By: Heidi Herald
Spring is a time of renewal. Many people choose this time of year to do spring-cleaning and get organized. Why not apply this same principle to organizing your reading lists? As a librarian, I often assist patrons who bring reading-log notebooks with paper-scrap notes tucked in everywhere. They have used this method to track every book they ever read – and to record those they want to read in the future. What would happen if that notebook got lost? Did you know there is an app for that? Goodreads is a free social cataloging website and app for book lovers.
Goodreads categorizes your books into the following lists: Read, Currently Reading, and Want to Read. You can easily scan book covers to add them to any of your lists. This is especially convenient if you want to add previously read titles to your ongoing collection.
You can add friends to your account too and share your reading progress with them. You can also see what they are reading. This is a great way to connect with others and find new titles to read. Another way to find titles of interest is to select your favorite genres. Goodreads will then make recommendations based on your reading choices and selected genres.
If you would prefer personalized reading recommendations from a professional, Hamilton East Public Library offers a readers’ advisory service. A librarian will compile a tailored list of titles based on the information you provide. Request reading recommendations from My Next Book here.
I have been using Goodreads for years and find it very helpful in organizing my reading, past, present and future. It can be fun to set yearly reading goals and track your progress. I did not sign up for the reading challenge this year, but I do find that creating personal reading goals and tracking them on Goodreads keeps me motivated. It works like an all-year-‘round Summer Reading Program. Happy Reading!