> The catalog isn't for possession, inventory control, or copyright
> compliance. It's for actual use by readers.
>
> I was just saying today that about the first thing I do with a new
> machine is get its network card working. I'm telling you, this
> knowledge, communication, society thing, which is to say, this web
> thing, is catching on.
I would like to see a RefThing that allowed me to catalog and share
citations for the many articles I use for my work. RefWorks may be stuffy
and a bit stodgy when compared to LT, but it does *that.* On the other hand,
a single-format application still can be very popular: look at Flickr.
On the other hand, even if you aren't a book geek, you should be able to see
the power of what happens when a small cataloging application becomes social
software. Catalog all my books and stare at my database? I don't think so.
Share what I read and what my collateral book ownership is through an
application that allows ridiculously easy search and retrieval? O.k., now
we're talking.
In terms of "whoever would want to know what others are reading," book
review blogs and uber-blogs (such as Critical Mass) are hugely popular. In
fact, every time I review a book on my blog I get mail from non-librarians
thanking me because they like to know what librarians recommend. Most
catalogs are rock-dumb inventory devices that don't easily enable librarians
to do some of the things they do best and are most appreciated for, include
providing trusted recommendations for good things to read.
Karen G. Schneider
kgs_at_bluehighways.com
Received on Thu Jun 22 2006 - 08:58:12 EDT