Question 1

How does Epiloca work with Little Free Libraries?

Accepted Answer

Instead of driving around hoping a tiny wooden library happens to have a book you want today, Epiloca turns nearby Little Free Libraries into neighborhood drop-off and pickup points. You list books sitting safely on your own bookshelf at home. When a neighbor requests one of your books, you drop it off at your local Little Free Library for them to collect—and vice versa!

Question 2

What if nobody near me has listed books yet?

Accepted Answer

That’s the beauty of home listing! You don’t have to leave your books out in a drop box waiting for months. By scanning the books on your shelf from home, you make your personal library discoverable to neighbors right now. As soon as a few neighbors in your area scan their shelves, a rich local catalog appears—without anyone overflowing their local drop box prematurely.

Question 3

Do I have to give away all my books or leave them in a drop box upfront?

Accepted Answer

Not at all! Your books stay on your home bookshelf until someone actually requests them. Scanning a barcode simply lets neighbors know: "Hey, I own this and I am happy to pass it along when someone wants to read it." You only walk it to a local drop box when a book is requested.

Question 4

How do requests and drop-offs work step-by-step?

Accepted Answer

It is as simple as 1-2-3-4:

1. Search: Find books available in your neighborhood or nearby areas sorted by distance.
2. Request: Tap request on a book you want to read.
3. Drop-Off: The owner gets notified and then verifies the book drop at their local Little Free Library during a period of 7 days.
4. Pick Up: You get an instant notification with the drop location when the book is dropped off!

Question 5

Is Epiloca free to use?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Epiloca is free to create an account, scan your home library, request books, and swap with your community.

Question 6

How does the token economy work?

Accepted Answer

Tokens incentivize friendly give-and-take and keep community inventory fresh! You earn tokens by sharing books and dropping them off for neighbors. You use those tokens when you request books you would like to read. It helps sustain the local reading ecosystem.

Question 7

Are there any paid features or supporter subscriptions?

Accepted Answer

We offer optional paid supporter plans and additional pay-as-you-go tokens for power readers. Premium features include waitlisting and increased requesting.

Question 8

Do I need to own a Little Free Library in my yard to use Epiloca?

Accepted Answer

No! Any public Little Free Library (or community drop site) in your town can serve as a drop point. You choose a conveniently located public drop point near your daily commute, parks, or walks for where you will drop your requested books.

Question 9

What if a Little Free Library is full when I go to drop off a book?

Accepted Answer

Our drop-off workflow allows a flexibility of 7 days for completing the drop. Plus, because drops use notifications, books usually get picked up quickly by the requestor rather than sitting around!

Question 10

How do I scan my books quickly? Do I need special hardware?

Accepted Answer

No special barcode scanner needed! Epiloca uses your phone or tablet camera directly inside your web browser. Just open the app, tap "Scan Barcode", and point your camera at the ISBN barcode on the back of any book. Epiloca automatically finds the title, author, category, description, and cover art details.

Question 11

Do I need to download an app from the App Store or Google Play?

Accepted Answer

Epiloca is built as a Progressive Web App. You can use it instantly in your mobile browser or tap "Add to Home Screen" for a fast, full-screen app experience without downloading from an app store. It supports offline functionality if your internet connectivity is limited while you are out and about.

Frequently Asked Questions