I’m just finishing my summer semester, and am looking forward to some pleasure reading before I begin to read texts again for my fall classes. I’ve just brought some non-fiction books from the library, and hope to start on one of them tonight. I’ll choose from Daniel Goleman’s Ecological Intelligence, Michael Asher’s Death in the Sahara, and Temple Grandin’s Animals Make us Human. I hope to find a good mystery to fit into my reading in the next two weeks also. The choices are difficult!
I created this blog as an assignment for one of my classes at Emporia State University. I hesitated to update the blog until it had been graded, but that has occurred, so I’m back with a few additional thoughts about goodreads.
I hope you’ve had a chance to look at the site. Did you take the tour? If not, look at the upper right part of the main page for goodreads, just under the banner of books, and locate the options to register, tour, or sign in. “Register” allows you to sign up and become a member, with a name, email address and password. “Sign in” is where you’ll enter your sign in name and password if you're already a member. But “tour” is a good way to read about the options of this site if you're not sure whether you want to join.
As a member, you can find people with similar reading interests, and start or join a group to talk about books…an online book club. You can list books on your bookshelves, starting with the existing choices of "read", "currently reading" or "to read", or you can create your own categories of books (a good way to keep track of books you’ve considered reading or have already discussed in a live book club). You can see what others are reading, and how they’ve rated the books, which can give you ideas for books you’d like to read. You can even learn about specific books, including a nearby library or bookstore that has the one you'd like to borrow or buy.
I’m still learning about goodreads and hope you are, too.
My next blog post will include some information about book club kits at the Pikes Peak Library District. These are a great way to provide books to an entire book club (up to 12 copies for your members). The books in this special collection are varied, and the collection continues to increase, so you'll have lots to choose from. Happy reading!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Let's talk about sharing information about books
When I was a child visiting the small library in my home town, each book I checked out had a pocket glued to the front cover. Inside the pocket was a file card with the name of those people who had checked out the book. I would sign my name and put the card in the file box on the librarian’s desk.
I know I’m dating myself, but we really did check books out that way! There was no concern about the privacy of those who had read the book previously. I could look to see who else had checked that book out from the library & talk with that person about the book…did he like it? What did she learn? What other books did that reader check out & like? What authors were similar in writing style?
With our more modern privacy laws and respect for confidentiality of borrower records, this is definitely an experience of the past! But there are book clubs and websites where we can recapture the job of discussing good and not-so-good reads with others. And in this post, I’d like to show you a website dedicated to books and readers. goodreads is a place we can go online to enjoy book conversations and more!
You probably noticed that the term goodreads in the last paragraph shows in a different color and with an underline. Those characteristics indicate a link. If you'll move your computer mouse to that word and click the left button, a new computer website called goodreads will appear. This is a great place to learn about books and authors and to participate in the social networking I mentioned in my last post. Here at goodreads, you can meet other readers with interests like yours.
The first page at goodreads is the welcome page. You'll need an email address, and a password to sign up. Then you'll be directed to a page where you can link other email addresses you have. This is optional, but adds to the social networking of goodreads, as you can then be linked to other members of goodreads that share your email provider.
Next is a book compatibility test where you can review selected books, to add to your profile on the site. You can also see who is on goodreads at that time, and can start a conversation on the spot!
Try linking to goodreads and sign up if you'd like to add online book conversations to your life. In my next blog post, I'll help you explore more of goodreads, and I hope to have some feedback from each of you. Let me know what you think of this blog. Is it helpful & informative, or too basic? Tell me what you think of goodreads. And let me know what you're reading now! Thanks.
I know I’m dating myself, but we really did check books out that way! There was no concern about the privacy of those who had read the book previously. I could look to see who else had checked that book out from the library & talk with that person about the book…did he like it? What did she learn? What other books did that reader check out & like? What authors were similar in writing style?
With our more modern privacy laws and respect for confidentiality of borrower records, this is definitely an experience of the past! But there are book clubs and websites where we can recapture the job of discussing good and not-so-good reads with others. And in this post, I’d like to show you a website dedicated to books and readers. goodreads is a place we can go online to enjoy book conversations and more!
You probably noticed that the term goodreads in the last paragraph shows in a different color and with an underline. Those characteristics indicate a link. If you'll move your computer mouse to that word and click the left button, a new computer website called goodreads will appear. This is a great place to learn about books and authors and to participate in the social networking I mentioned in my last post. Here at goodreads, you can meet other readers with interests like yours.
The first page at goodreads is the welcome page. You'll need an email address, and a password to sign up. Then you'll be directed to a page where you can link other email addresses you have. This is optional, but adds to the social networking of goodreads, as you can then be linked to other members of goodreads that share your email provider.
Next is a book compatibility test where you can review selected books, to add to your profile on the site. You can also see who is on goodreads at that time, and can start a conversation on the spot!
Try linking to goodreads and sign up if you'd like to add online book conversations to your life. In my next blog post, I'll help you explore more of goodreads, and I hope to have some feedback from each of you. Let me know what you think of this blog. Is it helpful & informative, or too basic? Tell me what you think of goodreads. And let me know what you're reading now! Thanks.
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