The new trend of reading in the West, turning the world into a big library

In many countries, it is common to see the following scene: a person reading a book in the park, finishing the last page, closing the book, and then leaving it on a bench with a note for the next person to continue reading. This new trend in reading is called "Bookcrossing," with the slogan "Read me, give me freedom." Its aim is to create a global chain of readers, turning the world into a large library.

This activity originated in the United States, initiated by systems engineer Ron Hornbaker. In March 2001, he created the website "Bookcrossing.com," enabling more people to participate and allowing more books to travel around the globe. To participate, one needs to apply for a registration code for the book and write the address inside, making it easier to track the book's journey.

Initially, only 100 people registered for the activity, but now there are 140,000 "book liberators" just in the U.S., growing at a rate of 350 people per day. Following closely are Canada with 22,000 participants, Germany with 17,000, and Spain with 13,500. ——Via: *Reference News* September 8, 2004, Page 15