Bookcrossing.com... The Reader's Revolution

BookCrossing is the act of releasing books “into the wild” and then following their journeys and the lives they touch. It's a global phenomenon, with members from over 150 countries from Antarctica to Zimbabwe! The goal of BookCrossing is to make the whole world a library. BookCrossing combines serendipity, adventure, altruism and literature in a unique mix that true booklovers find irresistible. With its similarity to releasing messages in a bottle, or notes in helium balloons, BookCrossing brings people together in unique ways. BookCrossers register their books at the website so that each has its own BCID (BookCrossing ID number), which is used to “tag” or label the book inside the cover. People who “catch” a wild book follow the instructions on the label, then visit the website to see where the book has been. They make a new journal entry on the book and release it into the wild again.

Registering your books with bookcrossing.com, then giving them to a friend, a charity, or otherwise releasing them "into the wild" and following their progress and travels, is infinitely more fulfilling than the small satisfaction you'll get by looking at your books in your bookcase every day. It's also a fascinating exercise in fate, karma, or whatever you want to call the chain of events that can occur between two or more lives and one piece of literature. Oh, and we should mention, it's absolutely free and absolutely private, too.

TNQIT Library originally launched our Bookcrossing Zone in the Library in 2005. The library has now registered and released hundreds of titles! Students and staff alike are enjoying the bookcrossing corner where they can browse the free recreational reading titles and grab whatever takes their fancy. One of the original titles we released, “Angels & Demons” by Dan Brown surfaced in Mumbai, India after last being seen here in our TAFE library. With books coming in from all over campus and then showing up in exotic locations like Maharashtra, Mumbai, India, and with international visitors coming to TAFE to check out the new BC Zone, BookCrossing has brought recreational reading, treasure hunting and networking opportunities to the Cairns TAFE community.

If you haven’t yet discovered BookCrossing, visit the Zone in the library or log on to http://www.bookcrossing.com/ and help us make the whole world a library! Intrepid explorers, treasure hunters, book lovers & adventurers beware… This sport is addictive! Be part of a reader’s revolution and join in the fun today!