Bookcrossing

Stop encouraging me! lol. You're going to get me in trouble. I've just twigged at what it actually is. I believe there are some groups that do that here with food! Non perishable of course!

That would be a really neat thing to do with food! I will encourage you to join BookCrossing, though, because I'm really terrible like that. I just bought some books just to release because I enjoy sharing the books I enjoyed. I got 5 of them at the Friends of the Library booksale for what I usually pay for one used book!

Take a look at the site and sign up for the release alerts. I bet you would be surprised how active Australia is. I could be wrong, though. Maybe you could get it started in your area!

That is really cool that your friend found a BookCrossing book on the beach! I haven't found one out in the wild yet. I'm sorry you weren't able to read it.

Bookcrossing is international. I don't know how active each country is, but I know I've participated in some international bookrings.

You can go to the website and sign up to get realease alerts. Then you would be told when a book is released in your area. Or maybe you could be the one to get things rolling near you!

I don't think I've actually ever found a book in the wild by chance. I have, however, found quite a few because I've gone hunting for them. I used to be signed up for the release alerts for all the cities around my area. That way every time a book was left in the wild and logged I could go look for it. I still remember the first one I hunted. It was such a rush!

I'm sorry, I didn't explain it well. The books aren't on-line. You actually read a physical book, then you would go in and assign it a number on Bookcrossing. Then you "realease the book into the wild". In other words you leave the book somewhere for someone else to find. When they find the book they will log in with that book number and give their opinion of the book. I'm not very good at explaining. It's fun if you like to pass things along for others or if you want to hunt for books.

See, Linda, you are an unofficial BookCrosser already! You should jump in and join us. It's really a lot of fun. It is free and we would love to see you! Can you tell that I really believe in this idea?

I actually signed up after reading your pose, so thanks for reminding me they existed. I found only two bookcrossing zones in town though and was wondering if you have to own a place to make it a zone, and if you can drop things in other places as well. I haven't looked into the rings and such yet, or bought supplies but I will soon I think.

I leave books all over the place, not just in the official Book Crossing Zones. In fact, when I go out tonight I will release a book. I mostly leave them on tables in coffee shops, in racks where free magazines are distributed and things like that. I don't buy any of the supplies, either. I just do a hand written note in the book or print the release notes on my computer.

Sometimes it takes awhile for an area to get really active. Look to see if there are any Official Book Crossing Zones in your area. One way I got really involved was through bookrings and bookrays. That was fun, too.

Welcome to BookCrossing, Momma! Do you want to share your screen name? Mine is BigBird2002. I'm still working on updating my bookshelf, as I had taken a long (1.5 years) break so a lot of my available books are not accurate. Going hunting for books is so fun, and it is such a rush when you find one. I still remember my first catch! Making your own stickers is a really good idea. I am with you. I like the art on some, and wording on others. My kids are also involved in BookCrossing, and they love it. They really get a kick out of releasing books and knowing that they are going traveling. I hope you enjoy BookCrossing as much as I have. I have done wild releases and catches, traded books, joined bookrings, and met new friends both online and in real life!

My screen name is MommaLizard. I need to create my bookshelf. When I signed up, I felt all gong-ho, ran to the shelves, picked out some books I want to release to the wild but then some of these books I hadn't read. For example, there is one book I bought when I was pregnant 9 years ago. They use the Lord's name in vain quite often so it had turned me off way back then. But I still want to read the book before letting it go! LOL So I've been reading it again and I'm about a third way through. It really is a good story, I just wish they would have been more careful with the swearing! It's great that you've been able to find new friends through your experiences with sharing books! How Fun!

I understand about getting all gung-ho then not having anything to put on your BookCrossing shelf. You could register the books you want to read and put them on your bookshelf under "To Be Read". That would get your shelf going, anyway. Ok, now you have me curious as to what this book is that is interesting but uses the Lord's name in vain too much!

If you like to read and like to share books you will love BookCrossing!