Book Crossing and Library Thing
Image taken from Phil Moore’s photos on Flickr.com.
If you’re a big reader, there is no better place to go than the public library, of course. However, if you’re also a big web user, there are many ways online that you can share your love for reading with readers everywhere. There are two websites that are great for this.
- Library Thing
You can put all of the books that you read on this website, by creating lists and even cataloging them. Library Thing also allows you to view lists from other readers with similar interests. I first heard about this site from some librarian friends of mine who swear by it. - BookCrossing
A fellow employee here at the WPL first brought this site to my attention. The object of this site is to “help make the whole world a library” by allowing users to register books on the site, and then leaving them in various places for readers to find. For example, say you really loved the book, Bel Canto by Ann Patchett but wanted to give your copy away so that others can enjoy it. You can leave it at the Alewife T station after registering it with BookCrossing. Someone else will find it, read it, and then leave it in another public place.
posted by: Laura
Laura,
I was JUST in Waltham as well as Fitchburg scheduled to give a talk on BookCrossing…wish I saw this earlier! Hope you continue to use BookCrossing and like the folks at Librarything as well
Scott
CEO BookCrossing
Bookmooch.com is a very cool site as well… and I think the library could sign up for users to gift points for books you want to acquire.
This video explains the concept – http://www.videosift.com/video/Never-buy-a-book-again-BookMooch