The answer for now is, “No, once a book is turned in, it is erased from your record.” That is disappointing to some people, but part of our job as librarians is to protect your privacy, including lists of what you have read. However, several online options are available for you to keep track of your reading, and to get ideas for that next great book to read.
The one I use is called Goodreads, which is free. All you need is an email address, a username, and a password, then you can start adding titles you are currently reading, books you’ve read, and what you would like to read. If you want to, you can add tags to books (Goodreads calls them “bookshelves”). Tags can be any words that help you describe a book, such as “mystery,” “classic,” “set-in-England,” or “I’d-rather-chew-on-nails-than-read-this-again!”
As on other social networking sites, you can make “friends” and share your reading selections with each other. You can also rate books, write reviews, and comment on other people’s reviews. It’s always satisfying when someone reads and enjoys a book you recommended!
Other sites for tracking reading are Shelfari, LibraryThing, and WorldCat. They all have slightly different features, so you can create an account in each one if you’d like to see which you like best.
Of course, you don’t have to use a computer to keep track of your reading. Old-fashioned index cards work just fine, and you won’t have to worry about the longevity of a website. But part of the fun of reading is sharing your observations and finding out what others have to say about a book.
Someday our catalog will give you the option to save your reading record, but in the meantime, why don’t you give Goodreads, LibraryThing, Shelfari, or WorldCat a try?
