Things You'll Need:
- Internet access
- Books
- A location in which to put your books
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Step 1
First, you need a place to set up your book exchange. All you need is a little shelf space. Try to think of logical places for books to be available and ask whoever is in charge if they would we willing to let you use a small amount of space and explain what you are trying to do. Most places will be more than happy to participate! Try places like coffee shops, health food stores, and community centers.
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Step 2
Next, you will need some books! Go through your personal collection and find those you've already read and don't plan to read again, or ones that didn't hold your interest. Explain what you are up to and ask friends, family, and neighbors if they have any books they would like to contribute as well. Before you know it, you should have a nice selection!
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Step 3
Go to Bookcrossing (there is a link at the bottom of this tutorial) and sign up for an account. This will allow you to list what books are available at your book exchange. Each book is also assigned a unique number which readers can use to make journal entries at Bookcrossing. You can see who has read your books, what they thought, and where they ended up.
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Step 4
Follow Bookcrossing's directions to register each of your books, and mark each book with its number. (There are some labels you can print for free on the Bookcrossing site that not only have a place for the number, but they also explain what Bookcrossing is.) At the end of the registration process, it will allow you to make "release notes" and set your book free "in the wild." Use the release form to select your country, state/province, and city. Then, enter the name of the location ("crossing zone") where you will be displaying your books. Interested readers can check this list to see what books you have available!
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Step 5
Display your books at your location. You may want to make a sign explaining that the books are free for the taking, and encouraging people to make journal entries at the website as well as to bring in their own old books to recirculate.
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Step 6
Publicize your book exchange. Make flyers to put out at your library, bookstores, and anywhere else interested parties might congregate. You may want to include the link to your crossing zone on the website so that people can check to see what types of books you currently have to offer. Word of mouth is the most powerful advertising, so tell all of your friends who red where they can get free books. They will tell their friends, and before long everyone will know about it!
Comments
durang77 said
on 5/2/2009 great idea--thanks