Fiction_L Archives Keeping track of reading Dates: 11/18/99,11:35 AM  through  11/21/99,6:51 PM  (12 postings) Search for: Select one or more indexes to search: 2011-current     2009-2010     2004-2008    1995-2003    (Matches from each index will be displayed separately in the results page.) Return to November 1999 thread menu   |   Fiction_L Archives Menu

FROM: "Deborah T. Walsh" <[removed]@dupagels.lib.il.us>
REC'D: 11/18/99, 11:35 AM

In answer to the question [how do you] "keep track of
the books you read" I'd like to encourage everyone to
consider keeping a list of the books read.
Undoubtedly, a lot of people on this list already do.
However you do it, just do it. There's probably no
right or wrong way, but find the easiest way for you.

My procedure is to use loose-leaf paper and keep a
three ring binder with a running list of the books I've
read by author and title. Occasionally, if the book is
in a series, I'll make a brief notation of the fact
that it's the xth in the series, but I don't bother
with annotations or anything more complicated than
author and title. The pages are kept in order, and at
the beginning of each month, I write the date in the
margin so that I can tell around when I read the book.
At the beginning of a new year I also note the year
date.When I get to the bottom of a sheet, I place it in
a plastic page protector; when I have two I put them
back to back and start a new loose-leaf sheet.

What's really neat about this is it has functioned as a
sort of a life organizer for me. I've been keeping it
for over twelve years, and I can go back in time and
remember (often) what I was doing in my life when I was
reading the book. That's not the reason I began doing
it, but it has been a wonderful and unexpected benefit.
It is useful to take to the RA desk when it's my shift
and keep it nearby when I want to remember a book I've
enjoyed to suggest to a patron. Just having it as a
visual aid, or crutch, or whatever it is in that moment
is a great help.

Low tech, easy, just do it.

Debbie Walsh
Geneva Public Library District
Geneva, IL
[removed]@dupagels.lib.il.us

FROM: "Jocelyn Bach" <[removed]@wclc.org>
REC'D: 11/18/99, 12:43 PM

I'd like to know how you keep track of the books you read. Do you keep a
list? Notebook or
>cards? Annotated or not? Do you include nonfiction, children's books,
>others? Thanks for your input!
>

Ever since I was in seventh grade, I've written down every book I've read
on a cumulative list (lined 8 1/2 x 11 sheets), with just a line indicating
when the next year begins. I write down the author and title, and
sometimes a few brief notes to remind me what the book was about, and
occasionally names of main characters. I put a * next to titles which were
exceptionally enjoyable (subjective, of course). Back during my school
years, I used to use different colors to make the *, creating my own rating
system.

I had no idea that I'd become a librarian, but was already
obsessive/compulsive (or anal retentive) enough to begin a reading record
way back in 1971! Joyce Saricks mentioned at her Readers' Advisory
workshop at the NELA (New England Library Association) conference that she
began her reading record at approximately the same time, so I have fabulous
company!

Jocelyn Bach
Western Connecticut Library Council

FROM: "Valerie Maine" <[removed]@nslsilus.ORG>
REC'D: 11/18/99, 1:20 PM

I've been keeping a list for about 20 years. I use recipe cards and keep
them in a box. I have them separated by Fiction and Nonfiction and under
fiction I have Suspense, regular fiction and Classics. Under Non fiction I
have a separate section for True Crime. Each card has a separate author on
them. I write the title of the book and the month and year I read it. If
it's a True Crime book I usually write the name of the victim or guilty
party. I don't rate them or annotate them in any way.
Then I also keep a running chronological list of books that I've read at my
desk in the library. That way if I know I just read a good book and can't
think of the title or author, I can run back to my desk and look at that
list.
Valerie Maine
Vernon Area Public Library
Lincolnshire, IL 60069

FROM: "ROBIN BEERBOWER" <[removed]@OPENGOVT.OPEN.ORG>
REC'D: 11/18/99, 3:27 PM

I have also been keeping track of my reading since 1973 when I started
working in the library, although my system is not as refined as some of the
other librarians. I have never entered annotations because I can usually
remember the book and how much I liked it. I am in the process of entering
all of the titles in a sortable computer database with author, title,
rating, genre, subgenre (medical suspense, travel & adventure, rock bio,
etc) and am looking forward to sorting the list by these various headings.
I have found these lists to be invaluable when making booklists or when
answering a Fiction_L query!

Robin Beerbower
Salem (OR) Public Library
[removed]@open.org

FROM: "susan scully" <[removed]@hotmail.com>
REC'D: 11/18/99, 3:32 PM

I too have been keeping track of my reading. Since I have been in library
school, I have been listening to more books on tape than actual reading. I
started indicating books on tape with a rectangle with two circles to
represent a tape. It also shows when I have had more or less time,
depending on the number of books on tape I read.

______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at <A HREF="http://www.hotmail.com">http://www.hotmail.com</A>

FROM: "MARY KAY WELLS. TEXAS PANHANDLE LIBRARY SYSTEM" <[removed]@hlc.actx.edu>
REC'D: 11/18/99, 5:07 PM

A couple of years ago our library system published "A Personal Reading Log"
Compliments of Your Public Library. as a promotional. They have been very successful
for the librarians and the public. In addition to the above information, the cover
also had Date: From___________________To____________________
The booklet is approximately 50 pages. Each page has a place for date read, title,
author, publisher, copyright, comments and recommended by/to.

The back cover has the name and address of our library system and credit to the
Texas State Library and LSCA (then) which funds our system. We left a large area
on the front so our member libraries can stamp their own name prominently. We
printed two sizes. The smaller 4"x 5" went like hot cakes. Of course we printed
fewer of those. The larger size is 5 1/2 x 8" .

Since I have access to these reading logs, I actually am keeping track of my reading.

.

FROM: "Lynn Daugherty" <[removed]@netnitco.net>
REC'D: 11/18/99, 8:28 PM

I have an alphabetical list on my computer of all the books I have read
since 1994, with annotations. That is similar to what a lot of you do.
However, I am a frustrated Reader's Advisor who is now a director and I
have no chance at work of recommending books. So, to satisfy that urge
in me, I suppose, I have printed out the list of 1994-1998 books in 2
column format, cut the columns apart, laid them back to back and
laminated them, then stapled the pages together so that I have a booklet
long and narrow enough to keep in my purse. That way, I can delight my
friends who are always asking for suggestions for good reading. The
list is very popular and a number of friends and family have made
copies. I keep my current year's list folded up in my purse also, along
with the list of books I want to read. Not elegant, but it works.

Lynn Daugherty

--
Lynn Daugherty, Jasper County Public Library, 208 W. Susan, Rensselaer,
IN 47978
Phone: 219-866-5881 FAX: 219-866-7378
e-mail: [removed]@netnitco.net library home page:
<A HREF="http://www.jasperco.lib.in.us">http://www.jasperco.lib.in.us</A>

FROM: "Jean Brown" <[removed]@mindspring.com>
REC'D: 11/18/99, 8:47 PM

I'm not a librarian ..just a reader...I've loved reading about how you each
keep track of the books you've read...I've been reading a long time and how
I wish I'd done this...it is only in the past 3 or 4 years I've started a
reading journal. I encourage all the young people I know who read to begin
doing this now! One thing I have done for many years is write the date when
and location where I've bought my books, you wouldn't believe how often I
refer to them to see when a certain thing happened I seem to date things by
what I'm reading at the time it happened....or where I was by the books I
acquire...I remember vacations by what books I bought or read!

FROM: "Katherine Hoylo" <[removed]@i29.net>
REC'D: 11/19/99, 9:15 AM

I keep a small thick notebook. My annotations have become small to nil;
usually I just need to see the title and authors name to refresh my memory.
I do make an annotation for those books that I might like to suggest for
our book discussion group.
At the end of the notebook I jot down the titles of books I'd like to
read.

Katherine Hoylo
Fargo, ND

FROM: "Bev Copeland" <[removed]@nslsilus.ORG>
REC'D: 11/19/99, 10:35 AM

I have been keeping track of what I've read since 1976. It's just
fascinating to go back and see what I've read over the past 20 plus years.
It also helps when making recommendations to friends. Sometimes I recall
something that took place in a book or a particular character but I can't
remember the book's title. So I flip open my handy dandy notebook and -
voila! I can usually locate the title.
My list is kept in a folder in chronological order.I always include title,
author, a brief description of the story or topic and some critical
comments. I highly recommend keeping a list of books you've read. It can be
a lot of fun and very informative.


Bev Copeland
Children's Dept.
Morton Grove Public Library
Morton Grove, IL
(847) 965-4220
[removed]@mgk.nslsilus.org
<A HREF="http://www.webrary.org">http://www.webrary.org</A>
Opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect
official Library policy.


----------
>From: Lynn Daugherty <[removed]@netnitco.net>
>To: Fiction_L <[removed]@maillist.nslsilus.org>
>Subject: Tracking what you read
>Date: Thu, Nov 18, 1999, 9:38 PM
>

> I have an alphabetical list on my computer of all the books I have read
> since 1994, with annotations. That is similar to what a lot of you do.
> However, I am a frustrated Reader's Advisor who is now a director and I
> have no chance at work of recommending books. So, to satisfy that urge
> in me, I suppose, I have printed out the list of 1994-1998 books in 2
> column format, cut the columns apart, laid them back to back and
> laminated them, then stapled the pages together so that I have a booklet
> long and narrow enough to keep in my purse. That way, I can delight my
> friends who are always asking for suggestions for good reading. The
> list is very popular and a number of friends and family have made
> copies. I keep my current year's list folded up in my purse also, along
> with the list of books I want to read. Not elegant, but it works.
>
> Lynn Daugherty
>
> --
> Lynn Daugherty, Jasper County Public Library, 208 W. Susan, Rensselaer,
> IN 47978
> Phone: 219-866-5881 FAX: 219-866-7378
> e-mail: [removed]@netnitco.net library home page:
> <A HREF="http://www.jasperco.lib.in.us">http://www.jasperco.lib.in.us</A>
>
>

FROM: "Madeline Guzman" <[removed]@capaccess.org>
REC'D: 11/19/99, 3:54 PM

I do it for fun and personal use as I'm not a librarian. My list is
alphabetical by author's last name and it's on a word processing program
on my computer (backed up by disk, as I've already lost my small file of
non-fiction due to a computer crash). I include author's name, name of
book, publisher, year,
date, a few lines about the story, a few lines about my reaction to the
book, and a rating (1 to 5). I've also found it helpful to include the
briefest description of the author.

Madeline

Madeline T. [removed]@hotmail.com
Rockville, [removed]@capaccess.org
<A HREF="http://www.strictlyconcrete.com">http://www.strictlyconcrete.com<[removed]@erols.com

FROM: <[removed]@aol.com>
REC'D: 11/21/99, 6:51 PM

Preaching to the choir I know ... I used to keep a list of the books I read
when I was in college but fell away from it when I got to grad school. Now,
20 years later and suddenly working in a public library and having to, for
the first time in my professional life, worry about reader's advisory I wish
I had kept that list going!! I just started keeping a list again when I found
that I could not remember the names of the books I had read and the tapes I
had listened to just this past year. Have enjoyed reading about everyone's
methods, though saddened at all the undocumented years behind me. :( Mary

Mary Mannix
Frederick County Public Libraries

Return to November 1999 thread menu   |   Fiction_L Archives Menu

The Webrary® and Fiction_L are services of the Morton Grove Public Library "Webrary" is a registered trademark of the Morton Grove Public Library. All rights reserved. Copyright of Fiction_L postings belongs to their respective authors; postings may only be reused with the author's permission. Compiled lists (compilations of titles or authors from earlier postings on a particular topic) may not be reused for commercial purposes. To use a compiled list for non-commercial purposes, please credit "Subscribers of the Fiction_L mailing list." All other content is ©2012 Morton Grove Public Library, 6140 Lincoln Ave., Morton Grove, IL 60053-2989, (847) 965-4220.