Bookcrossing, the practice of leaving a book in a public place to be picked up and read by others, who then do likewise, was introduced in Zhanjiang Library on March 25.

The practice is thought to have been initiated in Europe in the 1960s but it wasn't until the Internet age that the term was derived from bookcrossing.com, a free online book club founded to encourage book sharing and "make the whole world a library."

Children and parents pick up books from the bookcrossing post station at Zhanjiang Library. [Photo by Lin Shizhan/Zhanjiang Daily]

Zhanjiang residents are now allowed to pick up and return books at the designated spot without library cards or cash pledges. A wide variety of options are on offer, including literary works, natural science books, and professional books related to law and medicine.

A local surnamed Fu spoke highly of the practice and expressed hopes that it can be further promoted in residential communities and schools to get more people involved in reading.