Frequently asked questions

BookSwap.lk is a community of readers in Sri Lanka. You put the books you own on your shelf, then swap, lend or sell them to other readers near you, and find books you want to read next.

Yes. Creating an account, listing books, sending requests and chatting with other readers is free.

Before you can send a swap request or message another reader, we ask you to verify your mobile number with a one-time code. It keeps fake accounts out and makes the community safer for everyone. Your number is not shown to others unless you choose to show it.

Absolutely. Sinhala, Tamil and English books are all first-class on BookSwap.lk, and you can use the site in all three languages. If a book is not in our catalogue yet, you can add its title and author when you list it.

Find a book you want, send the owner a swap request offering a book from your shelf, agree on the details in chat, and meet to exchange. When both of you confirm, the books move to each other’s shelves.

You can lend a book for 2, 3 or 4 weeks. BookSwap.lk keeps track of who has it and when it is due, and you can send the borrower a friendly reminder on WhatsApp with one tap.

Yes. Mark a book for sale and set a price in rupees. Buyers contact you through BookSwap.lk messages, or by phone if you choose to show your number to buyers.

No. BookSwap.lk only connects readers. Payments, courier and meetups are arranged directly between the two members, so please agree on everything clearly in chat before you hand over a book or any money.

Most meetups go smoothly, but whether, where and when to meet is always your own choice. Meet in busy public places in daylight and follow our safe meetup guidelines. BookSwap.lk is a service provider and is not a party to, or responsible for, meetups between members.

Nobody, unless you turn on “Show my phone number to buyers” for books you sell. Everything else happens through messages on BookSwap.lk.

With Ghost Mode on, books you receive are recorded in their journey as read by an anonymous reader, so your name is not tied to them publicly. You can switch it on in your privacy settings.

Posts and comments have a Report option. For a member, listing or meetup problem, contact us with the details. Our moderators review every report and can warn or suspend accounts that break the rules.

There is a limit on how many books you can have on your shelf and actively listed at once. New readers have smaller limits in their first 30 days. If you reach a limit, the site tells you what it is and how to free up space.

Circles are reading groups. Join one to discuss books with readers who share your interests, or start your own.

Use the language switcher in the menu to change between English, Sinhala and Tamil at any time.