Keeping Track of your Books in the 21st Century

Many book collectors neglect to catalog their books. This could be a tragic mistake if you ever suffer a loss from water damage, fire or theft. There are simple ways to keep track of what you own, on your own. But there is also a growing collection of online sites designed with book lovers in mind. Let’s take a look at some of the options for keeping track of your book collection.

One of the most basic reasons for keeping a catalog of all the books you own is to prepare for possible loss. Insurance companies will require this sort of information if you ever ask them to pay a claim for loss or damage. In the “old days” we did this with card catalogs. With the advent of computers it was possible to keep the same information in a more compact and easy-to-update form. It’s simple to create a basic spreadsheet that lists all the pertinent details for the volumes in your collection. If you choose to go this route, make sure you also save a copy of the file somewhere else not at your house. Because if you lose everything in a fire, you’re probably going to lose your computer (and the list inside) as well.

The social networking revolution that we are currently experiencing has created a new genre of sites designed with book collectors in mind. One of the more popular services is LibraryThing.com. You can store up to 200 titles for free, but can upgrade to unlimited titles by paying $25 for a lifetime membership. LibraryThing will keep track of the basics. But you can also tag your books and give them star ratings. You can also hook up with other users to share favorites and learn about your next acquisition.

Shelfani.com has been called the Facebook for book lovers. The site is free to use and emphasizes the sharing of information. But can use it simply as a catalog site as well.  Another site of note is BookBump.com, which is essentially a catalog with iPod-like features.

Whichever solution you choose, it is imperative that you choose one. If you book collection is already large (and overwhelming in terms of typing up a list), remember that it probably won’t get any smaller. For those just getting started, you should start good habits early. After that, keeping track of your books will be a breeze.