What is Book Club Card?
I've had the joy of seeing a lot of new people pick up our cards. The first thing I hear is "How cute!" quickly followed by, "wait, what is it?" I'll admit, the concept is whimsical and creative, which often means it needs a bit of explaining. If you are new around here, welcome!! I'm so excited you have joined (or are about to join) the Book Club Card community! While our website breaks down the quick steps of how to use our cards, I hope this guide provides a little more insight into what they are and the beauty of how they work.
Act 1: What is Book Club Card?
A Book Club Card is a library card that travels with your book as you share it with others. Once the card is full of names, it transforms into a postcard and is mailed back to the original card owner.
By registering your Book Club Card's unique ID number to your contact information online, we are able to return the card back to you (without sharing your mailing address with 9 strangers), allowing you to celebrate all the people you brought joy to by deciding to simply share a book!
Act 2: How do Book Club Cards work?
Step 1... You've purchased and received your BCC. How exciting! Do you love the packaging?! Do you love the thick, soft paper and embossed letterpress design?! Gosh, me too! You'll also notice on the bottom of the card there is a number. (Yes, it's printed using an old-school stamp and was hand-stamped by yours truly.) This number is unique to your card, and it's how we ensure the card is returned to you at the end of its journey. Go online to bookclubcard.com/register and complete the quick form with your name, card number, and email. Once we receive the completed card at Book Club Card HQ, we'll be able to track the card to your contact information, notify you via email that is it complete and mail it back to you.
Step 2... Start reading! Either read a new book or pick a book that's been collecting dust on your bookshelf that you think would bring joy to others. Fill in the book name and author, and then sign your name, state and date read on the card.
Step 3... Pass the book on to someone else! Tell them about Book Club Card (maybe forward them the website or this blog post), and encourage them to keep passing the book and card along until the BCC is full of new names and cities from all over the country!
Step 4... **if you are the last reader to autograph the card**, add a stamp and mail it! The card will be sent back to San Francisco at BCC HQ. Due to the clever ID number, we'll then be able to track the card to the original card owner and notify you that it's complete!
Act 3: So what?
Yes - Book Club Card is about reading, but it's so much more than that! My main focus is community. Reading is about sharing stories with others and stopping halfway through a juicy, suspenseful paragraph, and thinking “you know who would love this book..."
Book Club Card promotes a lifestyle of sharing books, cards, and most importantly, conversation. I believe that reading is not a one-player game, and is instead a lifestyle of bringing people together. I want to put content into the world that highlights the importance of building community, supporting your neighbors, and fostering genuine conversation.
Book Club Card is a San Francisco-based company, and we love it here! Throughout COVID-19, our hearts broke for all empty storefronts located on once lively city streets that seemingly doubled with each passing week. As I launched this idea, I vowed to remember why I started -- to build community. Every vendor, within reason, is a member of our San Francisco community who is working hard to maintain the storefronts that create the architecture of the city we love.