Monday, September 19, 2011

You're Invited to a Party

If you could not tell by the title then you should know that our final week of the series is about social networking. We will not cover Facebook or Twitter but I will share fantastic tools to utilize not only in school but in life.
Today's social networking tool review is timely due to a conversation thread by the fellow librarians in my school district.  A few of the ladies (and few guys) were upset that they could not view a patron's history.  This feature was removed from libraries by the Homeland Security Act which adds a level of protection to what you checkout.  The downside for school librarians is that we cannot help students when they want to reread a book or read the one their besty read a few months ago.  Today's tool eliminates that problem so allow me to introduce you to your next favorite book by way of Good Reads. 

Good Reads is the social networking tool for book nerds. 
  • The site allows users to connect with friends via Facebook, Twitter, etc. 
  • You are able to read a synopsis of the book your friends have/are reading  as well as read their recommendations.
  • Once you rate 20 books, Good Reads will recommend others based on your ratings.
  • Good Reads is your personal bookshelf.  The title of that book you read months ago is always within reach.
Due to the Facebook connection, many school districts may not allow students to access the site on campus.  However, this is a tool that you can use outside of the classroom for extra credit by creating a Facebook fan page or connect with your class Twitter account.  This is an excellent way to connect with your students and find out what they're reading.

Similar sites include:  LibraryThing, Goodreads, Shelfari, aNobii and BookJetty.

Enjoy!

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