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Book Buffet FAQ
Q: Will there be a Book Buffet?
A: Of course! There will be a main book buffet where you can leave, browse, and take books. This will be stocked with books of all shapes and sizes that may interest convention attendees. This book buffet will be in a publicly accessible area 24 hours a day during the convention and can be used by all convention attendees as well as other hotel guests, visitors and staff.
Q: How many Book Buffets will there be?
A: In addition to the main book buffet described above, we would like to offer a few specialized book buffets:
- BookCrossers Only – Please Don’t Wild Release Immediately – For books that you want someone to enjoy before it launches into the wild. Leave a book on this table if you want a BookCrosser to enjoy it before it continues its travels. Looking for a good read? This will be a great buffet to search for books especially recommended by other BookCrossers.
- Local Interest and Themed Releases – Look on this table for books that have to do with the Washington, D.C., Metro area and books that will be suitable for a themed release in the area. Hint: This may be a good place to look for books needed to complete the reverse scavenger hunt.
- Wrap-It-Up - This is a fun game BCinDC likes to play at local meetups. Before you leave a book here, write the first sentence of the book on a scrap of paper, with no other information about the book or its author. Then gift-wrap the book and tape the first sentence to the outside. When you browse through the books on this buffet, all you’ll be able to see of each book is its first sentence. When you read a first line that really grabs your attention, select the book and unwrap it. We hope you’ll at least give the book a try once you have unwrapped it, but no one will force you to keep it if it isn’t the book for you. (Because it is inadvisable to travel on public transportation with wrapped packages, we will provide materials so you can wrap your books after you arrive.)
- Conventions Past and Future – Here you will find books about or set in all the locations of BookCrossing Conventions and UnConventions, including Dublin in 2012 and the locations that are bidding for 2013! For a full list of locations, please see the excellent list put together by the Boston 2010 UnConvention Team.
Q: What crossing zone should I use when wild releasing books to the conference?
A: We suggest you use the following when wild releasing books to any of the convention book buffets:
Country: USA
State / Province: Virginia
City: Mail or by hand-rings, RABCK, meetings, etc.
Crossing Zone: 2011 BookCrossing Convention
Q: I cannot attend the convention but I want to donate books to the book buffet. What can I do?
A: Donations to the Convention book buffets are welcome any time! Please mail all books to:
BCinDC c/o Kate McDevitt
P.O. Box 343
Fairfax Station, VA 22039
USA
Q: Should I send registered or unregistered books to you?
A: You are welcome to send either. However, we would prefer if you sent registered books so that:
1. It saves us time; all we have to do is journal that we received them
2. You get to track them and see where they go once they leave your hands
Q: What happens to the unclaimed book buffet books at the end of the convention?
A: BCinDC will take any leftover books and find them good homes. They will either be wild released, taken to OBCZs in the area, donated to charity, or taken home by BCinDC members who will read them and/or release them.
Great FAQ. Just wanted to point out that the Link in “Conventions Past & Future” seems to be broken.
Oops. The site didn’t realize which quotation marks I wanted to use. Thanks for noticing and letting me know. I’ve fixed it now.
I wandered in here looking for an address to mail books (I can only get so many in my suitcase!), and just want to say that your ideas for the special buffets are wonderful! I have been keeping an eye out for D.C.-related books, but am now broadening the hunt for the Conventions Past & Present table. Such fun!
This is excellent, I’m not going to be able to attend, but my books will! I’m packing up my first box tonight, I’m hoping to have enough for another one a little later on. Thanks for doing this!
Put together a box to mail out!! I am getting very excited for the convention, but I know I will want to bring too many books for my luggage, this will help ease some anxiety :-)
Just put together a box of books to send out to the convention. Included a DC travel guide – hopefully a lucky convention-goer will pick that up.
I’m starting to put together my 2nd box for the convention. I have 2 books that are perfect for a DC themed release. Should I send those separately?
@thegoaliegirl If you want to put post-it’s on the books or little scraps of paper sticking out from the top that indicate they are for the local/themed book buffet, I will separate those out when I get your box.