One note about sending postage for a book. People call this a trade, but it really isn't a trade. You are sending the member money for postage, but they are sending you a free book, and getting nothing physical in return. So, it is more of a good deed than a trade.

2. Most trades begin in the wish list forum. You can post the name of a book you really want, (same etiquette as before). If someone has it, they will PM you. Often, members list the books they have available on the wish list forum. First one to respond gets it. If you are offering a book, please include 2 things in the subject line--the name of the book and if you are willing to mail internationally. Since postage outside of your own country can be rather expensive, some people restrict their trades. It is so frustrating to see a book you have been wanting to read, only to discover that the owner is not able to mail it to another country. If you agree to a trade, please follow through with your end of the deal or notify your trade partner if there is a problem.

3. CLIFF NO LONGER HAS THE WISH LIST SITE. IT HAS BEEN INCORPORATED INTO THE BC SITE. BC member, cliff1976, has set up a site for our wish lists. You can go there to post your dream wish list. A lot of people surf those pages hoping to fulfill someone’s wish. Yes, I’m serious., people really do that!! I’m telling you, you have no idea what an amazing group of people you have joined here! I have one very important suggestion for everyone sending mail within or to the US. If you use the Zip+4, your mail will move much faster. Everyone in the US has a 5 digit zip code, and we now have an extra 4 numbers after that, which no one uses. My friend at the PO says that the extra numbers allows the mail to "skip a step", which speed it up. If you don't know yours, or if you are mailing to the US from somewhere else, you can find the zip+4 here.


I traded for a book, really like it, and now I don't want to let it go. Is this ok?

Basically, no. BookCrossing is about sharing books, not keeping them. The whole point of the site is to track our books, and there isn’t much tracking going on if you stick the book back on the shelf. That said, I will mention the exception. If it is a book that you want to keep for a collection, or maybe it is for a class, and you will need it for several months, sometimes the book’s owner will tell you that it is ok for you to take it out of circulation. Please discuss this in advance though, ok?


I am mailing a book to another country and have to fill out a customs form. Anything I should know?

A general rule of thumb is to list the package as a gift with NCV (no cash value). Since it is just a used book, the value is minimal, and all are gifts, so it will save the recipient a bundle in customs fees.


So many new ideas!! What do they mean?

These are a few of the most common. If you run across another one, please let me know, and I will try to add it to the list.

There are many acronyms that you may run across in one of the forums that aren't exclusive to BookCrossing, such as IMO, FWIW, and BTW. These are far too numerous to list here, but you can find the meaning at one of the internet sites dedicated to this lingo. One of the best is AcronymFinder.

Ballycumber-Ballycumber C. BookCrossing is the name of our little running book mascot. The origin of his name makes an interesting story, so settle down my friends, while I tell you all about it.
Once upon a time, there was an author named Douglas Adams, who wrote a book called The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, among others. He coined the word ballycumber to refer to "one of the six half-read books lying somewhere in your bed." That is an image that most of us can appreciate, isn't it? So, it seemed like the proper name for our friend, and to make it even more perfect, it can be shortened to BC.
Ballycumber is a member of the BC Support Staff, whose primary responsibility at the time of this writing, is to act as spokesperson for the staff. In this position, he is in charge of letting us know things like new items at the Supply Store, as well as other news of import regarding our favorite hobby. So, when you see him on the site, smile and wave, he's a friendly sort, you know. And, when you see his name on a forum post, pay close attention, because it's always something cool!!

RABCK-Random Act of BookCrossing Kindness. This can take several forms, but the most common is when someone sends you a book without asking for a trade or postage. It’s just the act of doing something nice for someone. It would be impossible to keep track of all of the RABCK that occurs on this site every day. Now, I am going to add a personal opinion here. RABCK is meant to be random-the giver suddenly decides to give freely. If you ask someone to give you a book for free it is not a random act of kindness-it is just someone fulfilling your request. You can check my RABCK Roundup pages for real BC examples.

PM-personal message. When you signed up, you gave an email address. You were also given the option to accept personal messages. If you checked this option, then members can go to your bookshelf, look right under your information box, and click on “Send TexasWren a Personal Message.” Your email address is never divulged. All mail goes through the site to maintain your privacy.

AF or Anonymous Finder-When a non-member finds a BC book, and wants to make a journal entry without joining the site, they may do so as Anonymous Finder. This option has made an enormous difference in our reported catch rates. If the finder decides to join while making the journal entry, you get credit for a new member.

Wish List- We actually have 2 wish lists-one on-site and one support site.

The Wish list forum is on the BC site. You can post a note about something you want to read. Be sure to offer a trade or postage. If you have a book that is not suitable for a wild release, you can offer it on the list. It is helpful if you indicate whether you require a trade or if it is RABCK, and if you are able to ship internationally.

OBCZ-Official BookCrossing Zone. A BC member, with the permission of the location manager, sets up a box, shelf, corner, to become a centralized location for exchanging books. The BC site has a poster that can be printed out and displayed. You usually have to keep it stocked at first, but after awhile, people will catch on and start leaving their own books-sort of “take one-leave one.” There is no "official" listing of zones, however, Netstation has a site with a list of OBCZ. This list includes only the ones that have notified him of their OBCZ.

OCZ-Official Crossing Zone-This is anywhere a book is left in the wild.

TBR-To-be-read or to-be released--it depends on the book crosser and the context.

Book Ring. Person #1 has a book to share and posts notice of a book ring in the Book Ring and Ray forum. Interested parties will PM her, and a book ring begins. The book is mailed to Person #2 along with a list of everyone in the ring--without including anyone’s mailing address (for privacy reasons). When Person 2 receives the book, he PM’s Person 3 for his/her address, reads the book as quickly as possible, and mails it off. Two to four weeks has become the standard for keeping a book. My personal suggestion is that if you need it longer than that, you a)let the founder of the ring know, and/or b) send it to the next person, unread, and request that your name be added to the end of the list when you may have more time. Person #3 repeats the cycle. Eventually, the book returns to the original owner.

Book Ray- This works exactly like a book ring except it is never returned to the original owner. Much like a paper ray of sunshine, the book travels forever. When the last person on the ray list finishes the book, they can post it on the wish list forum for more BC readers, or they can release it into the wild.

There are 2 important things to remember when organizing a box, ring, or ray. First, in the post subject line, please note the name of the book. Also, when you are collecting names, find out which ones are willing to mail the book internationally. Due to the high cost of mailing outside your own country, this is sometimes an issue. Most rings always manage to have a member who is ok with this, so arrange your ring accordingly.

Book Box- Person #1 gathers together a bunch of books-this can be as few as 8 or 10, or as many as 30 or 40 paperbacks.. These can be a theme (sci-fi, chick-lit, romance, childrens, etc). or just random books. After posting a message on the Book Ring/Ray forum, he gathers a list of interested participants. Box is mailed to Person #2, who takes out a couple of books and puts the same amount back in, then mails it to Person #3. Eventually, the box will make it back to Person #1, who has a lot of new books to read!

Virtual Book Box- This can work a couple of different ways. In one version, the originator gathers a list of interested people. Person #1 makes a list of book titles, just like a regular book box. This list is emailed to Person #2. Person #2 picks a couple of titles that they want and adds an equal number of titles to the list. This new list is emailed to Person #1 and Person #3, who repeats the process, once again sending the new list to Person #1-the Record Keeper. At the end, Record Keeper #1 will email a note to each person, telling them who selected their books. It is the responsibility of each participant to contact and mail the actual books.

In another version, Person #1 has each person send her a list of the books they want to contribute, he/she compiles the list and emails it to each member. Members email their picks back to Person #1, who notifies members of who has selected their bools. If more than 1 person selects a book, a mini book ray is started.

The advantage to a virtual book box is that each member has to pay postage for only a few books instead of a whole box. Also, emails move faster than boxes, so you get your selections more quickly.

BookRelay-This is a BC game. It was so popular that it started clogging the forums, so BC member CasualReader set up a support site for it. However, as of January, 2007, this site has closed down, due to unforeseen circumstances. There is a Temporary Bookrelay Forum. I don't know if it will be there from now on, but I will update this as I get more information.

Just in case it manages to keep going somehow, here's how it works. Person A offers a book. Person B says, "I'll take your book, and I offer up this book." Person C says, "I'll take Person B's book, and I offer this one." There are always several pages of relays going on at once, so you should always be able to find something of interest.

NT-This stands for No Text. When you put your entire message in the subject line, the site generates the "nt" at the end of the message to let people who read in condensed form, that they don't need to click on the post to see the entire thing. You don't have to add it yourself, the site takes care of it for you.

ISO-This stands for In Search Of. It is usually used when someone is looking for another member, as in "ISO TexasWren". You will often see it when the person is next on a bookring and hasn't responded to PMs.

M-Bag-Eskielover has written an excellent description of an M-bag, so I'll let her explain it to you.

"An M-Bag is a grey sack that you get from the US post office, or you take your stuff there and they put it into the M-Bag for you. An M-Bag is for printed matter/books only, and is only for over-seas destinations, one addressee per bag. You cannot use an M-Bag for Canada or Mexico.

The weight parameters for an M-Bag are 11 pounds to 66 pounds, with you paying for a minimum of 11 pounds, even if you only have 6 pounds. You can put just one package in an M-Bag or as many as can fit, so long as you don't exceed the maximum of 66 pounds, including the weight of the bag. Your package(s) have to be addressed and have return address just like regular mail. Also, each package has to have its own customs form. Use new boxes if you can, they're going a long way, and make sure they're taped well.The package(s) are then put into the sack, and the sack is sealed with a tag that has the addressee's name and address and your return address on it. The postage is also affixed to this tag.

I usually put about 10 pounds worth of books in ziplock bags (to protect against moisture), and put them into one large box. Hopefully the whole thing weighs no more than 10.5 lbs. That's it. The first 11 pounds costs $11.00 with each additional pound or fraction thereof costing an additional $1.00. So basically, you're paying a $1.00 per pound, it's those fractions of pounds that can get costly.

Also, if you're taking packages to the post office, make sure you have the customs forms (available from the P.O.) filled out before you get in line! It is a good idea to check with the PO first and take the forms home to fill out in advance."

Thanks Eskielover. She also mentioned that any questions about M-bags can be sent to her. She has done several, and really knows the ropes.

SSM-This is a Sunday Sunset Mission, a task given to us by Ron in the newsletter. It involves leaving a book in the wild at a themed location at sunset, your time, on that Sunday. Watch the Announcements forum. Reno always posts a note there, with a link, when the newsletter is out. Sometimes, the newsletters get a bit quirky, don't get to your inbox, or get there late. That's because there are so many to send out that they send them in batches. Also, some mail filters won't allow them through. I have included a list of past SSM's.


When I post a message on the forum, there are 2 numbers behind my name. What are they?

The first one is how many books you have registered, the second noe is how many books you have released.


What is a "Friends List"?

These are a group of people whose bookshelves can be easily reached from your own shelf without going through the Search members feature. Your list can be used to suit your own purposes. Some add people they are trading with, some add people who have similar reading tastes and you want to search their shelves regularly, some are people who are known to have interesting profiles or pictures that you enjoy watching. On the top right of each BC page, you will see a line that says “You are logged in as TexasWren”--except, of course, you aren’t TexasWren, I am. If you are logged in, then clicking on the little triangle next to "Member links", on the left side of each BC page, will open a drop down box. This is a short cut to your friends list.

It also has a link to "Friend of". This one shows who has included you in their list. Don’t feel bad if you aren’t on many lists, it is not a personal reflection on you. Maybe you haven’t done many trades yet, or maybe you aren’t on the forum much, be patient, it will grow as your involvement in our group grows.


How can I add people to my friends list?

First, using the search members feature, or by clicking on their underlined name in one of their posts on the forum, go to the bookshelf of your soon-to-be friend. Underneath the personal info box, it will say something like “Add this person to my friends list”. Click there, and voila, you have a new friend. More like grade school, less like high school. Remember how easy it was to make friends when you were 8? Some people ask before they add a name to their friends list, but there is no rule. I don’t think many people would object to being called a friend.


How can I join someone's friends list?

Well, you can’t. Just like you can’t force someone to make you a friend in real life. Just be pleasant, charming, and interested in the BC world, and people will want to be your friend sooner or later.


I would like to meet some more BC'ers face to face. How does this work?

Many communities have Bookcrossers who arrange a place to meet each month for an informal, relaxing get together.Take books, visit, talk, make new friends!
Watch the Announcements forum and the Conventions and Meetings forum. Many of towns have formed yahoo groups to help local members better communicate. Search Yahoo groups for one in your area. There is also more information on this in the right sidebar of the BC site.


I just received a PM from someone I've never heard of. They are asking for one of my books. Do I have to send it to them?

This is an easy one. The answer is NO!! There are many reasons for not sending a requested book. Maybe it is part of your personal collection, maybe you can't afford postage right now, maybe they didn't ask nicely, maybe you looked at their shelf and saw that they were a "Collector" (someone who seems to be getting a lot of free books without ever registering any of their own), or maybe they forgot to read the journal entries and you don't even have the book anymore.

Your response to this will vary according to individual circumstances. As a general rule, I suggest that you send a polite reply explaining why you are not sending the book. Most will understand. . Antof9 has a nice little letter that she sends to new members who haven’t quite figured out how it all works. You can find it on my “Or You Could Say ” page. <

I want to say right now that BookCrossing is fun, it is a hobby. You are never required to give a book to anyone at any time--ever. (Unless of course, you are in the midst of a trade.)


Is it OK to sell a book registered at BookCrossing?

I know that I keep saying this, but it depends. If you have a book from your own shelf, and you want to register, label, and sell it, I think that is your own business. I would suggest that you make special labels that leave out the "Free Book" part.

However, please do not sell a book that another BookCrosser has registered, that is not the BC spirit.


The book I just registered doesn't have a little picture. Can I upload one myself?

No, there is currently not a way to upload a picture when you register a book. However, after you register, you can make a journal entry and add your picture there.


I have seen bookshelves with colors, italics, and even graphics. Can you help me do that?

BookCrosser Dawni, has written this tutorial for making interesting bookshelves. Thanks for the help with this, Dawni.

“Dressing Up” Your BookCrossing Bookshelf! by Dawni

Formatting your bookshelf text and creating links to other web pages is as simple as clicking on "Member links/my profile", and inserting the appropriate opening and closing tags on either side of the text you want to format.
(This is Wren. I just want to emphasis one point. Every opening tag must have a closing tag, or it can create total havoc on your shelf.>

Bold Text

The opening tag for bold text is:

<b>

The closing tag for bold text is:

</b>

So for example, in the sentence "I love BookCrossing!", in order to make the word "love" bold, the text in your profile should look like this:

I <b>love</b> BookCrossing!

Italicized Text

The opening tag for italicized text is:

<i>

The closing tag for italicized text is:

</i>

This time, in the sentence "I love BookCrossing!", in order to make the word "love" appear italicized, the text in your profile should look like this:

I <i>love</i> BookCrossing!

Underlined Text (Wren again--Bet you tried to click that, didn't you? Read on.)

You might want to consider using this particular feature sparingly. Most web sites (BookCrossing included) use underlining as the standard format for clickable links to other web pages (these links are called “hyperlinks” – more about them a bit later). Text that is underlined but not “clickable” may cause confusion and/or annoyance for some people! That said, if you still think you’d like to use the underlining feature on your bookshelf:

The opening tag for underlined text is:

<u>

The closing tag for underlined text is:

</u>

Once again (I think you see where this is going!), in the sentence "I love BookCrossing!", in order to make the word "love" appear underlined, the text in your profile should look like this:

I <u>love</u> BookCrossing.