Collection Managers
Recently, I’ve been considering trying out a collection manager like Library Thing. However, I trying to figure out if it will suit my needs exactly. Currently, I keep what I refer to as my book spreadsheet that helps me to remember what I read, when, and how much I liked it. I also keep books that are suggested to me in it. Steven at Library Stuff seems to be using Library Thing in this manner but I want to import my current massive spreadsheet and be able to mess with my data. Listal has item status which I like. Reader2 let’s you display books on your blog. I also checked out Delicious Monster which is a Mac program. It looks very cool. You can scan the barcode on your book and it will add it. You can also import your book data from an existing file. (This is really what I need with my massive existing spreadsheet.) What I like best about it is that I can sync it with my iPod and take the data with me. This would be helpful when I’m visiting the library or the bookstore to get something new and can’t remember what I’ve read already.
Many of these tools are to be free (at the moment) and web-based, which makes them very appealling. Each seems to have its own strengths and weaknesses and features that I’d like to have. If only there was a product that would do it all! I’m going to have to do some further investigating and thinking before I make up my mind about which I might try out.
I would be glad to hear what you miss in Reader2, and add such functionality to my todo list (if it’s not already there :))
You can contact me by email, or post your ideas in bank of ideas at Reader2.
Hi. Here’s a pitch for my site, LibraryThing. (1) LibraryThing and Reader2 went public the same week. LibraryThing has some 5,300 users and 250,000 books. Reader2 has 861 users and 8,412 books. This means LibraryThing has attracted many more users and that these users have entered more than four times as many books each—an indication that adding books is quick and easy. Listal doesn’t publish numbers but comparisons of mentions in PubSub and traffic in Alexa show that it is running in third place, despite attempting to appeal to a larger group. LibraryThing and, I believe, Reader2, plan to expand their coverage. (2) LibraryThing also exports books to your browser (under “Extras”) and does so more flexibly and without requiring you to edit JavaScript. (3) Both LibraryThing and Reader2 are planing on iPod conversion. LibraryThing has a Palm developer doing a Palm version as well. LibraryThing has mass-import on its to-come list. The others may be planning that as well, but their reliance on Amazon may make this hard.
As for Delicious Monster, I say go for it. It does what it does very well and makes a nice compliment to LibraryThing. Indeed, LibraryThing debued with a Delicious Monster import, but it is now inoperable. Instead, we are now in discussions to provide closer integration between these two great products. Stay tuned.
Thanks,
Tim
PS: Feel free to email me with suggestions for what would push you over the edge.
PS: It seems I misspoke on one thing. Reader2 users have entered 15,000 books, 8,412 of which are “distinct.” This points out another difference: Reader2 doesn’t let you edit book data. By contrast, LibraryThing gives you more—including Deweys, LC call numbers, etc.—and lets you edit it all.
PPS: No need to publish these comments. I just figured I’d make the pitch, and thanks for listening.
Thought I better post a few words about my site ;)
Amazingly Listal launched on the same day as Librarything and Reader2, I was not aware of the other sites until a few days after when I saw them both on del.icio.us and was pretty shocked to say the least!
I would say in terms of traffic that Listal is in third place however I have not been actively promoting the site, the is mainly because I don’t think the site is ready yet (although this is probably the perfectionist in me talking!).
Obviously the advantage of Listal is that it allows you to catalog more than just books however I am missing some of the more advanced book based features. It will be interesting to see how these sites develop over the next few months, I certainly have many ideas I want to implement.
Hi, I am thrilled there’s competition in the Collection management area. I’m looking for software to run a small public library network and Koha/Liblime was the best choice so far. But it is based on the traditional concepts behind ILS (Integrated Library Systems), which makes it a little unwieldy as far as “the catalogue” goes.
These excellent new collection managers point to the future and I am really looking forward to seeing how far they get into ILS territory. All I can say, the big ILS vendors have all but given up on what they called OPAC or trying desperately to make them Intelligent (just a metaphor for integrating other electronic sources).
LibraryThing now imports Delicious Library, Reader2 and Listal files (not mention Amazon, Book Collector, etc.)—so you don’t need to choose at all! :)