Hello! I just got a requestor condition that says:

I am not willing to accept "bookcrossing.com" books.

I got this book from another PBS swap a few weeks ago, so I have no idea of the history of the book. How would I know?

Thanks!

If it's a bookcrossing book there will be a stamp or sticker on the inside of the front cover or within the first few pages of the book with a bookcrossing ID # (BCID#).  I've only ever received 2 of them since joining PBS.  Flip through the front of the book and check out the inside front cover and the title page.  If you don't see a sticker or stamp, it's not a bookcrossing book.

If any bookcrossers want to chime in, please do, as I am not a bookcrosser.

If it was a Bookcrossing book, there'd be a sticker either inside or on the cover.  No sticker, and you are fine with accepting the request.

I've gotten one with a bookcrossing business card taped to the inside of the book, stamps on the front and back covers, a stamp on the title page, and a stamp on the first page of the first chapter.  Usually it's pretty obvious.

I recently got a bookcrossing.com book from a swapper on here. It just had one label on the first page other then that the book was in almost perfect condition. This is the first book Ive seen from bookcrossing.com so Im not sure about others though.

I recently got a bookcrossing.com book from a swapper on here. It just had one label on the first page other then that the book was in almost perfect condition. This is the first book Ive seen from bookcrossing.com so Im not sure about others though.

I'm exactly the same.  Just got my first one, and it's just got the one label right inside the front cover.

Why would someone not want to accept these books? 

Some people do go overboard. I've received a book with a sticker on the front of the cover, a sticker on the inside cover, a sticker on the title page, another sticker on the inside back cover, the BCIN number and "Bookcrossing.com" written on all 3 of the outer edges (not on the spine), a stamped Bookcrossing message at the top of every new chapter and a smaller stamped message on the bottom of about a quarter the pages. If you think it was annoying to read a book like that, it was.

That being said, I don't have a restriction against Bookcrossing books in my conditions because that one book was the exception rather than the rule.

Sherry: Some people are offended by the concept, some people have had bad experiences with books prepared for wild release (which tend to have something on the outside so it's clear when being left on a bench that it's free and not lost), and some don't like stickers but put "no BX" rather than "no stickers" for reasons I don't follow.

The concept of the bookcrossing site is that books should be shared.  They should be read by you and then "released" for someone else to enjoy.  I.E. - Given away.  Many of the more rigid members believe it is wrong to sell the bookcrossing books back to a used bookstore or profit in any way from them or even to keep them for your own library.  They believe books are meant to be shared. 

The concept is sweet... its just... well SOMEONE has to pay for the books in the first place to acquire them and for voracious readers like us, its a bit uneconomical - though if you believe its okay to use the books to "swap" on sites like PBS, that helps.  I myself have checked out the site, but really prefer just to veer away from it.  Bookcrossing members can themselves try to "catch" released books - but its really sporatic and hard to come by....  so its not a trading site - more like a sharing books with random people. 

Thanks to all for clarifying.  I will have to check out their site to learn more about it.  I certainly understand that some would deny on principle....and I would not want my reading interrupted with a bunch of stickers.  Thanks!

I have gotten one of the books. And I didn't even know it was a bookcrossing book till I opened the book to read it several months after I got it and it had an itsy bitsy sticker on the inside

I am a member of bookcrossing and love the concept of the site.  Each book gets assigned a BCID number and then can be released into the "wild" (left somewhere for others to find) or given to a friend or sent to someone far away.  Any way you wish to give away the book is fine.

When you get one of these books what you can do is go to the bookcrossing site and enter that you found the book.  This will go into the books journal so that other people who have had the book can see where it has travelled and read whatever journal entry you decide to put in for it (reviews or anything else you have to say).  You do NOT need to be a member to enter this information.

Now, any book that I decide to release via bookcrossing will only have 1 stick on the inside of the cover with the BCID written on it.  This idea of writing it on all 3 sides and the top of each chapter is just a bit overboard!  I also tend to use books that are not postable here as my release books on bookcrossing.  Those that have a single torn page or a small bit of water damage, etc....

There are also what are known as bookcrossing zones where members drop off books and pick up books that were dropped by others.  I know that at one of the Panera Bread locations locally there is a small wicker basket in the back that is used for that purpose.

Overall, it is a great concept and one that i think many people here would like.

I hold off on registering a book that is wishlisted here until after it has been accepted without a "no bookcrossing" condition; I have only run across such a condition once, ironically that was an audiobook where it would've been impossible for me to have registered it, without obliterating the cover text entirely.

Bookswapping sites work well with Bookcrossing in my opinion, as the registered books travel around, rather than staying in the same city; I put a bookplate inside the front cover (or near the beginning, in no way within the "text").

I think the objection that a lot of folks have to it is that some people go WAY overboard with the stickers and BCID info...I got one book where the BCID was hand-written across the tops of about a dozen different pages throughout the book, had big stickers on the front and back covers (outside!), a sticker running along the spine and as if that weren't enough, a great big sticker on the inside cover. The sad thing is, it was a nice hardcover book that was in otherwise great shape. I don't have a condition regarding no BC books, but I wouldn't have wanted that one if I were looking for a book for my keeper shelf, that's for sure!

But that was definitely the exception. Most of the BC books I've gotten I didnt even realize were a registered BC book until I sat down to read the book months later and saw a tiny sticker inside the back cover or something.

Cheryl

I've gotten one, and it was in good condition, and was an author I collect, so it's safely in my house and will probably remain here for some time to come.  Pat

I keep my bookcrossing books separate from my swap books.