1. Choose a book you'd like to swap

2. Stick the bookplate in the front of your book. The bookplates are free in the Guardian and Observer on 17 and 18 September or you can download and print one out now

3. Write a message for the person who finds your book. Tell them why you love it

4. Leave it somewhere it can be found

5. Take a picture of your book in the place you left it, upload it to our Flickr group and geotag it so it will be displayed on our map. You can also visit theguardian.com/books to leave your review of any book that you've swapped on our new books pages

Plus look out for the thousands of free books left all over the country by the Guardian and Observer. If you're on Twitter, please use the #guardianbookswap hashtag to swap news about the books you've found or left across the UK.

The rules of the book swap

1. You can leave as many books as you like, just make sure they are your own

2. Make sure your book is clean and in good condition

3. Don't leave inappropriate material where it can be found by children

4. Avoid places your book could be damaged by the weather

5. Make sure it won't be seen as a security risk

6. Don't leave it in book shops or libraries

7. Don't put yourself or the finder of the book at any risk

Read, rate and review all your favourite books at Guardian.co.uk/books