Library Thing

Have you always wanted your own personal library- complete with online catalog- or OPAC as we librarians refer to it? Well now you can! Library Thing (www.librarything.com) is a service that allows post what books you have in your library.

The service is free for up to 200 books, however for a mere $25 you can post as many books as you like for a life time. The process in which you input your information is easy, just type in the title of your book, select your edition, and them click on the title to add to your library. The book entry includes its MARC record from the Library of Congress, the cover art (if available), the number of Library Thing members that also own the book, and a link to World Cat to show other near by libraries that circulate the book. Members can also write their own reviews of the book. And, if you do not like a book- you can "Unsuggest" it.

I have worked in a library where there was no public access OPAC and it is frustrating to not have that sort of information available for patrons. For a school library where there not be an OPAC, Library Thing can be a helpful to for library media specialist, school staff, and students. This will allow lms an opportunity to have a public access catalog and it is relatively easy to maintain. An ideal volunteer project for Library volunteers and students.

Please feel free to investigate what is in my personal library (please keep in mind that it is a new tool for me and I just starting inputting books):
http://www.librarything.com/catalog.php?view=kcerasale