Library Thing

Original Email sent: 9/18/2008

I thought I'd share something that I saw recently on the Archives Listserv.  Many libraries are using the "LibraryThing" website:

http://www.librarything.com/

to recreate historic libraries.  The "John Adams" Library made me think of the Riversdale Bookshelf (which is a project we have at the University of Maryland)

http://www.librarything.com/profile/JohnAdams

I'm not sure exactly how complicated it is to use, but I think visitors can add books to the system as well. It made me think of the Riversdale Bookshelf site and the Calvert Library project (http://www.lib.umd.edu/RARE/MarylandCollection/Riversdale/biblios/calvertlibrary.html)

And how different this project might have been if this technology had been available 5 years ago. This could be the next "upgrade" of the site.  (I know no one will ever get to it, but maybe a practicum student might someday...)

And I am also wondering if we might want to examine putting things like our repository descriptions on a site like LibraryThing, rather than on an internal Wiki.  Once again, I am not experienced with Library Thing, and maybe others on this list are, but it seems like this would be a great way to put up repository listings.  Users can search LibraryThing for venues within X number of miles from a given zip code...

Just something to ponder!

[Originally posted by Jennie Levine]