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Since we wrote about BookMooch in late 2006, the site's membership has doubled, and the number of mooched books has more than tripled. Founder John Buckman has clearly encouraged a worldwide community of book lovers and library fans to share their favorite reads. When we checked in with John, he told us about his attachment to books, the personal notes he gets with his mooched novels, and how sharing helps the global community get along just a little bit better.

Hey John, how did you get the inspiration for BookMooch?

I was on vacation and visiting a small town community center for a concert, and the entire entry area of the community center was filled with book shelves. There was a sign that said "leave a book, take a book" and people were browsing the collection, others were bringing boxes of books in, and still others were talking about books, recommending them to others. I loved the fun, friendly feeling that existed in that space, and I asked myself "could I recreate this feeling on the Internet?" When I went searching for book swaps, I did find other sites, but none that captured the camaraderie, friendship, and most of the all, the love of books, that this community center did. Read the full profile...

This "updated environmentalist's guide" from The Sierra Club provides brief profiles of the globe's largest oil and gas companies and ranks them according to their actions. From Citgo to Sunoco, each conglomerate comes under scrutiny for its "black marks," stance on global warming, and green initiatives. Some of the "green" details surprised us: ExxonMobil has donated more than $1 million to saving tigers. Shell leads the world in distributing biofuels. And BP no longer lobbies to open up the Arctic reserve. But the list of "black" details makes for one long, sorry tale of spilt oil, violations of emissions caps, associations with brutal governments, and at least one deadly pipeline explosion. Yet, as long as we drive cars that gulp fossil fuels, we need these firms. Knowing that, it doesn't hurt to have a clear understanding of their corporate record. Maybe it will help to determine where you fill up next time your car needs gas.

We love to hate advertising in all its forms. But when executed with whimsy or smarts, ads can serve to inform, amuse, and yes, even influence purchasing decisions. This intriguing site demonstrates how far Internet advertising has come from the boring banner ad. On this de facto clip service for advertising pros, you'll see creative flourishes perfected within the tight space constraints of the Web. A weekly hall of fame highlights the best on the Internet. From AmEx's recently acclaimed Wes Anderson campaign to Apple's mad collage of album covers, you'll find examples of online ads that blur the lines between art and commerce.