M-Bags, so he had to find the answers to his questions online.

Sharon, thank you also for sharing your dad's experience using the M-bag. It is reassuring to help stories with a happy ending.

 

[Chengyi]

I have moved internationally twice, the first time i left books behind, but regretted it, the second time I took everything, it was worth the cost!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thank you for your comments. As much as I would love to bring all my books with me. In reality I understand that will most likely not be possible. Putting aside the cost of shipping there are other factors that I need to consider. For example, I have many western scholarly books about China. The Chinese government prohibits items that could be "detrimental to China’s politics, economy, culture, and ethnics." Some of these books give a historical portrayal of China's modern history that does not match the official orthodoxy in China. I truly appreciate having the opportunity to read them however think its wise not to bring them with me.