Goodreads librarian

gabby98 · 04-24-2014, 03:51 PM

I am curious about this 'status'.

I mean I read the info, but sometimes real accounts make more sense to me.

How many members here have Librarian status on Goodreads? What are the upsides/downfalls from your perspective?

thanks for humoring me

ETA: Excuse the typo in the poll

Terisa de morgan · 04-24-2014, 04:03 PM

I see no downfall of being librarian at goodreads, no necessary work at all, and you can update the books so data are right if you're interested on it.

CWatkinsNash · 04-24-2014, 04:07 PM

I selected "I'm one" because there wasn't an option for "I used to be one". I wiped my old account, started fresh and never re-applied for librarian status on the new account.

That said, there aren't really any downfalls, except if you have a picky friend that sends you daily correction requests via PM instead of posting them to the Librarian's group. (Yes, on my old account, I was friends with someone who did that, but it was just one person and I don't think it's a widespread issue.)

The upside is that you can help keep book records in a correct state, if that interests you. Also, if you see something that needs corrected, you can just do it instead of posting it and waiting for someone to fix it.

BelleZora · 04-24-2014, 04:38 PM

In the two years or so I've been a Goodreads librarian there has been no downside. I'm a stickler for accuracy, so I like to be able to make corrections when necessary. Otherwise, I'm too busy to be very active on the site.

jgaiser · 04-24-2014, 05:05 PM

I'm one, but seldom use the privilege. Once or twice in the three years I've had an account. No downside for me.

tubemonkey · 04-24-2014, 05:23 PM

Never heard of it

gabby98 · 04-24-2014, 05:34 PM

I was thinking about it because it drives me crazy when i go to add a book and the image, ISBN, series, page info , etc are wrong. I have tried a few times, thinking I could correct it, but was not able to. Then saw the info about Librarian status. I used to work (volunteer) on another forum and wouldn't mind helping, but wasn't really sure of the demand. I hate taking on something and then finding that for some reason or another I don't have time to commit to someone else's level/expectations. (don't know if that makes sense)

Fbone · 04-24-2014, 05:38 PM

I'm a librarian also but haven't been active since Amazon bought them. They can afford to pay people to manage the data instead of relying on volunteers.

BelleZora · 04-24-2014, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gabby98

I hate taking on something and then finding that for some reason or another I don't have time to commit to someone else's level/expectations.

My experience is that no one has any expectations except that you read and follow the Librarian Manual when adding information or making changes. Your level of participation is up to you.

Froide · 04-24-2014, 06:29 PM

Upsides - ditto those listed above. Additionally, librarians can correct duplicate entries, which are numerous and (to me) annoying.

Downside - nonexistent (for me). The role's purely voluntary and devoid of pressure, quotas, deadlines.

gabby98 · 04-24-2014, 07:06 PM

Sounds like I sh/could just go for it...so far sounds like something I can do and not work about falling behind/disappointing time wise.

Ty to everyone who has replied or will

RHWright · 04-25-2014, 09:10 AM

There aren't any disadvantages I've encountered.

There are many positives if you have an eye for details and use the site to catalog your library (not everyone does). It gives you the ability to edit existing entries, which was important to me since I was finding many of the books I was adding to my shelves had missing or incorrect info.

If you are accepted, I recommend starting slowly, reading the Librarians' Manual, consulting it frequently, and asking in the Librarians' group if you're not sure about anything.

Since correct covers were important to me, reading up on the standards for alternate covers—where there is one ISBN, but multiple cover versions over the years—was a biggie. There are a variety of agreed on community standards for handling issues, so read up and ask questions.

It has no time commitment; it's really up to you how much you want to involve yourself.

eschwartz · 04-25-2014, 01:47 PM

No downsides -- I became one, and used it maybe once or twice. I haven't been pressured into doing anything yet.

It's basically a manual way of stopping newbies from scribbling all over the book details.

In a similar way to how MR limits what a new member can do (editing posts, I think, as well as adding a signature) until you have 50(?) posts.

usuallee · 04-25-2014, 03:28 PM

applied like a year ago, then forgot all about it until now. I never heard back from them. Oh, well.

Nothingness · 04-26-2014, 10:22 PM

I'm a librarian on Goodreads. Like the other have said, it allows you to add books that are not there, edit infos and covers and make sure infos are as correct as possible. Some covers are small so if I find a bigger cover for a book, I'll delete the small one and replace it. I've added numerous books in French per example from France and Quebec.

View Poll Results: Goodreads Librarian...
I'm one	18	29.51%
I'm not	19	31.15%
I'm cursious	4	6.56%
Never heard of it/Don't care	20	32.79%
Voters: 61. You may not vote on this poll

04-24-2014, 03:51 PM	#1
gabby98 Wizard Posts: 1,751 Karma: 2667650 Join Date: Jul 2012 Device: Android, Nook Simple Touch, Nook Color, ..., Glo	Goodreads librarian I am curious about this 'status'. I mean I read the info, but sometimes real accounts make more sense to me. How many members here have Librarian status on Goodreads? What are the upsides/downfalls from your perspective? thanks for humoring me ETA: Excuse the typo in the poll Last edited by gabby98; 04-24-2014 at 03:55 PM.

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04-24-2014, 04:03 PM	#2
Terisa de morgan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,233 Karma: 11768331 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Device: Kobo Clara/Aura One/Forma,XiaoMI 5, iPad, Huawei MediaPad, YotaPhone 2	I see no downfall of being librarian at goodreads, no necessary work at all, and you can update the books so data are right if you're interested on it.

04-24-2014, 04:07 PM	#3
CWatkinsNash IOC Chief Archivist Posts: 3,950 Karma: 53868218 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Fruitland Park, FL, USA Device: Meebook M7, Paperwhite 2021, Fire HD 8+, Fire HD 10+, Lenovo Tab P12	I selected "I'm one" because there wasn't an option for "I used to be one". I wiped my old account, started fresh and never re-applied for librarian status on the new account. That said, there aren't really any downfalls, except if you have a picky friend that sends you daily correction requests via PM instead of posting them to the Librarian's group. (Yes, on my old account, I was friends with someone who did that, but it was just one person and I don't think it's a widespread issue.) The upside is that you can help keep book records in a correct state, if that interests you. Also, if you see something that needs corrected, you can just do it instead of posting it and waiting for someone to fix it.

04-24-2014, 04:38 PM	#4
BelleZora Wizard Posts: 1,432 Karma: 25151986 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Seattle, US Device: Kindle Oasis 3, Kobo Libra 2	In the two years or so I've been a Goodreads librarian there has been no downside. I'm a stickler for accuracy, so I like to be able to make corrections when necessary. Otherwise, I'm too busy to be very active on the site.

04-24-2014, 05:05 PM	#5
jgaiser Omnivorous Posts: 3,281 Karma: 27978909 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Rural NW Oregon Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle Fire HD, Kindle 3, KPW1	I'm one, but seldom use the privilege. Once or twice in the three years I've had an account. No downside for me.

04-24-2014, 05:23 PM	#6
tubemonkey monkey on the fringe Posts: 45,477 Karma: 158151390 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Seattle Metro Device: Moto E6, Echo Show	Never heard of it

04-24-2014, 05:34 PM	#7
gabby98 Wizard Posts: 1,751 Karma: 2667650 Join Date: Jul 2012 Device: Android, Nook Simple Touch, Nook Color, ..., Glo	I was thinking about it because it drives me crazy when i go to add a book and the image, ISBN, series, page info , etc are wrong. I have tried a few times, thinking I could correct it, but was not able to. Then saw the info about Librarian status. I used to work (volunteer) on another forum and wouldn't mind helping, but wasn't really sure of the demand. I hate taking on something and then finding that for some reason or another I don't have time to commit to someone else's level/expectations. (don't know if that makes sense)

04-24-2014, 05:38 PM	#8
Fbone Is that a sandwich? Posts: 8,189 Karma: 100500000 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Nook Glowlight Plus	I'm a librarian also but haven't been active since Amazon bought them. They can afford to pay people to manage the data instead of relying on volunteers.

04-24-2014, 06:29 PM	#10
Froide Wizard Posts: 1,898 Karma: 9851695 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Noo Yawk Device: Samsung Galaxy and Windows devices. RIP: Palm & Nook devices.	Upsides - ditto those listed above. Additionally, librarians can correct duplicate entries, which are numerous and (to me) annoying. Downside - nonexistent (for me). The role's purely voluntary and devoid of pressure, quotas, deadlines.

04-24-2014, 07:06 PM	#11
gabby98 Wizard Posts: 1,751 Karma: 2667650 Join Date: Jul 2012 Device: Android, Nook Simple Touch, Nook Color, ..., Glo	Sounds like I sh/could just go for it...so far sounds like something I can do and not work about falling behind/disappointing time wise. Ty to everyone who has replied or will

04-25-2014, 09:10 AM	#12
RHWright Addict Posts: 219 Karma: 2617122 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: North Carolina Device: NOOK ST, Nexus 7	There aren't any disadvantages I've encountered. There are many positives if you have an eye for details and use the site to catalog your library (not everyone does). It gives you the ability to edit existing entries, which was important to me since I was finding many of the books I was adding to my shelves had missing or incorrect info. If you are accepted, I recommend starting slowly, reading the Librarians' Manual, consulting it frequently, and asking in the Librarians' group if you're not sure about anything. Since correct covers were important to me, reading up on the standards for alternate covers—where there is one ISBN, but multiple cover versions over the years—was a biggie. There are a variety of agreed on community standards for handling issues, so read up and ask questions. It has no time commitment; it's really up to you how much you want to involve yourself.

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04-25-2014, 01:47 PM	#13
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,422 Karma: 85397180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	No downsides -- I became one, and used it maybe once or twice. I haven't been pressured into doing anything yet. It's basically a manual way of stopping newbies from scribbling all over the book details. In a similar way to how MR limits what a new member can do (editing posts, I think, as well as adding a signature) until you have 50(?) posts.

04-25-2014, 03:28 PM	#14
usuallee Media Junkie Posts: 278 Karma: 2039392 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Pennsylvania, USA Device: Kobo Libra H20, Kindle PW	applied like a year ago, then forgot all about it until now. I never heard back from them. Oh, well.

04-26-2014, 10:22 PM	#15
Nothingness Zealot Posts: 111 Karma: 7574010 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Glo, Kobo Aura H2O Limited Edition	I'm a librarian on Goodreads. Like the other have said, it allows you to add books that are not there, edit infos and covers and make sure infos are as correct as possible. Some covers are small so if I find a bigger cover for a book, I'll delete the small one and replace it. I've added numerous books in French per example from France and Quebec.