Bookcrossing, a system of book-sharing where anyone can pick up or release a book at certain 'hot spots', has come to town.

It has allowed thousands of people elsewhere to get their hands on books - without having to buy them or visit libraries.

About 4,000 English language books, mostly novels and biographies, are available here now at the hot spots - on board more than 2,000 SMRT taxis, at 10 Cafe Cartel eateries and 13 Cafe Galilee outlets.

Most of the books are donations from the public but there are also contributions from the British Council, the American Embassy and local publishers. There are even two German bestsellers.

Each book is identified by a round sticker on its cover, which bears the logos of the National Library Board (NLB) and the Bookcross@SG logo; each book also carries an identification code on the inside of its cover.

Anyone who picks up a book and takes it home must go online to the website at http://bookcross.sg and 'register' its title and location.

Bookcrossing began six years ago in Kansas in the United States. Today, it has 570,000 individual members and Singapore has become the first country to officially tie up with Bookcrossing.com to spread the practice.

NLB's chief executive Dr N. Varaprasad said he would deem the exercise a success if those too busy to go to the library would choose to 'bookcross' instead.

SHOBANA KESAVA