LibraryThing for Libraries in Danbury
"You got your chocolate in my peanut butter!"I've said I wouldn't do as much cross-posting, now that we have a combined blog feed (see over on the right). But I thought I'd mention it here, and explain a bit about what it means for LibraryThing.
First, as members of LibraryThing, you should feel proud that your data—anonymous and aggregate, as the Terms of Use say—is helping library patrons to find books. Your passions—the books on your shelves—beat statistical "paths" through books that others can follow. Your tags--the way you think about your stuff--will help people find subjects not covered by traditional subject classification.
For those concerned about development time, I want to emphasize that LibraryThing for Libraries is good for LibraryThing. On the most basic level, it's going to help our bottom line. That means more programmers making features and fixing bugs. Conceivably, it could mean cheaper accounts.
It also deepens our relationship with libraries, and returns a favor. LibraryThing was built on library data, and we've been graciously invited into the library conversation. We are charging for LibraryThing for Libraries, but our prices are in an entirely different league from what libraries are accustomed to pay for their online catalog software. And as these catalogs add "social" features, LibraryThing for Libraries will exert powerful downward pressure on prices. Ultimately, the industry needs a newcomer to take a huge slice of a smaller market. We're not going to be that company, but we can push the trend along.
LibraryThing for Libraries has also taught us a lot about library catalogs. These are some thorny, mysterious systems! Until now, we've relied exclusively on the simplicity of Z39.50 connections, which most libraries don't have. But we can do more. With out new-found experience, we can start connecting to the remaining 95%. If nothing else, this should help our language reach.
posted by Tim at 11:48 AM
17 Comments:
"Conceivably, it could mean cheaper accounts."
Given that LibraryThing is already incredibly "cheap" at $25 for a lifetime membership, I think most of us would greatly favor any extra lucre going towards "more programmers making features and fixing bugs"!!!
I completely agree with btripp!
Yeah, but I keep bumping into people who hit 200 and stopped. I hit one in Portsmouth the other day--a bookstore employee. It kills me.
There is the attitude online that everything should be free. Even if the cost went down to $5 for a lifetime account there would still be complaining and abandoned accounts after 200 books.
Hi folks.
I recently (May 3) added a link to LibraryThing on my library home page (Redwood High School, Larkspur, CA) to list our new materials. I thought I wouldn't have time to add tags but have done it for most items on our list. I have typically sent out a list of new materials to the staff but had no easy way to reach students with such a list. Now I can direct them to the LibraryThing link to see recent additions to our collections. I will be continuing to explore other uses for LibraryThing and will certainly be keeping up with the blog. Thanks.
When the wealth of knowledge that has been culled from LibraryThing users is shared with public librarys it can only enhance the brand.
Just think of all the people who line up at a library book sale looking for a real good book for a really cheap price.
Do you think this crowd is like those who have only cataloged no more than 200 books?
That is one smooth integration! I am actually currently in library school and am studying subject classification this quarter. I think I'll have to start a conversation about the possibilities of tagging and all the great info added by LT users.
Maybe instead of lowering the price you can raise the limit of books a free account can enter?
I agree that lowering the price really isn't going to bring a significant amount of people in. Even when a monetary commitment is small, people tend to think twice about spending money on the Internet.
(Example: a SomethingAwful account is only $10 for a lifetime membership, but everytime I think I should sign up, I always manage to talk myself out of it with the rationale I'm probably not going to use it enough to justify spending any amount of money. Weird, huh?)
Have you guys checked out Amazon's own Your Media Library? It allows you to add unlimited titles for free.
Great idea. Keep up the innovative, good work
This is a cool thing. Do you think you'd be able to enhance a university collection consisting mainly of Japanese-language books?
I'd also like to echo btripp and zoe. Unless you bring the price down to something ridiculous like $5 for a lifetime membership, I doubt that many people will be sensitive to any price drops. FWIW, let me say that the fact that there is a lifetime option is what swayed me. I worry about any payment that is going to hit me every year.
I agree with Rick, lifetime-onetime payment was my choice too. As for bringing the price down to lure members--sometimes raising the price adds cachet. It's the old saw, "Things are worth what you pay for them." So, build the site, don't change the fees but you can tinker with the number of free books. The folks who abandon their accounts at 200 can't be all that interested in maintaining personal records.
This is great. Wish my library would tag books and employ "Suggester" in its catalog searches!
Congratulations. Any chance of having a mini-check out feature for the common LT guys. Just loaned a book to a friend last Friday and some way to track the dozen or so books out would be cool. No better place than LibraryThing! Ciao!
It's a great idea.
Today I sent to my friend this message, but I found Danbury Library OPAC didn't show the tags, similar books and other editions form librarything.
Will you bring this service back in the near future?
thank you:)
Try here:
http://cat.danburylibrary.org/search/i?SEARCH=0670880728
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