Presented by Emma Antobam, Jessica Handy and Dove Thomas GSLIS 747 October 5, 2010
May 14, 2015
Presented by Emma Antobam, Jessica Handy and Dove Thomas
GSLIS 747October 5, 2010
Does this scenario look familiar??
Or this….
Or perhaps this??
Are you a bibliophile? Do you…
• Discreetly, or indiscreetly, but intently scan people’s bookshelves when visiting in their home for the first time??
• Whenever you pass a used bookstore, do you somehow automatically enter in? and walk out with a purchase?
• Does your wish list on Amazon have at least five titles on it?
If this description fits you, then you may want to check out
Library Thing
• Definition: a social cataloging site for storing and sharing personal library catalogs & booklists
• Launched in Aug 2005 by Tim Spaulding, it was originally set up to organize personal book sprawl, but was expanded to allow members to socialize and exchange information on books
• A social network for book lovers, the “World’s Largest Book Club”
• Create your own profile• Catalog your books- keep track of
books you own, have read, would like to read, favorites, on your own terms- create your own categories
• Find data about books- imported through Z39.50 connections, Amazon.com and the Library of Congress
• Discover new books- recommendations, reviews, ratings
• Interact- Talk, online book forums, locate local book events & news
• Free early reviewer books from publishers and authors
• Your first 200 books listed free, $10 annual fee to include more listings, or a $25 lifetime membership
• Many languages available
Vital Statistics…• 1,193,555 members
• 55,580,131 books catalogued
• 1,172,272 reviews
• 9,019,945 ratings
From the Zeitgeist Page Top Ten Rated Authors
Based on number of copies
• Agatha Christie • Jane Austen • Nora Roberts• William Shakespeare• C. S. Lewis
• Neil Gaiman • J. R. R. Tolkein • Terry Pratchett • Stephen King
• J. K. Rowling
Using Library ThingThings to Know
• Getting started• Providing tags
– The social taxonomic tool
• Collections– Your library, wishlist, favorites, currently reading
• Book Details– Social information– LC and Dewey classification provided
• Interacting with members & their catalogs• Zeitgeist
Fun Features• Profile: Getting Personal
– Upload photos, describe yourself/library
• Groups and Book Talk – Joining or following groups– Sharing thoughts with users
• Local – Members, events and locations in your town
• Widgets– Add blog widgets & search widgets
• Gallery– View photos of your authors
LibraryThing for LibrariesPractical Applications for Libraries
•LTFL – a cost-based OPAC booster for libraries
•Using the free LibraryThing for your library
LTFL
• Currently 1,616 libraries are using LTFL• It is a cost-based service using information
gathered from the users of the free site• Boosts a library’s OPAC• Example: Wikinomics at Brigham Young
University
LibraryThing for New Books
• As books are acquired add them to LibraryThing
• Use tags to categorize the books by subject and acquisition date
• These tags can be used for widgets in your catalog or to link in newsletters
• Example: SJC LibraryThing
References• http://www.librarything.com/ Library Thing, Retrieved 09-22-2010.• Regan, Jim (2005-11-09). "Do your own LibraryThing". Christian Science Monitor.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/1109/p25s01-stct.html. Retrieved 09-22-2010.• Rutkoff, Aaron (2006-06-27). "Social Networking for Bookworms". Wall Street
Journal. http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB115109622468789252-i8U6LIHU7ChfgbxG1oZ_iunOIWE_20060727.html. Retrieved 09-22-2010
• Woodroof, Martha (2008-03-20). "Web Sites Let Bibliophiles Share Books Virtually". NPR. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88514715. Retrieved 09-22- 2010.