Hi! Thanks for asking. I'm not an expert, but here's what I did: I got a box. Some people use baskets - the style you choose kinda depends on the decor of the business you're going to approach. Choose something that will hold about 8-12 cheap paperbacks and one or two children's picture books along the side.
I use the bright cloth covered boxes that are sold at Lowe's and Target to put in those organizer shelving systems. (I say boxes plural because I have to replace it about twice a year because it gets scummy from all the people digging through it with dusty hands. :) Print out the sign from bookcrossing.com - community: http://www.bookcrossing.com/files/CrossingZoneDisplay.pdf and connect it to your box or basket somehow. I mounted it on cardboard and stapled it to one side of my box. I put other illustrations and FAQs on the other sides. Put a diverse selection of books that are in good shape in your box or basket and decide where you want to host your Zone. It should be a place where you like to go and can get to easily, because you want to check on your box at least weekly, preferably two times a week, to make sure people aren't putting trash in it or making it a mess - you want to respect your host. I chose our local smoothie shop, Keva Juice, because they're really close to my house, really nice, and I like their smoothies. You might run into one little problem as in where to put your box within the establishment, because some places don't have an open corner on the counter or a spare end table or a shelf - Keva Juice used to have a spare end table but stuff got put on it, so I pulled away from a table a spare chair and put it in the other corner of the shop, and put my box on that. Approach your chosen establishment. Buy something if it's a shop, or tell them you're a resident if it's the office of an apartment complex, ask to speak to a manager, and sell them on the idea of learning what bookcrossing is. (Iow, don't try to sell them on bookcrossing right away.) Briefly explain that bookcrossing is a free book exchange club, online and world-wide, and you are so excited about reading & sharing that you want to give bookcrossing a physical home in your town. I gave them a copy of that sign that's on my box and a copy of the press kit: http://www.bookcrossing.com/files/CrossingZoneDisplay.pdf and I showed them my nice neat labeled and loaded box. I told them I'd be in about twice a week, and so would people who'd been informed about the books available. I asked them to think it over, gave them my 'business card' (I don't have a real one, but I've got a contact card I made for situations like this or for taking to festivals etc.), and said I'd be back in a coupla days to see whether they had any more questions or if they were ready to host my site. A coupla days later I went back with my box, spied to make sure the same manager I'd spoken to before was there, went in, bought a smoothie, and asked if they were ready for me to put my box out. They said yes, and we were off! List your site on pachydomo's map: http://homepage.mac.com/pachydomo/OBCZWorldMap.htm I needed help from a geek, but it is nice to have a picture of the zone for him to use on your listing. Make sure you've Released your books to the Zone so that other BCers in the area who might be Hunting realize you've made books available. I also did a People search and contacted some local BCers via PMs. Be prepared to be frustrated. I've had very few journal entries from all the hundreds of books I've released at my Zone - even though I'm pretty sure many of them are being picked up by a BCer, not an anonymous finder. I'm just doing it for the Karma points - not for the immediate satisfaction of journal entries or even donations (of which I've gotten very few, too). If you find any tips that work to increase traffic or journal entries or donations, be sure to let us know. Or if you find that certain things aren't worth the trouble, let us know that, too. For example, leaving pre-numbered labels at your Zone probably won't work unless you happen to work there and can watch it full time. Just take any unlabeled books that get donated home with you and register & label them at your convenience, then put them back. Any questions? Best of luck! Cheryl --- "J. Kaye Oldner" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > How do you go about setting something like this > up. The reason I asked is Baton Rouge, LA > doesn't have one. Personally, I think it would > be a great idea! > > J. Kaye > > cheryl anderson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Snip > <<<<I suggest you set up an OBCZ > (less work than you think if you set it up in a > place you visit regularly anyway)>>> Have you told a friend today? http://bookcrossing.com/tellafriend Archives and email list settings: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BookCrossing Yahoo! 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