LIBRARY THING

I attended many good sessions at last week's WLA conference. But perhaps the session that had the most immediate effect was the one on LIBRARY THING in a meeting sponsored by the Technology Group. I had heard of this software at the WAPL conference in spring, but it was one package among many that we were introduced to in Wisconsin Rapids. An entire program on LIBRARY THING was amazing.

This software is a wiki type of package which enables you to catalog your library on line. Typing in the ISBN number calls up an astounding amount of information about your book from sources such as the Library of Congress or data that has been logged in previously by other users of the system. There is security in the system so that you can remain as private as you like or you can open up portions of your data to share with others. The system is free up to your first 200 books. After that it is $10 per year or $25 lifetime. Such a deal!

There is a tutorial on the site that will walk you through all the features. You owe it to yourself to see how this system can make cataloging your own library a treat.

LIBRARY THING is being used by some small libraries who are not attached to some large system, as their cataloging device. Try it at www.librarything.com