Book crossing

[Andy Hamilton]

My local bookshop just sent me this press release, I think it is fantastic what they are doing.....

Secession Books Launches Book-Crossing Project
Bath independent booksellers encourage ‘found’ literature in public spaces.


BATH, Somerset – May 16, 2005 – Bath’s popular independent bookseller Secession Books will commit to distributing free books to the local community this week by launching its own ‘book-crossing’ project. The concept of ‘book-crossing’, as listeners to BBC Radio 4 will know, involves the leaving of books in public spaces for people to find and read. Once read, these books should be left again in different locations for others to discover through serendipity.

Secession Books’ owners, James and Hannah Reich-Levbarg, explain: “We know that there are many individuals committed to this generous and intriguing idea, but insofar as we are aware, it is unique that a bookshop would throw its resources behind it. We’re beginning with about 50 books, taking them ourselves or getting friends, customers and family to take them to their ‘launch’ points. Each book is labelled with an explanation of the project and where it came from so that the books won’t be mistaken for lost property. Every so often, one of the books will also contain a £5 Book Token. We wish we could watch each book being found!â€Â

[sunpuppy]

I think that's great - it's something that I think all bookshops could do quite easily without expense on their part.

I had a bash at Book Crossing a couple of years ago, and 'rehomed' a couple of recently read books on London-bound trains. It was actually quite a weird experience, because I found that I didn't want anyone to actually see me leaving the books there, in case they thought I'd left them by mistake and came running up after me, waving them in my face! Imagine trying to explain that you'd left them there on purpose

If you register on the Book Crossing website, and print out little Book Crossing bookmarks to put into the book you're releasing into the wild, you can track what happens to your it: http://www.bookcrossing.com/ (if the person that found it goes to the website too, of course!)

A real feel-good activity for those who have lots of books gathering dust on the shelf.....

[Magpie]

I found a book with one of the labals on it, here in New Zealand, so it really is a world-wide thing! It wasn't a book I wanted to read though, so left it.
Funny, it was in the Library toilets! Perhaps so no-one would see them leave it? And there is bound to be book lovers there!