Catalog those books!

I blogged about LibraryThing last year, and occasionally see references to it and think about signing up. Haven't done it yet, though....afraid it's another project that will suck me in and take up too much time. I do have a lot of books to catalog, though.

Meanwhile, LibraryThing is getting a lot of buzz. It was in Paula Hane's latest column in Information Today's Newsbreaks newsletter (August issue, not yet online), and she gives it rave reviews...although is also hesitant to actually start using it. It's in a section on other Cool Links for Book Lovers.

Library Thing collects the buzz here. (One blogger noted here is Gael at Pop Culture Junk Mail, who says she's hooked after recently signing up. Note her cool LibraryThing widget-thingy that displays random books from her collection.)

Also, Hane notes they've just added a Groups section, where the 'Librarians who LibraryThing' is the biggest group so far. They've added about 100 new members since Hane checked the count, so librarians must be signing up in droves.

There are a mindboggling number of groups already, everything from South American Fiction-Argentine Writers to Chocolate to Egyptian Fiction to Yard Sales.

The LibraryThing Zeitgeist is pretty fascinating, too, with things like biggest library (over 9,000 books) and most reviewed book (Da Vinci Code, duh!)

When I noted LibraryThing the first time I sugggested it'd be a great tool for small news libraries. But if you'd like to meet people through your taste in books, LibraryThing is a MySpace for readers. Better than hanging out at the local bookstore or library? Well, I don't know, but at least you don't have to keep quiet....

(Added later:) One more thing. Look how much information you get if you want to find out more about a book. I'm staying awake nights reading Love and Shadows. There are links to search, buy, read reviews, and find readers who own the book (97 of them).
Can't believe I've put off reading Isabel Allende so long. This nearly 20 year old book lets us know what we could be in for with a government that thinks keeping out and rounding up terrorists is its most important goal. We aren't this far - here, anyway - yet, but....much food for thought here. What a great book. Luckily, I have House of Spirits on the shelf too.