DrCris Reads

An Introduction to Bookcrossing

January 19, 2009 9:00 am DrCris Bookclubs, Finding books

I have talked in passing about Bookcrossing. I have been asked more about it, so I thought I should share my obsession.

What is Bookcrossing?

Bookcrossing started as a simple venture to track books, much in the same way that people track currency with services such as “Where’s George?”

Participants sign up for free and register their books. This involves identifying a book, and writing a short review, summary or note in an online journal. Each book is given a unique identifying bookcrossing ID (or BCID) which is written inside the book. Then, instead of returning the book to their shelf, the book is “released” to find a new owner.

How do books get released?

• Wild Release

Books are left in a public place for anyone to pick up. A note inside the front cover encourages the finder to add to the online journal (they can do so anonymously). About 10% of books that are released into the wild “check in” when someone writes in the journal (even years later).

• Bookrings and bookrays

One book is sent to a series of bookcrossers in turn who read the book and send it to the next participant. This is like an online bookclub, as each leaves their comments in the journal. At the end, books can be set free (book rays), or returned to the initiator.

• RABCKs (Random Acts of Bookcrossing Kindness)

Most Bookcrossers publish a wishlist. Sometimes, wishes are granted secretly.

• Release to a Bookcrossing Zone

Some cafes, hairdressers, even libraries have bookswap shelves. These can sometimes become bookcrossing Zones, where someone takes responsibility for getting a BCID for all the books left behind. This is a form of wild release.

• Bookboxes/bags, virtual and otherwise

Bookboxes are a disastrous thing to be involved in. Avoid them at all costs! Basically, a box or bag full of books turns up on your doorstep. You take whatever you like and fill it up with more of your own. Then you pay postage to post it to the next participant. Incredibly tempting, and bookshelf destroying.

Why is bookcrossing so cool?

I had hundreds of books sitting on my bookshelf, serving no purpose other than clutter. Although I might have enjoyed reading the book, I was probably never going to read it again. Or if I would read it again, it would be very easy to get another copy.

Bookcrossing got me to purge all my shelves of all the books I had no real attachment to. I even had to buy books from charity shops to release as well. (It’s a tad addictive to send messages randomly out into the world.)

Beyond that, there is the community of crossers. Like any book community, they are willing to share recommendations, and chatter. I have many more books than I started with due to recommendations and bookswaps, but most are unread. I’m not sure that is a huge improvement.

For me, Bookcrossing has been a great support. I am the only avid reader of adult books in my house, and recommending countless books to my husband was no longer helping my urge to discuss. Now I can share my books with others, and set them free to see the world!

Visit me (DrCris) at Bookcrossing.com to sign up, or find out more.

Related posts:

1. Bookcrossing on Twitter
2. Details and links to John Hamblin biography
3. Free PDF of Photoshop book