Track what you read

I couldn't say why, but it seems like we get more requests this time of year for lists of books people had checked out. The library doesn't keep such account histories, but if you're really interested in keeping track, there are some useful tools online that can help you do so.

Paper and pen works fine, of course, but sites like LibraryThing, Shelfari, and goodreads can allow you to share what you've read with others, write reviews of titles, and search through and sort the titles. Of these sites and others like them, I prefer and personally use Goodreads.

I find goodreads to be a bit less klunky than the other options. You can simply rate a book by clicking on the relevant star, change a title's status to "read" from "to read" or "currently reading," and add the book to other "shelves" you've previously created. It's versatile, allowing you to simply search titles and click "read" to track everything you've read, or to be more involved in writing reviews of everything you read and becoming involved in book discussions.

While there are plenty more options on Goodreads, from genre-specific book clubs to groups of fans of particular authors, I'll let you explore it for yourself. It can be a fun resource not only for tracking your reading, but finding new authors and titles, too.

Edit: I'd love to include some images of Goodreads, but I cannot get a screen capture large enough to be readable. :(