LibrarianInBlack: LibraryThing for Libraries (w00t!)

Tim Spalding, the creator of LibraryThing, has given a sneak preview of a version of LibraryThing just for libraries. I can’t wait to see this puppy in action, real-time. From the explanation of how it works:

LibraryThing for Libraries is composed of a series of widgets, designed to enhance library catalogs with LibraryThing data and functionality. The achievement is that the widgets require NO back-end integration.

We’re serious. Just add a single Javascript tag, and one tag for every widget you want to display and we do the rest.

You can view a demo page (an overlay on NYPL’s catalog), and here’s what the page looks like without the LibraryThing addition. The additions are the nice entries for similar books and related editions. Sweet useful goodness! Over the next few months, various widgets will be released, some free and some on a for-pay basis.

Tag-browsing and ratings without needing access to our opac. Hallelujah! Oh, I hope this takes off. It’s still lipstick on the pig but at least it’s a prettier color.