Having fun with LibraryThing

I have been spending a lot of time thinking about LibraryThing lately. I am in the process of tagging our Summer Reading Lists ( 7th-8th, 9th-10th, 11th-12th) and the YALSA Teens' Top Ten Nominations. Usually I just link the PDFs of the lists on the library website, but this year I am also linking to the library's LibraryThing with the summer reading tags. The school librarians on the ISS and AISL listservs have shared some other dynamic ways to promote the summer reading. Some are making slide-shows, LibGuides (Laura Pearle at Hackley School), or colorful online brochures (Carol Ansel at Pine Point School). Since my library already has a LibraryThing account, I figured it would be a good place to start. Please comment and share links to your more flashy summer reading lists. I would love to have some new ideas for next year.

Through my personal LibraryThing account, where I keep track of books I have read, I started requesting Early Reviewer books. The first one I forgot to read - it got put in a pile and there it remains. The second Early Reviewer book I requested, I made a commitment to read:


Published by Orca Book Publishers, Inferno is a satisfying read about Dante, a lesbian teenager whose first love moves away and does not keep in touch. As Dante rebels in school and at home, she claims her sexuality and finds friendship. It seems so many good books with gay themes are about boys - this has a wonderful female lead.

If you actually post reviews on LibraryThing of the Early Reviewer books, chances are greater you will receive another. And, yes, I got another book by Orca Book Publishers. This one is called Leftovers, and I will read it when I am done with Alex-Award winner Finding Nouf. And I will post a review to LibraryThing, and then request another Early Reviewer book. I think I can keep up with about one a month - don't you? Do you participate in Early Reviewers? Do you read the books you request?