I missed last week’s BTT, so this time I’m doing two weeks in one!
This week:
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 catalog, do you use any other method to catalog your book collection? Excel spreadsheets, index cards, a notebook, anything?
I’ve tried to use cataloging software once or twice, but a couple of things prevent me from actually making it work. I lack enough shelves for my books, making it impossible to dig them all up/keep track of them all, so inputting the massive amount of current ones would be prohibitive. To make it an even halfway reasonable task I’d need a barcode scanner and more bookshelves.
However, that wouldn’t make up for the fact that I’m scatterbrained and forgetful, which means that I’d soon start forgetting to input new books, and then the catalog wouldn’t be at all accurate, and I’d give up.
Last week:
This week’s question is suggested by Island Editions:
Do you have a favourite book, now out of print, that you would like to see become available again? (I have several…)
Absolutely. I mourn the fact that Word Painting apparently went out of… hey wait a minute. It’s back in print!
WOOHOO! No more telling people they should track down a used copy!
Ahem. Okay. The second-most-often mourned out-of-print book in this household would be Janice Henderson’s White Chocolate cookbook.
While I’m posting, time to update on reviews. I’ve posted my third annual gift recommendations for cooks (mostly awesome cookbooks), and a review of the Baker’s Edge Pan.
I don’t have enough shelf space either, but I do find that cataloguing at least helps me to keep track of my books! I have Library Thing as a tab on my browser and just add any new books to my library as they come in – that way it’s not too lengthy a task, even if I’ve had a secondhand bookshop spree.
I’m a LibraryThing user. White Chocolate sounds good!
GC: If it was a matter of “just” adding new books as they come in, I would have had that catalogue years ago. As I said, it’s the memory part that’s the problem. Or perhaps you thought I was joking—people usually do when I say I have a memory like Swiss cheese without the cheese, but the truth is, that’s quite accurate. And short-term memory is the worst—so no, remembering to “just” add new books as they come in is far, far from a trivial task for me. Any kind of task that requires that kind of remembering to do something within a particular amount of time on a regular basis will fall apart for me. But then, I have trouble remembering from one second to the next which web page I was going to go to. You’d think I was 94, not 34, but then, I’ve been like this as long as I can remember. Probably has something to do with the ADD/ PTSD/ bipolar or the meds for those.
Chris: Those programs look like so much fun. I really do wish I could use one consistently because I know I’d enjoy it! And yes, that White Chocolate cookbook is to-die-for! The mousse is my favorite. 🙂
I don’t have enough shelf space either. Just last weekend, I have cleared a lot of read books to our storeroom where we also keep all the other stuff. The hubs has specially cleared a shelf space for me just for the purpose, I’m so grateful, haha…so that means I have some rooms for my current books, but of course that will be filled pretty soon, ahem! LOL.
At times I too feel is it worth the travel. All my kiddie books ARE catalogued! I loved doing it in my school days.
http://readingandmorereading.blogspot.com/2007/12/booking-through-cataloguing.html
When I found Library Thing last year, I went ahead and purchased the life-time subscription. Figured I would use it!! I’m gradually adding my books. But with the amount I have, it could take a while!!
Happy Thursday!!
I don’t cataloged, though I did begin once and got about 100 books in before I decided I wasn’t that interested. I do group by authors when I box, and try to either label the box or write the authors (and series) on a piece of paper that floats over the books. That was a decent compromise for a while, though annoying when it came time to rotate which books were displayed on the shelves.
Over the last few years, Jennifer and I bought a lot of shelf space, so now my books are about 75% on shelves. I’ve also become a zealous library convert; I don’t buy books for myself any longer and am looking at getting rid of novels that were one decent read, but that I’ll never read again…
More on topic: I just joined the free version of library thing earlier this week. I doubt I’ll catalog much with it, but I like the idea that the potential is there.
I’m so anal about adding new books in that something like LT is really practical for me, but I can see why that might not be the case for you. 🙂 You just have to go with what works best for you–if anything at all.