It's been a week since I did my big library conference BookCrossing release in Houston. When I put out a call for books, I was amazed to receive over 450 books from all over America and England and Canada and Australia for release!
I've never tried to release 450 books and I was a little worried about it, but somehow I was able to bring my rolly-cart each day of the conference....I just packed up 110 books each day and rolled them all over the conference hall, leaving them on tables and benches and next to trees and against walls and up stairs.
Very fun. Lots of comments from onlookers: "Can I take one of these?" and "Tell me about this" and "What a great idea BookCrossing is!"
I've had thirteen BookCrossing books logged in so far and eight people have joined BookCrossing (that I know of).
Here are the comments on the books logged in so far:
"Journal entry 4 by AnonymousFinder from n/a, n/a n/a on Friday, April 10, 2009
I found this book at the Texas Library Association Convention (TLA) last week(April 2) at the George Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas. What a surprise!! I read this book as a child over and over again. I have always wanted to "find" a Book Crossing book!! Thank you!! I am going to read this to my K-1 library classes, talk about Book Crossings - I would like to do this at the Elementary School level, and then let the students help me decide where to "release" it.
CAUGHT IN HOUSTON TEXAS USA"
David Goes to School"Journal entry 4 by LibraryDiva92 from Rockwall, Texas USA on Wednesday, April 08, 2009
I found the book sitting on a windowsill in Houston at the Texas Library Association Conference. It is one of my students' favorite books. I plan to leave it for one of my teacher's to find and use with her class.
CAUGHT IN HOUSTON TX USA"
"Journal entry 8 by sdose from Coleman, Texas USA on Wednesday, April 08, 2009
I pick the book up at a table at the Texas Library Convention in Houston Texas, 4-1-09. The book is a little worn but still readable.
CAUGHT IN COLEMAN TEXAS UNITED STATES"
A Message from the Match Girl"Journal entry 9 by AnonymousFinder from n/a, n/a n/a on Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Have read chapter 1-2 and plan to continue.
CAUGHT IN HOUSTON TX USA"
"Journal entry 5 by msmcgohan from n/a, n/a n/a on Tuesday, April 07, 2009
I caught this book under a tree at the Texas Library Association conference. I am a librarian near Houston. What a great suprise this book was! It really brightened my day!!
CAUGHT IN HOUSTON TEXAS UNITED STATES"
Swamp Monster in the Third Grade "Journal entry 3 by AnonymousFinder from n/a, n/a n/a on Tuesday, April 07, 2009
I have to say that I have never heard of book crossing before this, but I found the book at a Texas Library Association conference and picked one up (there were several). What a great idea! I did not read the book, but i like the idea of tracking a book to see where it lands. I'll pass the book on. It is now in the Dallas area.
CAUGHT IN HOUSTON TEXAS USA"
"Journal entry 5 by AnonymousFinder from n/a, n/a n/a on Tuesday, April 07, 2009
It is a fun book. "It rocks, it is awesome, it is a challenger book, it is the ultimate I SPY book" according to my third graders!
CAUGHT IN HOUSTON TEXAS UNITED STATES"
and " Journal entry 6 by 3GradeSkinner from Axtell, Texas USA on Tuesday, April 07, 2009
This is our first bookcrossing experience! How unique!"
Look and Find Disney's Atlantis"Journal entry 5 by njlimmer from Houston, Texas USA on Monday, April 06, 2009
My daughter and I enjoy look and finds as it really makes you focus on details. I'm planning to pass it on to another teacher in my building so that she can share it with her daughter."
The Bad Beginning "Journal entry 3 by AnonymousFinder from n/a, n/a n/a on Sunday, April 05, 2009
I found the book at the Houston convention center at the end of the 2009 Texas Library Association conference. I read the Lemony Snicket series (including this volume) a few years ago and found it disturbingly charming. Definitely worth reading! I'm passing on this copy to someone at Texas Woman's University.
CAUGHT IN HOUSTON TEXAS USA"
Curious George and the Birthday Surprise"Journal entry 6 by ding57 from Richardson, Texas USA on Sunday, April 05, 2009
Caught the book at the Texas Library Association conference in the skybridge between the conference center and hotel. I was so happy to have found a Book Crossing book! Thanks, debnance!
CAUGHT IN HOUSTON TX USA"
Daughters "Journal entry 5 by Azrabaker from Brooklyn, New York USA on Saturday, April 04, 2009
I got the book from my mom. She brought it home from a library conference in Houston, TX. This book made me feel good when I read it. I LOVED it! I will let this book travel and make someone else feel good too! "
Count All the Way to Sesame Street"Journal entry 5 by ilreading from Cleburne, Texas USA on Friday, April 03, 2009
I am a first time attendee of the enormous Texas Library Association Conference 2009! This book caught my attention because I can read it to my 4 year old daughter. We will read it a couple of times and then choose some place to set it free in a week or so. For now we are taking care of it - thanks!"
Old Bones the Wonder Horse"Journal entry 4 by AnonymousFinder from n/a, n/a n/a on Friday, April 03, 2009
Old BOnes was my favorite character!
CAUGHT IN HOUSTON TEXAS UNITED STATES"
What an absolutely wonderful idea! Thank you so much for your commitment to advance reading - and kindness - around the world.
ReplyDeleteWhat found! Sounds like you had great results! How did people know it was "okay" to take them? (I could see my mother saying, no, it might be somebody's!)
ReplyDeleteWe put notes all over the books---"Free Book!" and "Please Take Me With You" and "Read and Release."
ReplyDeleteStill, if you release books and then sit back and observe, you see that people often hesitate.
I'm glad you've had such a good response so far. Here's hoping many more of the books get recorded so everyone can see how far and wide they've traveled.
ReplyDeleteExcellent, Debnance. Glad to hear all those great books are out travelling in Texas and happy to hear you are still having fun from this. Great results so far!
ReplyDeleteI'm eicuthbertson, from British Columbia, Canada
That's exciting! It's always so satisfying when someone logs one of your books on BookCrossing; it must feel triply wonderful to get so many responses over a short period of time.
ReplyDeleteSo very cool!
ReplyDeleteI'm more of a Bookmoocher than a Bookcrosser, but I still find Bookcrossing such an awesome idea.
ReplyDeletePS: I noticed the read-a-thon button on your sidebar. It's so nice of you to help spread the word! It starts at 1pm London time, though, not noon. We forgot to take daylight saving times into consideration at first :P
That's a great story DebNance. I wonder if you'll find out where all 450 went?
ReplyDeleteThat's part of the coolness of BookCrossing....Often you never know....Occasionally a book will pop up out of nowhere, with no clue as to how it got there.
ReplyDeleteThat is amazing! What a wonderful way to spread the word of books! Good Job!
ReplyDeleteThat's great! I have a few bookcrossing books that I have won from blog giveaways, but I haven't read them yet. When I do I'm sure I will have fun releasing them. Maybe I will enlist the help of my husband, who travels often for business.
ReplyDeleteBe careful! That's how I started, with two BookCrossing books someone gave me. It can be very addictive!
ReplyDeleteWhat fun! I have mooched several BookCrossing books and enjoyed releasing them back into the wild.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great boost you gave Bookcrossing. As well as the pleasure you gave to so many people of course. I'm disbled so I've never caught one in the wild but I've caught a few in swaps and released them after reading them. I love Bookcrossing.
ReplyDeleteThe few books I've released have never been updated by the new owners. I don't know how people get the next ones to do it, I didn't buy the fancy sticker and handwrote the info, I always post the ones I get. Ah well...
ReplyDeleteI saw a new David book at my daughter's book fair and we spent a couple minutes reminiscing about books she loved long ago. "No, David, No!" was a favorite of hers and her preschool class, one of whom was named David.
It took a long time for me to get a journal entry for a released book. I've found over the years that the vast majority of books I release I will not hear anything about for a long time, if ever. That's okay. I know some people feel very worried about revealing anything about themselves over the 'Net. I know that some people just aren't computer savvy. I know that some people want to keep the books they have and don't want to pass them along. And I know that some books, despite labels, despite stampings, are never recognized as being BookCrossing books. That's all okay with me. I just love it when someone DOES log the book in, DOES join BookCrossing.
ReplyDeleteWhat fun.
ReplyDelete450 books!! omg that's awesome!
ReplyDeleteThat's so neat! And I'm very impressed you worked so hard to get all of those books released. :D
ReplyDeleteGood luck on the read-a-thon tomorrow. I'll be cheering you on.
ReplyDelete