Worldcat.org: Thing #26

Learning more about Worldcat.org and the ability to create my own lists has been a fruitful experience. About a day after reviewing the basics of using the site, I had a patron ask me if there was a way he could look up books that he might want to request via interlibrary loan. I immediately showed him Worldcat.org and told him of the list feature. He was hooked and later thanked me for showing him the site.

I really like being to search a title and also find book reviews. My daughter-in-law and I had been talking about how some books had evolved from blogs. She told me about one such author, Jen Lancaster. Our library recently acquired her book, Pretty in plaid : a life, a witch, and a wardrobe, or the wonder years before the condescending, egomaniacal, self-centered smart-ass phase
Worldcat provided some great reviews on this book, one of which said it was a prequel for some of her other books so I don't feel bad reading this one first. Now I just have to find the time to read it!

I like the list feature because I am terrible about remembering everything I want to read. I don't know about other library staff, but I see lots of books that appeal to me as I am checking them out to other people at the circulation desk, then later can't remember author or title. I might write down a quick note that eventually gets lost. I can see using the lists on Worldcat to jog my memory and will probably recommend this feature to others. I started a list called Cozies

I did find the Worldcat.org application on Facebook and finally got it on my wall and profile and added a search box as a gadget on my blog. Initially, I did a search for gadgets to get the search box but it was too wide for my sidebar so I went back to the website and found the code for a smaller search box. It looks better.

Again, another fun lesson that has already been put into practice!