“Nothing links man to man like the frequent passage from hand to hand of a good book.”

- Walter Sickers

If you love a book, set it free.
BookCrossing.com is a very cool website where members can release books into the wild and then track their journeys online. The process involves registering the book you intend to let go at their website, after doing so you receive an ID number with which the book gets labeled. From there you give the book away or leave it somewhere public to hopefully be found and read by someone else, who then passes it on in turn. Each reader is encouraged to inform the site that they found the book, including the location and where they released the title afterword. Users may ‘tag & track’ books anonymously as well as share reviews and interact with other members.

As their press kit says - BookCrossing combines serendipity, adventure, altruism & literature in a unique mix that true bibliophiles find irresistible…With its strong connection and focus on literacy throughout the world BookCrossing makes the whole world a library. An ideal activity for parents and teachers to encourage children to read and share and the perfect way to encourage literacy and learning.

So, as one of their tag-lines reads - “Open a new chapter in someones life.”
You may print a label from their site with which to enter the book ID# and identify it as a BookCrossing title. They also sell different editions of bookplates featuring beautiful artwork by different artists, as well as bookmarks and other items at a reasonable price. The program can be used completely free though and the site is well documented with instructions, a user forum and frequently asked questions section.

Sign up and share a book. It’s a good thing.
www.BookCrossing.com

Other Facts:

• At the time of this writing their site lists over 4,383,682 books registered.
• Members come from 130 different countries, from Antarctica to Zimbabwe.
• BookCrossing. com has been online since 2001.

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