Q: Why should I bother contributing comments and ratings?
A: Here are a few reasons:
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Help other members. Every one of us has an area of interest or expertise. Know something about woodworking, genealogy or Italian cooking? Got an opinion on the best books for pre-schoolers, or which Oscar Peterson recordings are the classics? Share it. The content you add guides other members to discover items of interest to them, and helps them determine if you would make a good person to “follow” on a particular subject.
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Help your library. You know how important your library is to your community. Adding content to the catalog makes it a more valuable asset to your library.
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Voice your opinions. Everyone has an opinion about a movie they’ve watched or a book they’ve just read. Share yours. It’s fun.
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Track your borrowing. Rating or commenting on titles puts them on your Completed shelf. That can help remind you what you’ve enjoyed when you’re choosing new titles in the future.
Q: How does this help “make a better catalog”?
A: The information you add to items in the catalog makes it easier for other members to discover new titles, and helps them determine if these items are of interest.
Q: What’s the difference between a comment and a summary?
A: Think of a comment like a review or an opinion. It’s your two cents worth. A summary is a synopsis, such as the plot of a movie, or the contents of a non-fiction book.
Q: What are tags? How are they different from library headings?
A: Tags are keywords or labels. Tags can help you and others find new titles at your library, as well as help you organize items you’ve enjoyed. Library headings classify by subject matter; tags can do that too, but you can also use tags to suggest the emotional qualities of a book or movie. For example, you might describe a movie as comical, dark or sad, or a cookbook as comprehensive or easy-to-use.
Q: Why would I use tags?
Here are a few reasons you’ll find tags helpful:
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Find new items, and help others do the same. Want to find more books that are inspirational? Search for books others have tagged with that word.
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Organize your shelves. You can add private tags too, such “gift from mom” or “2016 book club” and then use those tags to filter your shelves.
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Help your library. You know how important your library is to your community. Adding content to the catalog makes it a more valuable asset to your library.
Q: What’s a “private” tag?
A: Private tags are for your personal use, and are not visible to other members. You can’t use them to search, but you can use them to filter your shelves. For example, you could tag certain books “gift from mom” or “books I read on vacation”.
Q: What are similar titles?
A: Similar titles provide a way for library users to make connections between items in the catalog. Now that your kids have read all the Harry Potter books, wouldn’t it be great to find something similar they’d enjoy equally? You can add suggestions to a title you think might interest others, and you can look for similar titles other have attached to a title they enjoyed. It’s all about discovery.
Q: Is there a moderator for comments?
A: No. Comments, summaries and other information you add appear in the library’s catalog immediately. We assume that all users will exercise good judgment when posting comments. A reporting function enables the greater community to flag content that is objectionable.
Q: Why do you have advisories for titles? Isn’t that censorship?
A: Some members prefer to avoid books and movies that contain certain types of content, especially when borrowing for their children. Advisories offer a way to assist these members in their choices. If you’d prefer to evaluate every book or movie on its merit, you don’t have to add advisories or read them.
Q: Can I delete or edit comments or other content that I have contributed?
A: Yes, you can edit or delete a comment any time you like.
Q: How long are my comments stored?
A: Content you contribute has no expiry date. It is retained until you choose to delete it.
Q: My child is 12. Why does my account have different features than her account?
A: For users in the United States, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act requires websites that collect personal information from children to obtain parental consent. For this reason, children are not allowed to display their real names, nor can they type their own usernames, enter comments, or add other kinds of content that require typing, since these could be used inappropriately. Children can add star ratings, age suitability and similar titles, and they can create lists using pre-defined titles.
Q: What happens when my child turns 13?
A: At the end of the month in which a child turns 13, his or her account will automatically have the same privileges and features as an adult account. The system does not store exact birth dates, so the change occurs at the end of the month, rather than on the actual birthday.
Q: I’ve seen a comment I find inappropriate. What can I do?
A: Beside each comment is a button that enables you to report inappropriate comments. Before you report something, ensure you’ve read the Terms of Use. There’s a link to it at the bottom of every page.
Q: If I report a comment, does the author of the comment know?
A: No, the author will never know who reported a concern, and there is no indication in the catalog. Reporting is anonymous.
Q: What happens to comments when they are “reported”?
A: How comments are handled depends on the type of report, where the report came from, and the country of the person who wrote the original comment. See Reporting Inappropriate Content for details.