August 18th, 2006
It’s a Library Thing
Finally, I get around to answering the question posed by Kevin about the very addictive Library Thing discovered via Copernicus.
It’s an online library database that allows you to to catalogue all your books online as well as see what books you share with other users. Logging 200 books is free, and after that it’s ten quid annually or 25 for a lifetime membership where you can include as many books as you want. I’m slowly adding mine and while it might just be the book equivalent of myspace, it’s the virtual equivalent of poking around someone else’s bookshelves.
There’s an Irish blogs group (wouldn’t you know), which so far includes Stellanova, Kevin, Dick from Back Seat Drivers, Auds, Fergal and Simon of tuppenceworth, Cian, Hugh, Bernie, Fence (who has also signed up for ‘League of Their Own’ Fantasy Football league) and wyvernfriend, who has a staggering 4,336 books up there.
Even the bould Twenty Major has signed up with just one book - but it’s one we share, Eve Ensler’s Vagina Monologues.
Any bloggers or book lovers want to sign up?
Be warned: it’s very addictive.
August 18th, 2006 at 7:48 pm
Ray over on Oldrottenhat used to churn out an amazing amount of book reviews every week. I remember him having a posting where he mentioned he’d set up one of these online library catelouges as well sometime last year, can’t for the live of me find where it is now.
http://oldrottenhat.typepad.com
August 19th, 2006 at 7:00 am
There’s an interesting slice of Ireland you get when browsing the shelves of others. If Gavin Sheridan put his stuff up into the virtual library, we’d have a tonne of tomes.
August 19th, 2006 at 8:26 am
http://www.librarything.com/profile/raycun
August 19th, 2006 at 10:59 am
Yip, I logged in there a while ago, then did not put anymore books up onto it. But that makes one more Irish person, right? Must admit I don’t get the “compelling reason” to do this. Why would you go to the bother of putting in all your book titles, with comments etc?
August 19th, 2006 at 9:39 pm
What I like about Librarything is that I can put my catalogue up, go into Forbidden Planet, Chapters or Easons, access my catalogue via my mobile (see: http://www.librarything.com/extras.php) and know whether or not I have the book I’m looking for or is it just a book I’ve had on my wishlist for years!
Also I get to remember whether or not I actually enjoyed it.
I don’t OWN all the titles I’ve got up but any I don’t own I want to or I’ve borrowed from the Library or from friends.
August 20th, 2006 at 4:42 pm
Deirdre, that sounds quite nifty
I signed up myself, but will probably forget all about it in a few weeks :rolleyes:
August 21st, 2006 at 10:40 am
Seeing as I can never get rid of books once I’ve read them, I could spend quite a long time trying to catalogue them online. Think I will take a raincheck though as I fear like you Sinead I could find it addictive and I’m already spending too much time online. But no doubt I will be logging onto the site to have a nosey at what others are reading.
August 21st, 2006 at 11:20 am
Have spent half the morning in Library Thing, signing up, adding books and looking at everyone elses selection. This certainly is addictive.
August 23rd, 2006 at 10:29 pm
Impersonation. That’s not me.
August 26th, 2006 at 2:12 pm
Hey Curly K, you should take a look at http://www.bookmooch.com it’s perfect if you’re looking to get rid of some of your books to like minded people…
January 24th, 2007 at 9:48 pm
Nice Post.
That was well said. Always appreciate your indepth views. Keep up the great work!
John