OT? Bookcrossing

Sarah, I'm an INACTIVE member, grin! Noreen

Hi Sarah,

Gee, I've been doing that for years and didn't even know it had a name. I buy a book, pass it on to a friend who then gives it back to me and I pass it along to another friend who passes it along. It finally ends up at a local hospital in their library.

Hugs,

Nora

OK Sarah, most likely I will not be the only one to ask you what is "bookcrossers" and "Bookray"

Els, just wondering

bookcrosser

Els, you can read about it at bookcrossing.com. I've never joined so don't really know much about it. I like the idea but not with library books which is what I mostly read.

Thanks Jan I will go and check it out

Els

I think many people have been doing it for years just like you. I find it interesting to have the added bonus of reading what other people thought of the books afterwards by reading the online journals that you get through having each book registered with an individual tracking number.

I've started leaving books in public palces when I have finished with them and seeing who finds them :o)

Sarah

Hehe. I knew someone would asked that so I added it to my original post :o)

It's up there ^

The order that it is to be passed on is posted on the journal page for each book. There is a tracking number written in the front of the book when you get it so you can get to the bookcrossing page easily.

Sarah

Hi Sarah!

I am a member of bookcrossing.com (see my sig line) and have released a couple of books into the wild, but they were never journaled as being found. Also, I've passed books on to some of my friends with the bookcrossing numbers inside the front cover but they have never journaled an entry. I think it is a wonderful thing (the read and release concept), but I guess there is not much interest in my area.

My sister-in-law is a librarian and she is also a bookcrosser. She got me started, I guess. She has more trouble than I do with releases because she lives in a very small town.

I am not really up on all the terminology so thanks for your definition of a bookray and a bookring.

I've always left tour books behind in hotels or youth hostels when I'm about to go home. Some hotels have bookshelves for the purpose. It gives me a little extra room in the luggage for stuff I bought.

Not a problem. It's a shame that you haven't had any books caught yet, but it's just a matter of time. I've had a few caught now. One was found in the place where I left it, and one that I left leaning again a wall by the river was found on a train. I haven't a clue how it got there!

It's amazing to learn where they go to and who finds them :o)

Sarah

Did you hear the Radio 4 programme recently where they bookcrossed copies of Helene Hanff's "64 Charing Cross Road"? It was fascinating. They had given a telephone number so people could ring in and leave a message about the where they'd found the book and whether they read it etc.

That's bizarre Sarah, I heard a radio interview this morning about book crossing, the second time I've heard about it... and now your post! It must be fun to participate in!

David

Hi Nora,

The only difference is that with book crossing, a website is involved, the original "giver" of the book puts some kind of label on the book which she/he can then leave anonomously in such places as a coffee shop, vegie stand, bus, etc., the next person who picks it up can register the book on the book crossing website, and everyone can "watch" the progress of where the book has gone, anywhere in the world. there are currently somewhere more than a million books registered in such a way, if I remember correctly. Or is it restered book crossers?, I forget...

David

That is called "synchrodestiny", David.

Kather> That's bizarre Sarah, I heard a radio interview this morning about

Which rhymes with synchronicity, katherine? lol

David

It's great fun. I've just had another book turn up in the post this morning with a lovely letter inside.

They bookcross audiobooks too you know. Looks like you were meant to take part :o)

Sarah

Not quite, and it has a deeper meaning. Synchronicity is more like a lucky accident, which synchrodestinity means that it was meant to happen, ever since before the beginning of time.

Kather> Which rhymes with synchronicity, katherine? lol

Hi David,

Thanks for those details as I had never heard of a bookcrossing before.

Hugs,

Nora

Hi Sarah,

Thanks... actually, as far as I know (based on borrowing them from the library), commercially-available talking books are quite abridged, full-length unabridged talking books are only loaned to blind & visually-impaired people and are not commercially available. But I do scan books and read them with my computer, so that wouldn't be a problem

Cheers,

David