Official BookCrossing Zone Opens in Orange, CA.

Bookcrossing.

As the site says: "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single release."

In April 2001 Ron Hornbaker launched a website to share his love of a good book.

The idea is a simple one: Read a book, then instead of tossing it in the trash, giving it to the library, or to a friend, or relative, pass it on to a total stranger!

Do this by leaving it on a park bench ( See picture below: You can't see it but I left a book in a bag, on the bench in the backround, the morining of the 26th. ), in the breakroom at work, on a bus, or train seat, in an office waiting room, a public restroom, or in any number of other public places where the little, or not so little, darling will be found.

Outfitted with a special bookplate, tracking number, and a note explaining the concept so the next person will know what to do if so inclined, the book can be tracked as it randomly travels from city to city, and even nation to nation, around the world.

Over 550,000 people have "released" over 3 million books "into the wild", and the term "bookcrossing" has its own category in the Google Directory, and is listed in the Concise Oxford English Dictionary.

There are over 32,000 members in CA., and 118 in Orange alone! ;-D

When a book is "Caught" the finder follows notification instructions, and can leave a journal entry, and the person who released the book can get notified by e-mail about the books latest encounter.

The best way to get a feel for what I am talking about is to visit MY BOOKSHELF, and explore the entries for Books that are "Travelling", and the website itself.

One of the many fun aspects is that you can be a "Hunter".

There have been over 1800 books "Released into the Wild" in CA., with 69 in Orange, in the last 30 days, including a few in the last 3 days.

There is a list of countries with books "in the wild." After registering and releasing a book, members have the option of making Release Notes, specifying where exactly (or approximately) they left a book.

People leave books in public, and even not so public spots.

There are actually people traipsing around looking for a particular book! ;-D

Some people have set up what we call Official BookCrossing Zones....

And that has what has finally arrived in Orange County with the 1st such location having opened April 26th during the soft opening of the new Chapman Coffee House just north of Old Towne.

What is an OBCZ?

Official Zones are those marked with the BC sign.

These are usually in public places and have the approval of the building owner / manager.

BookCrossing Member, mkpam, a relative newcomer to our ranks, was among a few folks determined to see if a Zone could be set up in our midst..

When she approached Tim Chapman, and Mike Coakley, who were planning to open a Coffee House, about the possibility of setting up a spot, they were very interested, and enthusiastic.

And so the deed was done!

Chapman Coffee House,  located at 505 N. Glassell - North Glassell at Walnut ( 5 blocks north of the circle in Old Towne. ) had its "Soft Opening" on April 26th, and so did the new BookCrossing Zone!

This place is very cool in layout, and it was a pleasure to meet the owners, and Managers, when I spent a couple of hours helping mkpam that morning.

Feel free to visit, order something, and browse/select catches from the bookshelves, and make wild releases here too.

(While all books are welcome, books you'd want your own children to read are also encouraged, as reading is a pastime to be encouraged in young, and old)!

The Bookshelf page, at BookCrossing, is ChapmanCoffeeOC.

mkpam's little grandson helped her put the shelf together, and put the 1st books on the shelves.

He was very pleased with himself for being such a great helper! ;-D

The hours of the establishment are:

530am - 10pm = M - Th
530am - 11pm = Friday
6am - 11pm = Saturday
6am - 10pm = Sunday

Orange Transportation Center is only 9 blocks away:

OCTA busses 54, 56, and 59 take you there, and 59 stops by the shop, including the northbound right at the door!

Metrolink, and  Amtrak, trains from Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, and San Diego Counties stop there, too.

If you come by car there is a variety of free, and metered, all day, and 20 min. to 3 hrs., parking all around Old Towne Orange.

Old Towne is the Antique Capital of California, and a great place to find old ( and I mean REALLY OLD! ) books!

Champman Coffee House strongly believes in...

COMMUNITY: We believe our community is our family. Therefore, our Coffee House is the communities' living room. By offering a warm, comfortable, environment, we hope to slow things down, and bring to life the richness, and spirit, of this historic city.

QUALITY: We are aware that our success is dependent upon our guests. Therefore, we used care and consideration when creating our environment, as a place where our guests will be welcomed & be known, as family.

So, if you like good coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and more, plus good conversation, and a good book ( They also have a huge TV on one wall! ) stop by for a visit! ;-D

Comments

[Jaspar]

Dang -- you are turning loose some great books!

Most of my library, well, you'd have to pry 'em from my cold dead hands.

:)

[bj]

People toss books into the trash? Blasphemy!

I see that "Gulliver's Travels" is traveling...you wag.

[Kiril, The Cycling Dude]

Yup, it's not just books by Sean Hannity, like the one I rescued, either, but all kinds.

As for Gulliver, I guess you could call any Release into the Wild of that book the Ultimate in Themed Releases. ;-D