August 5, 2006

BookCrossing

I told you about my books yesterday. So many books it’s an embarrassment. I found a solution to the book-clutter problem a while back, but I’ve never put it into high gear. I’m working on it.

The solution I’ve chosen is bookcrossing.com. It’s kind of a mixed blessing in my life. I’ve actually acquired more books because I signed on to this helpful site. I got caught up in the fever and became obsessed. I should mention here that I have some OCD tendencies. When I really like something (and I really like bookcrossing) I can go a little overboard.

BookCrossing is about sharing books. The basic premise is that books gathering dust do no one any good. Why not share them, anonymously, with the world? Read, register and release them. Let them go, but spy on them from time to time. Here’s how it works:

Once you’ve signed up to be a member, you can begin registering your books. After you fill in some basic info about a book, a click of the mouse will assign you a BCID number. This is a unique number that will allow you to find and track your book in the future. Copy the number onto a bookcrossing label and stick it to the inside cover. You can add an additional label or two to the outside if you like, saying things like “I’m not lost. I’m traveling.” or, simply, “Free Book.” Now you’re ready for the fun part. Release your book. Leave it on a park bench or maybe an ATM kiosk or somewhere in the zoo - you be the judge. Make sure you enter release notes saying when and where you left the book. Sometimes bookcrossers “go hunting,” looking for books released in their area. (Getting release alerts via email is one of the options you’ll be able to select.) Books are most often found by chance, by people who happen to be in the right place at the right time. Have faith! Someone will find it. Your finder may be curious enough to go to bookcrossing.com and enter the BCID number. There, they can tell you about their experience with the book and tell you what they plan to do with it. You’ll recieve an alert to tell you when someone makes a journal entry for any book on your bookshelf. Not every released book will garner journal entries. Some are never heard from again. That takes some getting used to, but it really is okay. By releasing your books, you’re inviting fate to take a hand. We bookcorssers are fond of talking about karma and serendipity. That’s part of the fun of the bookcrossing experience. I’ve never crunched the numbers, but I think about ten percent of my released books have been journaled. A so-so day instantly turns rosy when one of my books writes home to tell me about it’s journey. I have books in many places around the globe: Germany, Japan, England, Canada, Australia and throughout the US, to name a few. Some have been released numerous times in farflung places. All were originally released right here in Hawaii.

The BookCrossing site is easily navigable. The main page will tell you all about BookCrossing and help you get started. You can buy labels and other bookcrossing items in the Supply Store. This is not mandatory. Bookcrossing is free, and its founder, Ron Hornbaker, is committed to keeping it that way. Supply Store purchases help support the site, so do visit and consider dropping a few bucks. But, again, it’s not mandatory. You can download and print free labels or even hand print the BCID number and other info into your books. Wander around the site a little. You’ll find lots of features and helpful tips. There are message boards where members discuss their favorite release techniques, invite you to join in release challanges and contests or to talk about the books you’ve read. Chit-chat is the busiest message board, but that’s another obsession that I may or may not discuss some other day. The newsletter will tell you about the latest goings-on. You can read it on the site or have it sent to your mailbox. And don’t forget to have fun with your bookshelf. It’s you own personal page, listing your books and your bookcrossing stats. There’s space to write about yourself , and you can upload pictures and graphics. You can enter as much or as little information there as you choose. The tools to customize it are easy to use, even for a non-techie like me.

The hook is baited. Will you bite? Got to BookCrossing.com. If you decide to give it a try, tell them that skeeterbess sent you!

Clutter progress: The book sorting continues. I started by going through my shelved books, dusting as I skimmed the spines. I’ve started on the stacks in my office. I may finish in this lifetime.