Ever thought about setting your books free? There are some people who do just that, and they are members of a large online community, called “bookcrossing.” Members let their books free to travel and touch other people’s lives.

Bookcrossing.com started in 2001 and it was the idea of Ron Hornbaker (screen name “Reno”), who co-founded the site. Ever since, it has been growing. “The big bang occurred during the second year because of the media coverage, and since then the growth rate has not decreased,” said Reno in an article for the Greek magazine Epsilon a few weeks ago.

In August 2004, the word bookcrossing has been added to the Concise Oxford English Dictionary as: “the practice of leaving a book in a public place to be picked up and read by others, who then do likewise.”

Bookcrossing is based on the three Rs: Read, Register and Release. Membership is free; the only thing required is a valid e-mail address. After registering, members acquire their own personal space on the site called a bookshelf. There, the members register books, and get BCIDs (Bookcrossing IDs) for them, unique codes that help identification of the book. When a book has its BCID, it is ready to travel. The bookcrosser can release the book practically anywhere. When someone finds the book, they enter the BCID on the site, and the bookcrosser receives an e-mail notification. In this way, bookcrossers can follow the courses of the books that they release.

Bookcrossing membership in Greece has increased since the publication of the aforementioned article in Epsilon magazine. Before the article was published, Greek members numbered approximately 550. Now, a few weeks later, they are more than 900. The bookcrosser with the screen name “nevermindthegap” (then known as “Pari-Greece”) wrote the article and feels very proud of its outcome.

Most of the older members found out about bookcrossing elsewhere. “I found out from an article published in VIMAgazino magazine in the summer of 2003″ said “Apapsa”, one of the oldest and more active members. She has registered 203 books, and released 146 so far.

Other members, like “Ermis” and “itsmarcos,” found out through the Internet. “I knew about “bookcrossing” for some time, but I became a member after the Epsilon article, when I read that there was an active bookcrossing community in Greece” said “itsmarcos,” admitting that he is now hooked.

The reasons for which members register with bookcrossing vary. “I really liked the idea of book hunting, and I also gradually empty my bookshelves that are full,” said “apapsa.”

“Ermis” registered mostly to meet people who share his interests: “I wanted to meet people who have read a lot and could recommend books to me, since I don’t have the time to look for books. On the other hand, I have read some very good books that I would like to share with others.”

Another member, “asterw,” said that the main reason she registered is quite common: “I’m a bookworm. On the other hand, I have books that I didn’t like, but I can’t throw away, and books that I would like to give away, since I know that I’m not going to read them again.”

Releasing one’s books “into the wild” is one the most rewarding and thrilling experiences for many bookcrossers. They can release their books anywhere depending on their preference and imagination.

“The whole process of registering and releasing gives me joy and a sense of fulfillment that I can share with others what I appreciate,” said “itsmarcos”. “Ermis” added: “When I release a book I feel that I offer something to those who like reading.”

There is more than just registering and releasing though. Book hunting is an essential part of “bookcrossing” as well. Through the site a member can receive e-mail notifications about released books, called release alerts. Through release alerts bookcrossers know where to find books and in this way they participate in the thrilling experience of book hunting. “The feeling I get when I catch a book is amazing,” said “Ermis.” Most bookcrossers share his view.

There have been some crazy releasing and catching stories, most of which are added to the newsletter sent to members every once in a while. In the May 26 issue there was the story of a book released in 2002 in Canada. This book, In the Skin of a Lion by Michael Ondaatje had been missing for 35 months. On May 25 “Fireman,” the bookcrosser who released it, received an e-mail saying that the book had been caught in India by a new member, “madli.”

On May 24 a new member, “serendipity-sg,” released Angels and Demons by Dan Brown on the island of Kos, where he lives. A few days ago, on June 2, he received a catch for his book. It had been caught by an anonymous finder, that is, someone who is not a bookcrosser, but found a book and wanted to declare it. The anonymous finder was a British tourist who read the book and took it back to England with him. He left it in Manchester Airport so that someone else may find it.

Bookcrossing is a community, and its members share not only their books, but also friendship. The site’s forum helps members discuss many things and keep in touch. The forum gives bookcrossers the opportunity to meet many people and make friends, sometimes from all over the world. Non-English speaking forums have also been created for some countries with many members, such as France, Germany and Italy.

Greek bookcrossers have one more reason to be happy and proud, because they have their own Greek forum on the site. It was created recently, after the great increase of Greek members and their requests. There, Greek members can discuss anything, book-related or not.

A common bookcrossing activity is organizing meetings among members. Since I became a member a month ago, Athenian bookcrossers have organized three meetings. There, bookcrossers exchange and release books and become friends. The first meeting took place in the first-ever Athenian Official Bookcrossing Zone, a small café in the center of Athens, called Cafeina.

If a place is an OBCZ, it means that bookcrossers can catch and release books there. “In general, I don’t like releasing books into the wild; I’d rather leave them at Cafeina, or exchange them with the other members,” said “ROBBERGIRL.”

Greek bookcrossing is not limited to Athens. There are members in many other regions. There is an OBCZ in Thessaloniki and a meeting takes place there every month. Bookcrossers in other big cities are also trying to get organized, for example in Volos and Patra.

The bookcrossing community grows constantly. At this time it has approximately 360,000 members worldwide and more than 2 million books registered. “Reno” is very proud of, and optimistic about, his site. In the article in Epsilon magazine he predicted that in ten years’ time bookcrossing “will have 3 million members, 20 million registered books, and it will be available in ten different languages.”