BookCrossers Message Board

Heya all!
A Question:
Do you put your BCID in your Catalog or not?
Why? (ok 2 questions)

My Answers:
I do put my BCID in my Catalog, it always reminds me to register the book in BC and also allows me a quicker access to Bookcrossing books and it's BCIDs.

What are yours?

I always put the BCID, because it's easier to access the book than having to loook for it through the BookCrossing search.

But then again, I don't have that many books here...

I do put my BookCrossing number in. I try to fill in as much information about a book as I can.

Obsessive, I guess. :-)

Just wondering if others put their "traveling" in their LibraryThing collections?

I have mine listed under the tags "bookray" or "bookring". I keep them there as long as I actively manage the books' travels or until I relinquish control of the books, either by their getting lost or reaching the end of the ray.

What do others do?

Hi, guys. I'm mojosmom on Bookcrossing.

Because I use LT for my private collection, most of my books here don't have BCIDs. The exceptions are those that I started to catalogue on BC before LT, and that I catalogued here after Tim added the option to include BCIDs.

No, in my LT catalog I only put my own books, or the ones that are mine now.
If, for example, I rabck one of the books in this catalog, I'll take it out. I'd like to keep this an accurate record of the books that i own.

Hey folks -- I'm "Bookcafe" on Bookcrossing.

>

Not yet, but I might eventually. I've not done so, yet, because 1) a lot of them have become PC, and 2) I've been lazy about looking up all of those BCIDs to add! LOL.

Glad to find a Group for the Bookcrossers! :o)

I agree with SqueakyChu in the matter of BCID's :o)
As for the travelling books, no. I'm using LT to my Personal Collection Books (which are all registed in BC too) and TBR ones. If I read and send away, I remove it from LT.

So far, almost only the TBR are here.... ;)

I do put my BCIDs in, like SqueakyChu I'm a little obssessive about filling in information. ;o)

Also it's a lot easier to access the book I want, the Search engine at BC is a pain.

At the moment I'm not registering BRs here, mostly because I still have to register all of my other books. :op
When I'm done with that I'm probably going to register BRs and Loans, but only until I set them on their way.

I'm with you guys on the obsessive information filler. I can't wait for LT to allows us to give more information, especially about authors. It would be great to be able to state their functions, especially in comics: penciler, writer, inker, colorist, translator, etc...
Yes, I am addicted!

I am a member, but haven't participated in a long time. None of my books were ever "found" and registered. I think this is partly due to my location. Anyone have any tips for successfully deploying books?

I use LibraryThing for my personal collection. These books do not have a BCID, with one or two exceptions.

I put BCID's on any books that I've read that have them, I use LT partially to keep record of my books and partially to keep a record of what I've read.

hello

Have you all tried the automatic importer from your bookcrossing bookshelf? If so, beware that it will download the recently released and recently caught books shown on the left hand column into your bookshelf.

I've sent Tim a note about it, but I'm not sure they will be able to do anything.
Any many thanks to SqueakyChu for posting about this group. It led me to the site and now I'm hooked!

Nope - I use LT for my PC, which I don't register (yet, anyway), so I don't have BCIDs to put on LT!

That being said, if I ever had a BC book that became a PC book that I put on LT, I'd put in the BCID.

Did I use enough short forms for you :P

I put the BCID in and any other info about books, however a lot of the BCIDs I entered one weekend (basically my entire shelf the weekend I joined) were lost during a server crash... sob sob... so I only went back and reentered the ones for books that were still in my possession. Hoo boy those were still a lot of books...

But yep, I enter those BCIDs so that I can keep up and have some form of organisation going on... that in itself is so unlike me!

I live in hope that one day the big batch of books I released at an event last year will finally be "found" - even though at least 10 people took books away with them and said they'd register them as soon as they got home, ooooh it's so frustrating, so I've ended up just trading and bookringing now, rather than releasing into the wild, unless it's something I'm not too fussed about. lol

Most of my catalog are PC items, although quite a few of the TBR are registered at BC because I don't plan to keep them. If a book has a BCID, then I add that to the record. Once I no longer have the book in my possession, it gets deleted from my catalog. I considered not adding BC books to my catalog, but I like having an accessible and searchable list of everything I own, so I added them.

You're welcome, melonhead.

When I first looked at this site, I wondered why anyone in the world would want to spend their time cataloging their books online. Especially after all of the work to register books at BookCrossing. However, I found this site addictive. Plus, it's a much better way to know exactly what I have. Now...to find it in my house...that's another story! :-) The addition of groups here will make it doubly fun.

Hello everyone!

I am joanthro on BC. I haven't entered the BCIDs, but I have used bc as a tag. Based on some comments here, I may rethink this though! Since I am using LT primarily for the information I get from tag and author clouds (very interesting after a lifetime of reading!), I was more interested in knowing if this was a book I would have to go to the library to find if I wanted to reread or whatever. However, a distinct lack of time has limited how many books I have actually entered here. Drat that need for a job!

Thanks SqueakyChu, both for good bookrings and for the heads-up on this group!

Hello!!I am purplemoonmyst on BookCrossing.
I will put all the infomation in once I round up all my books! :-) Another obbsessive nerd around here.
Me being the true nerd I am I use tags to indentify whitch books are mine and whitch I will release. I may also put the infomation on extra information or fit it in somewhere.
I also want to thank SqueakyChu for informing us about this site!

Message 23 was from me. I logged out and forgot to log back in before posting to this group.

I forgot to answer your original q. I don't add BCIDs because I don't have time. I should be working right now, but I'm not!

I have a question for the group. What do you do with books you've sent on? I sort of know the answer, but I HATE to delete them when they live on in my heart and mind.

What do you do with books you've sent on?

Since my LibraryThing catalogue is restricted to books I own, I will delete a book if I change my mind and release it.

I just tag mine as "Traded on Bookcrossing" then I know I've no longer got it, but still got some record of having had/read it. :o)

My library is basically to show everything I've read/got/want!

They do live on in my heart and mind, but I do delete them. The ones I send on are forever catalogued on BookCrossing anyway...so they haven't been erased completely from internet cataloguing! :-)

I also have a listing on my personal computer of books I've read -- complete with mini book reviews. That's the help me remember what they were about as my memory starts to dim.... :-)

Does anyone else here have tags that are specifically BookCrossing tags other than MystikNat?

I do. I have "RABCK", "bookray", and "bookring" tags.

What is the next BC book that you will release? Will it be wild-released, RABCKed, rayed, ringed, or boxed? What will it's destination be?

We *really* need an edit feature on these groups. Read the previous "it's" as "its. :-(

We *really* need an edit feature on these groups. Read the previous "it's" as "its. :-(

We *really* need an edit feature on these groups. Read the previous "it's" as "its. :-(

I usually tag books as to where I got them, RABCK, BR, BookRelay, Title Trader, unless I bought them myself. And I'm starting to add Available also.

Hi everyone, great to see you all here - I am silentmiaouw on bookcrossing.
I am slowly, slowly putting all my PC books on librarything. Only a few of them have BCIDs and I have sometimes included them, but only when they were pencilled into the book I was entering. I have not yet found a use for that feature and am mainly concentrating on registering the books, rather than rating or reviewing. Still a long way to go - most have them have to be done manually.

I have power-edited (love that feature) "TBR" on those I have yet to read. I like the idea of putting a tag that lets me know I no longer have it, such as "BC-release," "BC-Trade," and "paperbackswap.com" for those released through that site. I guess I should put a ekey of acronyms used in my profile, in case a non-BCer happens upon a tag and wonders what the h-ll it means. I have never tracked my books before bookcrossing. Squeaky, I'm very impressed with your tracking AND reviewing. Maybe someday when the kids are grown.

As for book releases, I'm wrapping a book this morning to send to Sweden as a RABCK. I hated the book, so I didn't want to wild-release it and risk someone having a bad experience with their first exposure to BC. But I figured if someone has it on their wish list, they may like it. So, I went through and cross-checked cliff's with rabck.com to find an address and send anonymously.

So, I went through and cross-checked cliff's with rabck.com to find an address and send anonymously.

May I suggest sending a PM to verify the address anyway? People have been known to move, or go on extended vacation, without updating. Also, if the person didn't give their full name on rabck. com, you'll need to get that info for the customs form.

Some people also have experienced situations where the person already had the book but hadn't crossed it off their wish list. Fortunately, Cliff's site lists the date of the wish, so if it's recent, you're probably ok. But if it's been there a while, you might want to check to be sure that they still want the book.

Cool - hello fellow BCers. I am LyzzyBee everywhere, which helps!

I too only record BC books which are part of my Permanent Collection - I add books when they join my TBR pile but delete them if I do, or plan to, pass them on afterwards.

I tag BC books with a BC tag (original) and find this useful as I can generate a list of books where I have to keep looking for a non-BC copy so I can liberate the BC one. When I find one, I either delete the BC tag if it's the same edition, or delete the book and add it again.

Hi All - marcinyc here, there and everywhere (unless someone else has had the nerve to swipe my nick already). I've been sort of a lapsed BXer as of late, but trying to get back in the groove.

As for the question(s) from escalla:

Do you put your BCID in your Catalog or not?
Sometimes.

Why?
Not every book listed is a BC book. If it is, I will add it -- easier to find it here than at BXing. *g*

However, I'm using LT as a catalog of all books which I've read - be them books I've bought or books I've gotten from the library, so obviously library books are not going to have a BCID. *g* So, not ever book in my LT catalog is actually in my possession any more. (Some are, but a good amount of them are no longer.)

Nice to see some names I recognise here -- and in other LT groups. And I'm enjoying the group zeitgeist as well.

>So, not ever book in my LT >catalog is actually in my >possession any more. (Some >are, but a good amount of them >are no longer.)

Funny how we use the systems differently. What I like about LT *in addition to* BC is that LT has only the books that I really have in my real-time possession or control. It helps me know which books I've lent out and which ones I need to get back.

BC's bookshelf makes me crazy because more than half of the books I have lsisted there are somewhere off in the wild blue yonder neer to be seen or heard from by me again1

BC's bookshelf makes me crazy because more than half of the books I have lsisted there are somewhere off in the wild blue yonder

Of course, that's the purpose of BC - to track the history of the books you've released.

I had begun to use it to catalogue my collection, but I have far too many books and it's really not suited for that. But I couldn't find anything that did, until LT!

I have to admit that I don't understand using LT for books one no longer has, or the desire for wish lists here (though "different strokes for different folks"). Perhaps it's because I tend to compartmentalize: I journal all books read on LiveJournal (when I get around to it!) and have Wish Lists on Amazon and at Cliff's site. I feel that when a site or program is designed for a particular purpose, you'll get the most benefit from it if you use it for that. It won't work as well for something for which it's not designed.

Hi all! I just joined LT (despite very good intentions of not wanting to start all this 1. right before the end of classes and 2. away from all my books at home! but I seem to be on a procrastination kick).

To answer the question, I'm going to use LT for my PC, but I will register the book on Bookcrossing if I'm going to lend it to someone (and hopefully recruit them to the site!) and then I will enter the BCID here.

FYI for those interested in participating in bookrays/rings.

I have all of my bookrays/rings that are open for new participants tagged here on LT as either "bookray" or "bookring". If you go to my profile, you'll see a link called "Join this bookray" where you can PM me through BookCrossing with mailing preferences to join.

Just beware that you only ask to join those rays/rings I originated, and not those in which I am participanting that were originated by others.

Thanks!

Edit:

If you go to my profile AND CLICK ON THE TAG "BOOKRAY", you'll see a link called "Join this bookray" for each individual book. There you can PM me through BookCrossing with mailing preferences to ask to join.

So I have a question. I'm writing letters to swap-sites, getting them on board with a service whereby LT pushes customers their way. Has anyone used http://bookrelay.com? I want to know if BookCrossers have any bad blood against them before I write them. They seem to me to be ripping off the BC look (particularly the cartoon). If there's bad blood, I don't want to include them.

BookRelay - no, they're cool (I daren't go on there to check the URL etc as I will then become re-addicted and have to send all my books to America...)

They are allowed to use the BC logos - just one of the many officially sanctioned sites.

I've had very bad experiences with the people on bookrelay.com. Rudeness, personal attacks, that sort of thing. But, hey, that happens on all websites, doesn't it? (Not here, of course!)

That said, they were started by a BC member, and I believe you must be a BC member to participate. If that's the case, I don't know that LT could "push customers their way", since they'd have to join BC as well. But it's worth a shot.

Just want to add that when I say "the people on bookrelay", I don't mean the people who run it. I mean a few of the members.

I personally have never used BookRelay but have looked over their offerings from time to time. I frequently see posts on BookCrossing forums from people who like (and/or are addicted to) BookRelay. I've not read of any who don't like it (until now...from lilithcat).

I also will say that the book "cartoon" is not ripped off, but acceptably used to identify a connection with BookCrossing.

From the site (at bottom):

"This site is in no way associated with BookCrossing other than the fact that the geek that created it is a big fan."

I presumed this meant there was a dispute about it.

Tim, have you tried Bookins.com? They are a new book trading site that I discovered from a Google ad while on BookCrossing. I have traded and received books from them and, so far, like it very much.

They're on the list of ones I'm asking. Frankly, I had a bad experience with them. They wanted me to sign a full-fledged Non-Disclosure Agreement before having any conversation whatsoever. Yeah, whatever. Their traffic is like a 1/100th of LibraryThing's and all I want to do is end traffic their way. I'm not going to bother with legal documents--and the possibility of suit--in order to help them out.

I presumed this meant there was a dispute about it.

I don't think it was a dispute. I think that's simply to ensure that people realize that Bookrelay.com is not formally connected with, or legally part of, Bookcrossing.com. Among other things, that makes sure that complaints and queries and technical problems go to the right place.

Tim, I think traffic will continue to come this way as long as you continue to add interactivity to your site. I don't think shopping for customers at book trading sites will necessarily bring in as many newcomers as the creativity and good work you've already put into this website.

I originally came here because someone on BookCrossing just happened to mention it. I looked at it, and thought I didn't need it. The second time I came back, I wanted to try it because it was free. Within a day of playing with the book listings, I'd signed up for the lifetime membership option! :-)

P.S. Keep up the good work!

Oh. i agree! I don't think we'll get much from it. Rather, I think customers who use the services will find it easier to list a book on these sites. I see it like the commerce links—mostly a feature.

I keep everything I've read or unread on my catalogue, that way I can keep track of series that I want to continue but don't necessarialy want to re-read.

I don't personally use it but a friend of mine swears by TitleTrader
She trades lots of books through it and adores it.

Tim--I've only used bookrelay.com once or twice, just to check it out. I haven't had any problems with it, and I think you will have already gotten ALL of their members by working with bookcrossing (I'm assuming that's an option). I find the site too buys and confusing, but it's fun and free.

BTW-totally addicted! Keep up the good work, I love coming back from one day to the next and seeing all the new features.

Hi, Everyone!

Like others, I came to LT via BookCrossing (same user name over there). Since I don't catalog my personal collection on BC, LT was a wonderful find for me. I keep the two separate, so don't use BCIDs.

I love both sites, just for different reasons. :)

I don't use any of the trading sites, but I have been frequenting the book relay site quite a bit lately, and that has mostly worked out well.

Er, that last message should say that I don't use BCIDs on books I've registered at LT. Time for me to go to bed, I think!

G'nite, Cinnamon-Girl!

I'm finding that I'm now cataloging more recently purchased books on LT than I am on BookCrossing. I'm just registering them on BookCrossing as I prepare to give them away, ray/ring them or wild release them.

I agree that it's nice to have LT for a personal collection. There were just some books of mine that I never really wanted to write in or paste anything in.

"I'm finding that I'm now cataloging more recently purchased books on LT than I am on BookCrossing. I'm just registering them on BookCrossing as I prepare to give them away, ray/ring them or wild release them."

Yes, I do the same. I then take them off LT if they become BC books - cos I have BC for those ones!

Lovely to see so many BCers over here - I found about LT through BC too!

I myself haven't been using BCID #'s on LT, but that may be partially because I haven't fully explored this site and/or decided how I want to use it. I began using very specific, multi-tags for each book, mostly related to BookCrossing, but that got to be way too confusing for me and I decided there really wasn't any purpose for me to do that. I pretty much enter books on LT that I have read within the last couple of years or plan to read (TBR). Simple, but it works for me to help me catalog what I've read in which year, and gives other people an idea of things I want to read.

The multi tags are really good when you want to find books about a specific topic. It will pull up just those books and exclude all others.

Have you played around with the cloud tag yet? If not, play around with it, and you'll see what I mean.

Hi Everyone! Another BCer has just joined, having read about LT in the Sunday Times today...Hi again, Lyzzybee! And yes I did think it would be useful for cataloguing my PC.

Has Tim heard of www.readitswapit.co.uk? Another useful bookswap site, and no complaints from me about it!

There is one. It's the little pencil on the right next to your post.

That was before the edit feature was created! ;o)

I add the BCID because I noticed there's a field for it. However, I really don't understand what that accomplishes.

I do put my BCID in my catalog. The fact is that most of the books in my catalog I do not own. I read far too much and live in a single income family to purchase books often, so most of the books I read are library books. I keep the catalog here mainly for myself and to get ideas about what to read next. I like to know that if I pick up a book and think "have i read this before" I can just come here and look. Plus it is a great way to meet fellow readers, it seems we are a dying breed.

I joined LT several months and I joined BookCrossing today! I registered and released my first book. There are not many members in my area. I live in rural Georgia, but I am near an interstate. I hope this goes well!

Welcome to BookCrossing!

I did not see your name listed at BookCrossing. Do you have a different screen name on BookCrossing than you do on LT?

I do, but I need to make them the same! It's CDGGeorgia at BookCrossing.

I found you at BookCrossing now that I looked up the correct name!

I don't often wild release books any more (sometimes I do) because I get a lot more satisfaction passing my books directly on to others who enjoy them via bookrings and bookrays. If you'd like to participate in any, please let me know by sending me a PM (private message) through BookCrossing. All of the book selections are listed on my profile there:

http://www.bookcrossing.com/mybookshelf/SqueakyChu

yay! Another BXer! Welcome to both that and LT.

SqueakyChu - I will certainly take a look and get in touch with you. I'm not sure how this is going to work because I'm in a rural area, but I am near an interstate.

bookishbunny - Thanks so much! I'm excited about trying BookCrossing.