By Nicole Majewski
Books in the E.H. Butler Library have grown feet.
The books are part of a program called the Paperback Release Program that was started on Sept. 15, and is located in the library’s Copier Lounge.
Informational Technology Librarian Tim Bryant said the program was started to encourage pleasure reading among students.
The program operates in a free and open manner. To participate students take a book off of the shelf-like structure in the lounge that is known as “The Pod,” read it and pass it on to others. They can also register their book online at the Book Crossing Web site (http://bookcrossing.com) to find out where else their book may have been before they picked it up.
“Students often get caught up in reading for academic and work-related reasons,” he said. “It’s not only what you’re required to read, but what you find, what gives you personal pleasure.”
He said that the library has processed over 250 books for the program, and estimated that at least 25 percent of the books that were originally put out two weeks ago have been taken.
“It’s a way of bringing books to people instead of the people coming to the books,” he said.
However, Bryant said that ongoing donations are a key to the book exchange’s success. He said that the program is a grass roots effort, and it will continue indefinitely as long as there are enough donations. He also said that the books for the first-round of the program were donated by library employees and Project FLIGHT (http://www.projectflight.org/) , a non-profit literacy organization.
Donations can be brought to the Circulation Desk, where they will be entered in the Book Crossing Web site and put out on the shelf. Bryant said that donating books is anonymous.
“We try to have a simple process so that we can get them on the shelf and out to people,” Bryant said.
Librarian Ken Fujiuchi says that the program is unique for a library like Butler Library.
“It’s always nice to have popular literature on the side, because not a lot of research libraries have it…It’s good to browse. It’s the beauty of being able to discover a book,” he said.
He also said that students can also advertise their taste in books by participating. “I hope that students will put out books that they want others to read,” he said.
BSC Senior David Cuviello said that the exchange is a good way to clean out his bookshelf. “It will be interesting to see how far it goes, hopefully it will travel to a lot of places,” he said.
Nicole Majewski can be reached at cerealboxes84@yahoo.com |
The Paperback Release program is headquartered on “The Pod” in the Copier Lounge. Photo by Nicole Majewski- Bengal News Online