What Are We Waiting For?

Assignment #7

Looking at Shelfari, Goodreads and Library Thing, I am struck by the human need to do something as private and internal as reading and then turn it into a social formula, where you have all this discourse about what you read. If Facebook is the model for how we are coming to interact as a species then these three seem to be paralleling that trajectory.

With that said, in terms of whether or not we adopt the Shelfari presentation and would that activate MCPLD's blog -- I think it is a good idea. The Boulder Libraries Good Reads had me initally questioning its relevance, especially with it advertising accupuncturists in the Boulder/Denver area and how can you not smile about "Boulder, CO?" Needles aside, these sites seem to integrate facebook, blogs, and reading recommendations in fun ways. I used to type up my old reading lists on a typewriter thinking that some day I was going to want to know all the books I had read in my lifetime. Here, you can do that in a way that is somehow more meaningful. My only request is that if you choose the Goodreads/Library website model, then please use a graphic designer for at least the home page so it looks inescapably compelling. Boulder's is weak. As a final thought, I would be far more interested in joining in if it were associated with my home area library. That way I can put faces to who's doing the reading -- it fosters community in my mind.