The big news this week is that we're putting the final touches on BookCrossing.com v3, the new version of our website. We've been working behind the scenes for weeks now, and will be rolling it into production sometime in the next few days. You can preview it in beta form here:
Besides an updated design, there are many new features and enhancements, including Book Status Management for Wings members, a more convenient menu system, lighter-weight pages for
faster loading, a Hot Threads list displayed on the left side of every page, and a plain-text version of the site for old browsers and alternet internet devices like PDAs, cellphones, and text readers (at http://plaintext.bookcrossing.com/).
Since it is still in beta, we'd appreciate hearing about any bugs or issues you notice. Please use this thread in our forums for such feedback:
Here's the latest breakdown of BookCrossing members by country...
Top 10 All-Time
USA
102,138 (53%)
CANADA
14,858 (8%)
UNITED KINGDOM
12,796 (7%)
ITALY
9,853 (5%)
GERMANY
9,733 (5%)
SPAIN
8,241 (4%)
AUSTRALIA
5,815 (3%)
PORTUGAL
2,534 (1%)
NETHERLANDS
2,351 (1%)
FRANCE
2,195 (1%)
Top 10 Last Week
USA
579 (36%)
SPAIN
187 (12%)
UNITED KINGDOM
145 (9%)
GERMANY
129 (8%)
SWITZERLAND
100 (6%)
ARGENTINA
67 (4%)
CANADA
63 (4%)
AUSTRALIA
49 (3%)
ITALY
42 (3%)
FRANCE
32 (2%)
champion referrer since last newsletter
Since the last newsletter 2 weeks ago, our champion new member referrer was MarcoWeb64 from Italy. A member since June 2002, MarcoWeb64 is an extremely active referrer with 336 (!) new members all-time, 15 of
whom joined BookCrossing.com in the last two weeks. He also operates RinaldiWeb's European Bookcrossing Support site (http://www.rinaldiweb.it/eurobc/), a real benefit to our European members and BookCrossing in general.
We'll be sending MarcoWeb64 a $50 gift certificate from our BookCrossing Supply Store, your source for Release Kits, Bookplate Labels, Bookmarks, Sticky-notes, or Stamps. And of course Wings will be earned with the order.
Want to win the $50 prize next week? Get busy referring people! Our Tell-a-Friend form is the best place to start:
We've got a new item at our Supply Store - the BookCrossing Window Clingy! It's a 4 x 6 inch thin plastic film that "clings" to the inside of any window, and it's ideal for your car since it's easily removed or re-positioned. Priced at
only $3.95 US, they make great gifts for your BookCrossing friends or family, and of course each order will earn your Wings.
This week's SSM12 was suggested by Annchen from Uppsala, Sweden, in a forum post, and it's perfect for the holiday season that is fast approaching for many of our members. Here is SSM12:
RELEASE ZONE: A public Christmas Tree or other holiday symbol near where you live. The more public the location, the better.
RELEASE METHOD: Hang a book, protected in a clear plastic baggie, from a Christmas Tree like an ornament. If you can't find a Christmas Tree, find some other public holiday display and do what you can with it.
RELEASE TIME: This Sunday evening, December 21st, at Sunset wherever you live.
Label the books properly. At the minimum, this means a sticky-note on the outside making it clear that the book is FREE and NOT LOST (don't write anything on the outside to cause others alarm!), and a good, descriptive label inside the cover explaining BookCrossing and including the BCID for the book.
If possible, choose a book with content appropriate to the release location.
If possible, print out one of the press articles from http://www.bookcrossing.com/press and include it with the book (the Utne Reader or Reader's Digest articles work well).
Take pictures! Those of you with digital cameras, try to take a picture of the release zone with books, upload it with your journal entry, and make a post with the journal entry link in the SSM forum at http://www.bookcrossing.com/forum2/21.
Be safe! Use your common sense, and don't do anything to endanger persons or property.
Pay attention to the media the following day or two, try to note any mention of the SSM, and post such mentions to the SSM forum.
And finally, have fun!
As always, Happy 'Crossing!
Ron Hornbaker
Founder and Editor, BookCrossing.com
Like magazines? Then you'll love the new BookCrossing Newsstand, powered by Magazania. Subscribe to, renew or gift any of your favorite titles - like Oprah,
Utne, National Geographic, Book Page, and thousands more - at the best prices anywhere, and 30% of the subscription rate will go to support BookCrossing.com! Learn more and subscribe or renew for yourself or for others (it's gift-giving season) today!
Did you know BookCrossers are meeting-up together in cities all over the world, the second Tuesday of each month? Go to Meetup.com and find out where your meeting will be!
In this issue...
102,138 (53%)
[[username]]
