a communal library for your neighbourhood — find, swap, sell, and give away used books within walking distance.
shared interests bring people together, and reading is one of the easiest ones to share. sourcing second-hand books is also one of the cheapest ways to read sustainably. nobody had built the place where those two things meet.
community-building creates real connection and mutual support. at a point where sustainability isn't optional, used books are an obvious, low-effort way in. this project asks what happens when you give that behaviour a proper home.
thrift stores and general marketplaces bury books under everything else. without real filtering, finding one specific pre-owned title turns into a hunt most people give up on.
a digital space to discover, trade, sell, or buy used books nearby — so the search gets easier and the neighbourhood gets closer at the same time.
i ran a user research survey across seven participants at different life stages — students, young professionals, and people not currently working. open-ended questions, basic demographics, needs and pain points, past experiences, and general feedback.
what do you think of an app that lets you buy, sell, or swap books with people in your area — does it build community?
a:most saw it as a good way to meet like-minded people and trade books with genuine convenience.
any concerns or problems you'd expect an app like this to run into?
a:privacy risk, thin selection early on, and safety around scams and in-person meetups.
the name had to do the explaining. neighbor books — local exchange and community bonding in two words, before you've opened anything.
from there the whole app had to demonstrate six things: accessibility, ease of use, community and social, clear communication, reliable information and reviews, and tailored content. every screen got measured against that list.
the goal was a straightforward place to find and give away books for very little money — with location doing the heavy lifting on relevance, for listings and for community posts alike.
the honest conclusion: this audience wants convenience and security before anything else. deliver those two, and the discovery and connection people say they want becomes possible — skip them, and no amount of community features will save it.