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Read Purple

This guide connects readers with novels through a free book exchange in Hartman Hall.

READ PURPLE - a free exchange of novels for the JMU Community

Get started by:

  • Taking a novel that sparks your interest 

  • Reading at your own pace

  • Returning the novel to the cart

  • Optional: Sharing your thoughts with others by leaving a review inside the book cover

No library card needed and no due dates to remember! 

Find our cart in Hartman Hall, outside the CoB Research Support suite (offices 1060-1062) and at select events in Hartman Hall.

book c art

Read Purple is brought to you by JMU Business Librarians Elizabeth Price and Valerie Linsinbigler. Email bizinfo@jmu.edu for more information or to learn how to get involved.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you accept book donations?

Yes! You can leave a novel you have already enjoyed with someone in the CoB Research Support Suite (Hartman 1060-1062).

  • ACCEPTING -- Fiction books & graphic novels in good condition, i.e., cover/pages are intact but it's OK if they show signs of wear.
  • NOT ACCEPTING -- Textbooks, biographies, memoirs, & other nonfiction books.

If you aren't sure what type of book you have, chat with Valerie or Elizabeth.

 

What if I want to read other books in a series?

One option is to use a free service called Interlibrary Loan (ILL). If JMU Libraries does not have a particular book, often another library will have it and allow us to borrow it for you.

ILL is available to JMU students, faculty and staff. Learn more from their Frequently Asked Questions.

Another option is to sign up for a free library card from Massanutten Regional Library to borrow either physical books, e-books and audiobooks.