Library Stuff

+ In library school, there was an ongoing debate- LibraryThing or GoodReads? While the more casual book nerd seemed to go for GoodReads, the hardcore amongst us had overly detailed LibraryThing catalogs of their extensive libraries, down to the Dewey Decimal numbers. At the time, I was a little busy to investigate the inner workings of LibraryThing and was suffering from Cataloging 101 night terrors (a common occurrence, should my class discussion board be any proof) so I was squarely Team GoodReads. Now that the 2020 pandemic has given me more time, I’m still falling Alice-style down the LibraryThing rabbit hole as there’s a lot to discover over there. To be honest, when it comes down to it, I feel like I can truthfully say Goodreads and LibraryThing cannot be compared to each other.  While similar on the surface, each is unique and offers the bookish user something different. Disagree? Debate me in the Comments section. Either way, check out both for yourself. Maybe I’ll see you around the digital shelves.

+ Did you get sucked into Emily in Paris on Netflix this October? How could you not– a frothy romp through a Disney-fied Parisian coupled with career/personal life wish fulfillment is exactly what this American girl needed real bad come Autumn. Know what’s an equally fun, if not more dignified way to spend a half hour? Perusing the American Library in Paris website. For a small fee, you can become a member and join in on virtual events, or for free, you can longingly gaze at their instagram page. Try not to drool on your computer as you contemplate the luxury of reading while seated along the Seine, a warm chocolate croissant in hand.

+ Is your local library closed or operating at half capacity during the pandemic? Are the online waitlists for e-books just a little to long? (Shout-out to the copy of Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong that I put on hold at the start of July and am still #8 on the list in mid-October) If you aren’t too concerned about keeping up with recent publications, then Project Gutenberg is for you. With a focus on “older works for which U.S. copyright has expired,” Project Gutenberg is a volunteer-digitized collection of over 60,000 free e-books. Available in epub or Kindle format, there’s plenty to choose from. You may even find something totally unexpected, like my current fav How to Make Sock Toys which will be very useful come holiday time. You get a sock monkey! You get a sock monkey! Everybody gets a sock monkey!