Library Thing - Something Fun

I decided that the next thing I explore will be something fun since I wasn't to thrilled with Technorati and got more frustrated with it then anything.  I chose Thing 14 which is exploring Library Thing.  Library Thing allows me to catalog books, only it does most of the work.  You can do it manually if you want or need to though.

This I thought sounded fun. It is a way to keep track of the books you own or have read.  They even have a category for books you have read but do not own - which is where all the books I have in there so far are since I usually check them out from the library. It was super easy though.  All I had to do was create an account and then add books by typing an author, title, or ISBN.  It comes up with a list of books and then you choose the right one for your library, and if you don't see the one you want you can add the book manually. I may have to do that if I add some of my books I have at home that I actually do own.  That might actually be kind of cool.  Once you choose a book it does all the cataloging work automatically, but you do have the option to edit if necessary. 

There is also the social networking part of Library Thing that I really like.  Not only can you share your books and interest but you can see what others are reading and saying about books.  The best way to put it is this is like being apart of a really big book club.  They even advertise themselves that way.  There are even groups you can join and talk about different topics and follow different conversations.  One that I looked at was Librarians who Library Thing.  This could be something great to use for people working in libraries!  The conversations were not just about books but library issues too!  What a cool way to communicate.  One of the conversations was a student conducting research and trying to conduct a survey of the people in this group. Any librarian or even student could be a member of Library Thing and find it very informative as well as find and meet people who share common interests.  I love the idea!  I even added the Library Thing widget to the blog here.

As for using Library Thing as a cataloguing program in a library, that I am not so sure about.  It seems simple and easy enough but I think mistakes could be made much easier.  I think I would feel safer using the methods already in use.  Though if Library Thing was used as a widget on a libraries blog or homepage, it might be a good way to advertise new books, or a recreational reading section in say an academic library. It would be something quick and easy to maintain and display.  At my library on our current homepage (although our website is undergoing a face change) we have a link to new books.  It might be something worth adding to our new page as well but using Library Thing instead of just a link with a listing of the books.  It would be possible to use the social networking part of this too, and see what kinds of books library users are reading and maybe get ideas to add things collection that way.  c