chellemarie on WorldCat.org
Once my profile was created, I was able to "favorite" the Columbus Public Library in Columbus, Nebraska.
I used the advanced search function for keyword "dystopia" and limited the search to fiction books in English. I was able to limit the audience as well using advanced search. From there, I created lists.
I <3 Dystopia - Non-Juvenile
I <3 Dystopia - Juvenile
I decided that the small number of results for my preliminary search wasn't satisfactory. I searched WorldCat user lists for dystopia. I found one for YA fiction and added those items to my juvenile list. I then added that user's list to my Watch List.
Another list had 30+ titles for a mixed audience. Rather than go through and sort them into my two lists, I added the RSS feed for that list to my Google Reader.
I have enjoyed learning WorldCat's social networking features. I plan to explore it more on my own. The list feature is particularly useful to me while I'm learning and doing RA services. I can see what books other people group together.
I am a fan of Goodreads. I have used it both personally and professionally. WorldCat is exciting to me because the subjects are listed for items. This can provide a richer experience for users looking for read-alikes who don't want to rely solely upon what's popular right now. When using Goodreads, I have to click between tabs or windows to see if my library owns an item. WorldCat can eliminate that back and forth.
Additionally, our library could use WorldCat in the following ways:
- Create lists of titles we mention in weekly newspaper columns
- Create and save lists of titles we've used for displays (2009's grilling display)
- Add feature to Facebook page (Application doesn't post well to Pages. Seems okay in people profiles, though.)
- Search for material and see at a glance if other libraries near us own item, putting preferred libraries at top of results
