LibraryThing.com

ahi · 06-18-2009, 04:11 PM

*** If the moderators feel this belongs in lounge, please move it there and accept my apologies. ***

As a result of the fabulous Discworld thread that now has me heartily into the second half of "The Colour of Magic", I have just discovered the LibraryThing.com website.

It already seems pretty amazing, and with a lot of yet to be realized potential... which is what makes the (thus far) seemingly frequent bugginess more than forgivable.

Given that there seems to be quite a lot and there are more than a few things I do not fully understand yet, I'd love to get some other LibraryThing.com users' tips and perspectives...

- So what's your favourite feature?
- What's functionality that you didn't get and first but learned to utilize and now "couldn't live without"?
- How many of you managed to get free books via the Giveaways so far?
- Any other/unrelated tips or suggestions to a new user?

- Ahi

grooks · 06-18-2009, 04:18 PM

I started off using LibraryThing but have since moved my collection to Goodreads.com

ahi · 06-18-2009, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grooks

I started off using LibraryThing but have since moved my collection to Goodreads.com

What made you move? What does Goodreads have over LibraryThing? (I've never used Goodreads, and, as mentioned, just started on LibraryThing.)

- Ahi

queentess · 06-18-2009, 04:31 PM

I also use GoodReads - I looked at LibraryThing, but it didn't seem to have the same indepth social aspect that GoodReads does. Of course, that may have changed by now.

Another one I've heard tossed around but never used is Shelfari.

ahi · 06-18-2009, 04:36 PM

Do the alternatives also integrate with international book databases? More than half my library is non-English so if I can only load books from Amazon.com and/or the Library of Congress, it's not viable for my purposes.

- Ahi

queentess · 06-18-2009, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahi

Do the alternatives also integrate with international book databases? More than half my library is non-English so if I can only load books from Amazon.com and/or the Library of Congress, it's not viable for my purposes.

I can only speak for GoodReads here, but it has nothing to do with Amazon or LoC. I was once able to manually add a book that I couldn't find (it was an self-published book).

I don't know what's available as far as integration -- I use it for my reading list, not to track what books I own. If you're looking for a database to track your books and how much they're worth, GoodReads is not for you.

queentess · 06-18-2009, 04:47 PM

The competitor thing was actually brought up on GoodReads just last month. You can view the thread here: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...ads-competitor

ahi · 06-18-2009, 04:56 PM

Thanks for the link to that thread. I think I get it.

For my personal needs, the social aspect is not important at all, but having Hungarian national catalogue and Canadian national catalogue data access is. I do not get the impression that it is available, as querying the databases in real-time is time-intensive enough that it couldn't be fully hidden in the back-end.

Does Goodreads also have some a specific book giveaway/sharing/reviewing feature?

- Ahi

- Ahi

Gideon · 06-18-2009, 05:33 PM

I liked Goodreads quite a bit more, myself. I'm not good with the social parts of it (I don't know many people who read what I read) but I quite like the idea.

My profile is here if you join.

pking36330 · 06-18-2009, 07:39 PM

I'm a GoodReads member also and the reason is, it cost me $0 to enter my entire library in GoodReads and it would have cost me $10/year to do the same at LibraryThing since I have more than 200 books (the max free book limit on LibraryThing).

JSWolf · 06-18-2009, 10:47 PM

I have a librarything account which sits unused. I also have a Shelfari account and a GoodReads account. Of the three, Shefari is awful. The staff there don't care and errors can creep into book listings that they have to fix and they don't. It's a horrible site. LibraryThing is ok. Nothing special about it to be honest. I do like GoodReads the best. It also has the best social aspect and the librarians are helpful.

ahi · 06-18-2009, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pking36330

I'm a GoodReads member also and the reason is, it cost me $0 to enter my entire library in GoodReads and it would have cost me $10/year to do the same at LibraryThing since I have more than 200 books (the max free book limit on LibraryThing).

Or $19 one time for a lifetime membership.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I have a librarything account which sits unused. I also have a Shelfari account and a GoodReads account. Of the three, Shefari is awful. The staff there don't care and errors can creep into book listings that they have to fix and they don't. It's a horrible site. LibraryThing is ok. Nothing special about it to be honest. I do like GoodReads the best. It also has the best social aspect and the librarians are helpful.

It seems to me librarything's primary appeal is for those with an international(ly published/sourced) collection. Without the 600+ worldwide book database connections (or, rather, the rights ones out of those 600) I'd have to add most of my books entirely manually. Or does GoodReads offer sourcing from international national library/other book databases too, JSWolf?

Social aspect and librarians aside, do you find there is a big difference between Librarything and GoodReads in terms of functionality offered?

- Ahi

Terisa de morgan · 06-19-2009, 04:07 AM

Hi,

do you anobii? Have you used it? Is it better or worse than these places?

Ciao

Terisa de Morgan

radamo · 06-19-2009, 09:33 AM

Thanks everyone for mentioning Goodreads.... I just tried to start using Librarything and looked at Goodreads today. I think it is much better for my use and more user friendly for adding books (less clicking back and forth)....
Nice site.

RA

Andybaby · 06-20-2009, 05:33 PM

I prefer Library thing, I think the social aspect of good reads sucks. I really don't need yet another forum. and Library thing has some cooler features, Most notibly great recommendations. decent book tracking, great series tracking, star system, good reviews of books, great author tracking, and I just like it better, more ways to sort and all that.

I liked good reads a little bit. it was easier to use, but there were few recommendations unless you get heavy into the social aspect, and I didn't want to do that.

06-18-2009, 04:11 PM	#1
ahi Wizard Posts: 1,790 Karma: 507333 Join Date: May 2009 Device: none	LibraryThing.com * If the moderators feel this belongs in lounge, please move it there and accept my apologies. * As a result of the fabulous Discworld thread that now has me heartily into the second half of "The Colour of Magic", I have just discovered the LibraryThing.com website. It already seems pretty amazing, and with a lot of yet to be realized potential... which is what makes the (thus far) seemingly frequent bugginess more than forgivable. Given that there seems to be quite a lot and there are more than a few things I do not fully understand yet, I'd love to get some other LibraryThing.com users' tips and perspectives... - So what's your favourite feature? - What's functionality that you didn't get and first but learned to utilize and now "couldn't live without"? - How many of you managed to get free books via the Giveaways so far? - Any other/unrelated tips or suggestions to a new user? - Ahi

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06-18-2009, 04:18 PM	#2
grooks Wizard Posts: 1,326 Karma: 30250 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Fort Myers, FL Device: Pocketbook Era, Kobo Forma	I started off using LibraryThing but have since moved my collection to Goodreads.com

06-18-2009, 04:31 PM	#4
queentess Reading is sexy Posts: 1,303 Karma: 544517 Join Date: Apr 2009 Device: none	I also use GoodReads - I looked at LibraryThing, but it didn't seem to have the same indepth social aspect that GoodReads does. Of course, that may have changed by now. Another one I've heard tossed around but never used is Shelfari.

06-18-2009, 04:36 PM	#5
ahi Wizard Posts: 1,790 Karma: 507333 Join Date: May 2009 Device: none	Do the alternatives also integrate with international book databases? More than half my library is non-English so if I can only load books from Amazon.com and/or the Library of Congress, it's not viable for my purposes. - Ahi

06-18-2009, 04:47 PM	#7
queentess Reading is sexy Posts: 1,303 Karma: 544517 Join Date: Apr 2009 Device: none	The competitor thing was actually brought up on GoodReads just last month. You can view the thread here: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...ads-competitor

06-18-2009, 04:56 PM	#8
ahi Wizard Posts: 1,790 Karma: 507333 Join Date: May 2009 Device: none	Thanks for the link to that thread. I think I get it. For my personal needs, the social aspect is not important at all, but having Hungarian national catalogue and Canadian national catalogue data access is. I do not get the impression that it is available, as querying the databases in real-time is time-intensive enough that it couldn't be fully hidden in the back-end. Does Goodreads also have some a specific book giveaway/sharing/reviewing feature? - Ahi - Ahi

06-18-2009, 05:33 PM	#9
Gideon Wearer of Pants Posts: 1,050 Karma: 7634 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Norman, OK Device: Amazon Kindle DX / iPhone	I liked Goodreads quite a bit more, myself. I'm not good with the social parts of it (I don't know many people who read what I read) but I quite like the idea. My profile is here if you join.

06-18-2009, 07:39 PM	#10
pking36330 FT Parent PT Reader Posts: 322 Karma: 187838 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: South Alabama Device: Shocked by how much I've read on an iPod Touch received as a gift!	I'm a GoodReads member also and the reason is, it cost me $0 to enter my entire library in GoodReads and it would have cost me $10/year to do the same at LibraryThing since I have more than 200 books (the max free book limit on LibraryThing).

06-18-2009, 10:47 PM	#11
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 80,782 Karma: 150249619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I have a librarything account which sits unused. I also have a Shelfari account and a GoodReads account. Of the three, Shefari is awful. The staff there don't care and errors can creep into book listings that they have to fix and they don't. It's a horrible site. LibraryThing is ok. Nothing special about it to be honest. I do like GoodReads the best. It also has the best social aspect and the librarians are helpful.

06-19-2009, 04:07 AM	#13
Terisa de morgan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,686 Karma: 12595249 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Device: Kobo Clara/Aura One/Forma,XiaoMI 5, iPad, Huawei MediaPad, YotaPhone 2	Hi, do you anobii? Have you used it? Is it better or worse than these places? Ciao Terisa de Morgan

06-19-2009, 09:33 AM	#14
radamo Addict Posts: 331 Karma: 175766 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Long Island, NY Device: Oasis 9th Gen	Thanks everyone for mentioning Goodreads.... I just tried to start using Librarything and looked at Goodreads today. I think it is much better for my use and more user friendly for adding books (less clicking back and forth).... Nice site. RA

06-20-2009, 05:33 PM	#15
Andybaby Wizard Posts: 1,279 Karma: 1002683 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: New York Device: PRS-700	I prefer Library thing, I think the social aspect of good reads sucks. I really don't need yet another forum. and Library thing has some cooler features, Most notibly great recommendations. decent book tracking, great series tracking, star system, good reviews of books, great author tracking, and I just like it better, more ways to sort and all that. I liked good reads a little bit. it was easier to use, but there were few recommendations unless you get heavy into the social aspect, and I didn't want to do that.