Okay so this weeks social media topic is creation and the mission for this week is to create something using social media. Yay creation, but wait, you mean on the computer. So my crochet monster stuffy doesn’t qualify? Oh well.
I took the opportunity to explore another social media utility I have recently joined but haven’t yet had a chance to really explore: LibraryThing. I joined LibraryThing back in June after discussing it and Goodreads in class and among classmates. I love the idea of having a complete list of the books I’ve read, reading and writing reviews, creating a wish list (accessible anywhere there is internet, because I always forget my list on the fridge at home!), organizing collections, etc. Really, what librarian-wannabe wouldn’t like something like LibraryThing? I chose LibraryThing over Goodreads because I was informed by friends it was more “librarianish.”
Things I have done so far on LibraryThing:
- Read reviews
- Added books to My Library (not realizing that I really should have been adding them to My To-Read list)
- Applied for early review copies of books (because who doesn’t like free books). I asked for any book available for Canada.
- Received and read 1 advance copy of a romance ebook.
Today I moved up the social media participation ladder to critic by posting my review of Santa Fe Fandango by Elinor Groves (advanced copy). This was good for many reasons:
- I like creating.
- I have to as part of the agreement for advance copies and it will help me get more advance copies.
- I was forced to use more of the applications tools, including the help wiki.
Why did I have to use the help wiki? Why was submitting my carefully crafted review (structure stolen from/ inspired by Gene Aubaum’s reviews on Unshelved.com) an exercise in frustration? Because of how LibraryThing insists on adding books to My Library.
To add a book to My Library LibrarThing searches external catalogues like Amazon.com and Library of Congress for records matching your search criteria. You pick your book out of the results and LibraryThing imports the record into your collection. Simple right? Think again. An advance copy, even though it has an ISBN isn’t in any of those catalogues yet! But other reviewers have already created a record for this book so I should be able to add it to my library from the book’s main page, right?
Wrong. Clicking the “Add to My Library” button takes you to the search page. So I have to add it manually and so did the other 14 reviewers which means there are 15 separate records for this books. Can we say redundant? Why can’t I search and add records from within LibraryThing?
But, after cursing the application, I created the record (more creation!) and added my review. I guess it all works out in the end. The good part about social media applications like LibraryThing is that they are changing, updating and improving and I can have a say in how that happens. I just have to find the right forum in which to do so.
After all that, here’s the review:
Santa Fe Fandango by Elinor Groves
Matti Glover is a sensible artist making a living in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She spends her days working on advertising for local businesses and her evenings painting and spending time with her best friend Bram Daniels. When Bram has to go out of town on business, Matti gladly moves into his beautiful, gated community home in order to take care of his beloved cats. Pheasant Hill often plays host to celebrities but Matti is still shocked to see non other than Antonio Reed, the new hot film star and Matti’s favourite actor, walk through the main building. After she safes him from a gaggle of rambunctious girl scouts, Matti has a chance to get to know the real Antonio Reed, if she can keep her own fangirl inclinations in check.
Why I picked it up: I was just finishing my first semester of my masters program and could really use some fun light reading. I requested it as an advance copy reviewer and got it!
Why I finished it: If you are female, replace Antonio with any of your favourite male actors and you’ll be hooked. Nobody likes to admit it but we’ve all had this daydream at least once. Besides, the setting is beautiful and the writing is liquid.
Who I’d give it to: My roommate who is in the same program as me and needs a break just as much. We both enjoy a guilty read once in a while, especially when we can share it with someone else.
3 replies on “A chance to explore LibraryThing! or an exercise in frustration.”
That’s so strange. I’ve never had that problem with my advance reader copies through LibraryThing. I search and there’s a copy there. Maybe it’s the ebook nature.
I do think LibraryThing is more librarianish but that’s because I like cataloguing. And they maintain decent Work/Expression relationships. I tend to use LibraryThing to catalogue the books I own, and Goodreads to keep track of what I’m reading (including library books), which means I’m in Goodreads more, but when I go on a cataloguing spree I’m doing it in LibraryThing. For both of them I don’t like putting full reviews over there; I do reviews on my blog, librarianaut.com and post links to them on those sites. But that’s ’cause I’m antisocial.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Reta. It sounds like LibraryThing can have its ups and downs. How do you find its search features? Is it easy to look up books you have put into your account?
I haven’t added that many yet so I haven’t tried to search My Library. They do a combination of hierarchical and tagging organization though so I think you can do it however you want. I’ll let you know once I really start using it more. It’s kind of like organizing photos, I really have to sit down and spend some time on it to get it going.