13 December 2007

Booking Through Thursday: Catalogue

Do you use any of the online book-cataloguing sites, like Library Thing or Shelfari? Why or why not? (Or ... do you have absolutely no idea what I’m talking to?? (grin))

If not an online catalogue, do you use any other method to catalogue your book collection? Excel spreadsheets, index cards, a notebook, anything?

I’m only vaguely aware that book-cataloguing sites exist! So that’s a no. Although I’ve been listing the books I read for several years, I’ve never really considered keeping a list of all the ones I own. My collection is fairly small (only a little over 300) so I have no trouble remembering what I’ve got and am in no danger of doubling up inadvertently. Ergo, I can’t be bothered. But now that the idea has been put to me I think I will have to investigate the options for keeping some kind of computerised record, if only for insurance purposes in case of freak accident or natural disaster (or bookloving burglar).

8 comments:

  1. I adore LibraryThing. My username is 3M3M. Look me up if you join LT!

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  2. 300 small? I have just under 200. I use LibraryThing. It's addictive.

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  3. When I've tried to do the whole database of books things it was with insurance in mind too. I'd lose a fortune in books!

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  4. I use Library Thing, but I have been lazy about listing all my books. I have quite a few, so it is good to have a record of them as sometimes I will buy something I already have, but just don't know where it is. I also write down titles that I've read, but I have a plain little journal for that.

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  5. No self respecting thief steals books. I am very glad about that!

    Booking through Cataloguing

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  6. 300 is a fairly small collection? That's nearly as many books as the English books collection of the library I usually borrow from. The number's so small because English isn't the primary language here, but still you have more books in your personal collection than the only library in my town. You still complaining? [grin]

    If you're looking to keep an electronic database, LibraryThing and Shelfari look like the best options. I also came across BookDB software recently which also seems to be a good candidate if you're looking for software that you can use when you're offline.

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  7. I'm like you, I don't catalog either. And, again like you, I now wonder if I should be?!?!
    Diane

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  8. Well, maybe 300+ books isn't that small a collection, but it feels small because a. I have a clear idea of what's in it and b. I haven't run out of space yet!

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Header image shows detail of A Young Girl Reading by Jean-Honoré Fragonard, c. 1776