[Publib] LibraryThing for Libraries at Bedford Public Library, Texas

[BJohnson at ci.bedford.tx.us]

Bedford Public Library (www.bedfordlibrary.org) became the second library
in the nation to add LibraryThing for Libraries to its online catalog. The
new Amazon-like feel to the online catalog is sure to appeal to patrons of
all ages. See us mentioned in LibraryThing's Thing-ology blog.

LibraryThing for Libraries will enhance our online catalog by allowing
users to view other editions, similar books and to search for items using
tags.

Other editions and translations: Links to audiobook editions and
Spanish-language versions of a title. See the title Foreign Correspondent.

Similar books: Lists of similar books based on data from LibraryThing and
its members. See the title The Yiddish Policemen's Union.

Tags and Tag Browser: Tags are keywords and labels used by regular people
to categorize books as opposed to Library of Congress subject headings
which use a controlled vocabulary of predefined and authorized terms. The
tags come from LibraryThing's 17 million member-added tags.

A simple "tag cloud" highlights some of the more popular terms people use
to describe a book. The larger a word appears in the "tag cloud" the more
people have used that term to describe the title thus it is more relevant
to the search. Tags with very low relevance appear very small and may be
meaningful only to the person who assigned it. Take a look at this example:
Cozy mysteries.

Working with the folks at LibraryThing was super easy and they seamslessly
integrated the content into our catalog records.  Incorporating
LibraryThing for Libraries into our catalog has opened up valuable new ways
for patrons to find books of interest to them.  Our patrons love this new
feature.


     Bedford has an Innovative Interfaces, Inc. OPAC but I would encourage
     other libraries who are interested in this functionality to contact
     LibraryThing and see what they can do to enhance your catalog.


     Barbara Glassford Johnson, MLS
     Technical Services Manager/Systems Administrator
     Bedford Public Library
     1805 L. Don Dodson Dr.
     Bedford, TX  76021
     817-952-2360
     817-952-2396 (fax)
     bjohnson at ci.bedford.tx.us