Do you have shelves of books you haven't touched in years, and want to cut down on some of that clutter? Are you short on cash, but really itching to get a "new" book?

The Times and Democrat's first-ever book swap just might be the answer.

"We've collected over 700 books," said Carla Hall, T&D's marketing and promotions director. "Some of the authors ... are John Grisham, Nora Roberts, Danielle Steel and Mary Higgins Clark. We have children's books, romance, fiction, reference, cookbooks."

Hall said books will be accepted on site at the swap, set for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, in The T&D lobby. Books will also be accepted until noon Friday at The Times and Democrat office, 1010 Broughton St. in Orangeburg.

Swappers receive a ticket for each book they bring in, which can be swapped for another donated book. Hall said the newspaper reserves the right to refuse books in exceedingly poor condition or that are deemed inappropriate.

"In these tough economic times, we thought this would be a good, economical way to bring people together to share books and to also make people more aware of our online book club," said T&D Publisher Cathy Hughes. "We will be registering people online if they want to join the book club. We'll help them get started."

On Tuesday, Carol Copes of Branchville made her way to the newspaper with two sacks full of books. She and her friends collected some 75 titles to swap.

"We quit at 75, but we could have done more. We've got all kinds," she said of their collection, which includes titles by Sandra Brown, Susan Wiggs, Fern Michaels and Janet Evanovich, just to name a few. "We just all buy, and then we swap out. We're ready now to pass them along."

Copes said she'll be looking mainly to add to her extensive cookbook collection when she comes to Saturday's swap.

"I probably have 300," she said. "I hope someone brings some cookbooks.

"But I'm really looking for everything. I have a library at my house. ... That's my relaxation time, reading."

For more information about The Times and Democrat's book swap, call Hall at 803-533-5528 or visit TheTandD.com.

T&D Features Editor Wendy Jeffcoat Crider can be reached by e-mail at wjeffcoat@timesanddemocrat.com or by telephone at 803-533-5546. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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