Social reading is “actually quite simple: people want to share what they have read with other people and receive feedback about their thoughts and ideas.” (Mennella, 2001)
Two social reading platforms are GoodReads and Library Thing. These services allow Readers to create a catalogue of the books they own, have read and intend to read. These catalogues are shared with the GoodReads community along with star ratings and reviews.
These networks also allow readers to “be their own librarian” common features include the ability to:
- Gather metadata about your collection
- Track your reading and list your to do read pile
- Arrange your collection on virtual shelves or by tagging in ways that make sense to you
- Connect to other readers or groups and get recommendations from them
- Rate and review books you’re read
- Participate in Book Club style discussions of authors, works or genres
- Access prepub and free copies of books for review
Both networks also offer Facebook and twitter integration for those who like to share more widely.
EXPLORE
- Sign up for a Goodreads, Library Thing or other social reading account. Having trouble choosing have a look at Library Thing vs Goodreads by Amanda Nelson of Book Riot. (nearly a year old so take with a pinch of salt gives a nice sense of the different flavours of each service)
- Download the Goodreads app and experience the geeky pleasure of using a barcode reader recreationally
- Join a group on Goodreads or Library Thing and compare the activity to in person bookclubs you offer or attend.
DISCOVER
- What’s on the horizon for social reading
- What is Social Reading and Why Should Libraries Care? a guest Post by Amanda Mennella for Tame the Web
- How does this apply to ebooks
THINKING POINTS
- Could you use for social reading tools in your library?
- Compare this current openness about reading history with the protests by Librarians against of the patriot act. Do your clients have the digital literacy to protect their privacy and personal brand when sharing their reading lives?
- Do companies like Goodreads and Library Thing who are providing services traditionally associated with libraries present a threat or an opportunity for Libraries
This post is based on 23mobilethings.net Thing 10.
ANZ 23 Mobile Things 
I joined LibraryThing years ago but never really got into it. Recently I joined GoodReads because it will probably help me serve my customers better. And as a fiction buyer, it might useful too. I’m not a hard-out devotee yet, but increasingly I’m seeing the benefits.
I use LibraryThing to catalogue the books I own, and Goodreads as a list of the books I have read. This seems to suit the functionality of each site. I’m less interested in the social aspects, but both sites do give interesting recommendations.
I’ve been a member of Librarything but Like Cath never got into however have enjoyed exploring it find new things out.
I am a member of both Library Thing and Goodreads but never seem to find the time to explore them properly. I do look at the reviews on Goodreads in my role as a fiction buyer, mostly to determine what genre a particular title would fall under- the reviews give just the detail I need.