Lovin’ My Library
Posted by Lisa Hendey in Reviews on Thursday, January 15, 2009 4:30 PM
My favorite purchase at my recent trip to Macworld Expo was my acquisition of Delicious Library 2, a wonderful piece of software that’s helping me regain a bit of control over my incredibly chaotic Catholic library.
I’ve tried other systems before, but without great results. The amazing thing about Delicious Library 2 is its partnership with my Macbook’s built in iSight webcam. The camera scans the book’s barcode and within seconds, the book appears on the virtual bookshelf on my computer screen. Books can be sorted by title, by author, or even by other “smart” selection terms. I can create multiple virtual shelves, placing all of my Mary books on one shelf or all of the books relating to the season of Lent on another. Books can appear on more that one shelf if they fall into multiple search criteria.
This may not excite some of you as much as it does me, because Delicious Library combines my love of my books with my love of my computer. As a book reviewer, I can easily scan newly received books into my library and go ahead and place them on my bookshelves instead of stacking them around the floor of my office. The $29 bargain price I paid for the software will likely save me hundreds in doctor bills since I’m less likely to trip over a stack of books and break my leg!
Delicious Library runs only with Apple computers with Leopard installed, but if you’re looking to organize your books on a PC, I can also recommend LibraryThing.com, a terrific online book catalog service that’s half database, half social networking environment.
I will admit to having a hoarding problem when it comes to books. Very few things make me happier than finding one of my favorite Catholic author’s books in a used bookstore to round out my collection. Every night, when I’m drifting off to sleep, my complete set of Danielle Bean’s works rests close to my head in their spot on the B shelf (they are anxious for a new release to join them!). I’ve had a few of them for years, long before I ever dreamed I’d get to know Danielle personally!
Do you love collecting books, or are you a kind book sharer? How do you organize your personal library - by name, by topic, or randomly? What are some of your favorite books?
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