You might have a list of books piling up that you’d like to read from your local library. Especially given these times of stay-at-home, your list might be growing longer. How do you keep track of these books?
Sure, a simple written list would work. Or maybe a digital note saved on your computer.
I prefer to save my list on WorldCat
1) Others can see my list too.
It’s fun to share. Here’s my list: Glen Ellyn Public Library wish list
2) My list is available to me anywhere.
I have this list saved as a bookmark on my phone. With just a simple tap, I can pull up my list. This has come in so handy during the days when I was walking home from the train, going past the library. I just pull up the list on my phone, and boom, here’s all my books I’m interested in at this library.
3) WorldCat is a great place to see if your library has your book.
When I hear about a book I’d like to read, one of the first places I go is worldcat.org to see if my local library has the book. If my local library does have the book, I add the book to this custom list. This way, I have the whole process within worldcat. I don’t have to hop over from one service to another. As soon as I see the book in Worldcat, BOOM, I add it to my list in Worldcat. Easy.
Now comes my greatest wish
When my library doesn’t have the book, I wish worldcat had the feature where I could add the book to an alerts list. If the book is purchased by any of my favorite local libraries, I would get an alert via email.
When I take out a book from my library, I take it off the wish list, and move the book onto the list called “Borrowed from Glen Ellyn Library”: https://www.worldcat.org/profiles/spudart/lists/3888654
I love this article! My list for library reading is growing as well. I wonder if there is also an interlibrary loan system that you could subscribe too. If Glen Ellyn’s library doesn’t have it, maybe the Chicago Public Library does.
Yeah, that interlibrary loan is a great idea. I haven’t delved too much into that world. I don’t know why? Maybe because I don’t want libraries to have to go through the extra work of shipping a book around, just so I can read it. Pretty silly.
My library at Glen Ellyn uses the ILL system. According to their interlibrary loan page, they say I can reserve the book through WorldCat. Wow!