Thing 35. Books 2.0

People around these parts seem to be reading books as much as ever. Our request lists are healthy; people read about books, hear about books and wait in breathless anticipation for the next book in whatever series they've come to love. I think reading for pleasure and for information is still the way to go for most people.

Some have come to love their Kindle or the equivalent, but I wouldn't say that they love them so much that books are doomed. These people seem to love them for vacation or travel. If I were a student and were able to get all my textbooks digitally, I would do it in a heartbeat. It seems, however, people still love the package of a book. It's like a receiving a present when you get it.

Web 2.0, in my opinion, is vastly useful for finding books and reviews. I love it for getting a good idea, based on a list of preferences, for what books I might like. Librarything and goodreads, for example, gives me a list of people who have read the same books as I have. I can then go to their pages and find out what is on their list that I haven't read, and chances are that I will like their choice, or at least be compelled by what they have chosen. I love the ease of being able to find booklists for almost anything and locating books that I have forgotten the title to, but remember the plot. The internet and Web 2.0 are awesome for this sort of thing. If anything, I think having these resources spurs people to read more books than they may have otherwise.