Read and Release

With all this talk of internet this and online that, do people still read books anymore? Believe it or not the worldwide web has probably helped more than hindered the popularity of books. You can find some sweet deals at Chapters or Amazon and have them shipped right to your door. You can even go to your local library's website in most cities and have books put on hold for you. There's tons of sites that review books. There's even online book clubs. But one of the neatest websites that I have ever seen pertaining to books is BookCrossing.



Have you ever picked up a book in a public place that someone has left behind? Have you yourself ever left a book behind in a coffee shop or subway station when you were finished reading it? It is fun to pass books along. BookCrossing has made that process even more entertaining.



When you register an account on their site, they provide you with tags that you print out and stick in your books. Each tag has a number and instructions for anyone who sees the tag to log on to the website. So, if someone picks up your book for a quarter at a churh yard sale, eventually they'll notice the tag and log in to the website. When they do, they make a note on the book's file with info about where they found the book and they can even review the book. Then, when the book finds its way into someone else's hands, the new person does the same. This leaves you with a paper trail of the history and whereabouts of your book.



The site has become popular with book lovers everywhere and, of course, offers a community aspect for those brave enough to take their nose of that book. If you do happen to check it out, look me up. My username over there is Hippychickali.