LibraryThing is an online cataloging system that incorporates web2.0 features like shared reviews, ratings, recommendations, and tags. Libraries can integrate LibraryThing with their OPACs and provide these Amazon-like features to their users.

Case #1: LibraryThing at University of Texas – Austin Library

LibraryThing record for UT-Austin Library

The University of Texas – Austin’s library catalog is easily accessible from the library’s homepage. UT-Austin uses WebPac Pro and pulls in data from Google Books and LibraryThing. I conducted a search for “mansfield park” and examined this resulting record, the 2005 Cambridge edition of Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park. Below the “traditional” catalog record information, a box with data imported from LibraryThing shows “Other Editions and Translations,” “Recommended Books,” and LT user tags including “19th century,” “Austen,” “British,” and “romance,” which are all hyperlinked. Clicking on the tag “romance” results in a “Tag Browser” pop-up box that displays the item’s tags, other user tags related to the “romance” tag (such as “Shakespeare” and “Japan” in this case), and a list of other items available through the library that are tagged with “romance” (such as novels by Diana Gabaldon, Jennifer Crusie, Nicholas Sparks, and even Twilight by Stephenie Meyer). The LT tags add great value to browsing activities and perform a sort of readers’ advisory service based on items that share the same tags.

Case #2: LibraryThing at Randolph County Public Library

LibraryThing in RCPL's OPAC

Randolph County Public Library in North Carolina also has a LibraryThing implementation in their OPAC, which uses the Horizon ILS. I conducted the same search in their catalog, “mansfield park,” and retrieved the above record for a 2004 Barnes and Noble edition of Austen’s work. The information imported from LibraryThing is very similar to UT-Austin’s, but the layout is slightly different; there is a link to LibraryThing reviews (51 reviews with an average of 4/4 stars), then tags are sandwiched between “Similar Books” and “Other Editions.” I clicked on the “romance” tag and a similar pop-up box appeared, displaying the current item’s tags, other tags related to the “romance” tag, and again, other items available at the library tagged with “romance.” These related tags and items differed from the tags that appeared for UT-Austin (many more Twilight-related books), so I assume that LibraryThing is somehow restricting the pool of “related items” it searches, presumably to books within the library’s own collection.

Comparison

Both of these tools are implemented similarly; the main variance was layout and that may have to do with the difference in OPACs being used and the way LT data is translated into each. Also, UT-Austin’s catalog displays Library of Congress subject headings first, then the LT tags towards the bottom of the page. The LT tags employ more natural language and basic vocabulary than the LC subject headings, and may provide a preferred alternate way for users to browse and discover materials. Randolph Public Library’s display omits subject headings and only uses the LibraryThing tags. I like having easy access to reviews by other readers, but I feel a bit uncomfortable with completely replacing the subject headings with tags!