Bookcrossing

[blueberry]

Hello girls! I'm hoping that you could give me an insight on this idea that I've been keeping in my head ATM.

(A bit longish, sorry)

For those who do not know much about me, I work with the railway in my country. One of our services is the short distance commuter service, similar to your tube/underground train.

I've been reading pathetic reports in the news that Malaysians read on average two books a year (!!!) so I thought I'd want to do something cool to help with this cause. Therefore, I've been thinking about doing a bookcrossing programme. I was thinking of having bookcrossing corners at some of our major stations where you can leave/pick up books, and at least we'll be encouraging the reading habit rather than having the passengers staring into space or zzzzzz'ing.

I've been reading about this and it seems that the real bookcrossing (leaving books on park benches) is only ever done in Europe. I think in Malaysia we have some book crossing awareness but we only do it within the bookcrossing community - eg you exchange books instead of leaving it there, or you have a specific place to leave your book, etc etc. I think the average Malaysian has yet to grasp this bookcrossing concept. Any book left lying around will go right into the bin (if the cleaners found it) or to the second hand market (if the druggies found it).

What do you think?

[curlywurly]

That sounds like a fantastic idea Blueberry. Have you checked out:

http://www.bookcrossing.com/

You can do what thay called 'conrolled release' (pretty much just giving the book to somone else, although aften it's sent in the post)....

Making little 'reading stations' at the train stations would hopefully encourage people to borrow/leave books....

Good luck Blueberry - shout if you need any help with ideas.....

[duck_egg]

great idea, i'd never heard of it before!!!

[Netty]

Good idea - I get the emails from our local group - but never get to the meets, and have never 'found' a book either ...

Special areas for the books sounds like a great idea - you could also 'release' them on trains, (instruct staff, cleaners etc to leave them!) - but I don't think you could do much about the 'second hand market'.

In England we have a daily free paper available on public transport - do you have anything like that, where you could publicise the concept?

[angelicauk]

I have been bookcrossing for a while now but have only found one 'wild' book. Its a good way of recycling books without throwing them away.

It might be worth it if you can set up reading stations as suggested by curlywurly. Let us know how you get on.