IMPORTANT - Inactive Members/Group Clean-up

[Rinn, (Retired mod) Captain of the SSV Normandy]

*waves to lurkers* So wonderful to see how many people participate in their own way :D

[Llyren]

I've joined only recently but plan to take part in the discussions in the future ;-)

[Trillian]

Please don't delete me :-) I just have a really stressful time for about six months - new job really consumes my (reading) time, but I love browsing this group and dreaming about the books I could read if I had the time ;-)

[Mike]

Yea, I'm one of those silent members too. I joined not too terribly long ago, and I'm just waiting to have the ability / desire to read a book of the month.

[Austin]

I'm also a lurker! But I love the recommendations!

Actually, this spring cleaning will hopefully inspire me to speak up and not be so shy. Hope to talk to you all soon.

[Carmen]

I'm also one of your many lurkers. I like reading the threads and seeing what book is being read. I don't always get to read them that months, but the certainly get added to the growing list !

[Kme_17]

Hi , recently joined the group, but I am bit of lurker : ) But I do enjoy reading the threads. I hope that is okay.

[Lynne]

Hello, i'm here - i do vote and try to read something from the monthly list, (even if its not the winner), but when it comes to comments i'm a bit of a lurker

[Erin]

I'm a silent member. Don't delete me please ☺

[Lancer, Warden of the Slums]

I would also like to stay, I'm not on as much as I'd like but kids sometimes take precedent

[Courtney]

I'm here! Please don't remove me. :)

[Freya, Dragon Rider]

Greg, cookies are always welcome but by no means mandatory ;)

[Daniel]

I'm one of the quiet types. More simply because I'm so behind on the reading than anything else.

[Binny]

I do not say a lot here, but I do visit. I would be disappointed to be removed.

[Alan]

Lots of people here who lurk but don't post - and don't want to be kicked out!

I sympathise - and I note that the people actually being removed are those who haven't even logged in to Goodreads for quite a while.

But let me also point out the other side of the coin - by analogy.
Next week I shall attend the AGM of a society that I have been a member of for the past eight years or so. I have contributed (leading two interest groups and sitting as a committee member) and I shall be taking on additional committee responsibilities as from the AGM (subject to the vote).
That is, I shall take up those responsibilities if there is still a society to be a member of. Our Treasurer is stepping down, and no-one is willing to take on the task. Now I think I am pulling my weight - but in a society of nearly 200 members, we have four blank spots on a committee of twelve (including Treasurer) and no-one at all has stepped forward to offer any useful contribution of time and effort. They are all happy to attend meetings, and be entertained - just not to contribute much.

Now compare the situations. My society may collapse due to the dead weight of inactive and non-contributing members. The Goodreads group doesn't need a treasurer or committee members - but it has a lot of (sorry!) non-contributing members.
To what extent can (should?) our group moderators accept non-contributors?
I am not offering judgement or opinion here - it would be too easy to put people's backs up. And lurkers have been welcome in the past - it is normal in electronic conferencing. What I am doing is asking our non-contributors to examine their own positions - and I am encouraging (not requiring, or condemning non-compliance, but encouraging) more active participation.

And yes, i know my own contributions have been a bit thin for the last couple of months - but I am still here, while I am maybe not contributing much to Dragons and Jetpacks, I do contribute in other Goodreads areas. Over to you - join in!

[Rinn, (Retired mod) Captain of the SSV Normandy]

Well I'm happy for lurkers to stay, as they're getting something out of the group :) I know there are plenty of people who are a little shy or afraid to voice their views or post anything, and I don't want to make them feel unwelcome just because of that.

I will however, begin removing members who HAVE commented, but haven't been on Goodreads in about 6 months (or in 2015 if 6 months isn't very effective). I think that's a good compromise - it lowers the member count without really affecting anybody.

But we're still growing at a steady rate - 8 new members in the past few days ;)

[Paul, A wanderer in unknown realms]

Its nice to be popular

[Roger, Knight Radiant]

Rinn wrote: "Well I'm happy for lurkers to stay, as they're getting something out of the group :) I know there are plenty of people who are a little shy or afraid to voice their views or post anything, and I do..."

I agree, I started out as a lurker myself and as I got more comfortable I started to post more.

[Paul, A wanderer in unknown realms]

I'm too loud to lurk ;-)

[Rinn, (Retired mod) Captain of the SSV Normandy]

We've now removed everyone from the group who fit the above criteria, and still the numbers are larger than we'd like! We were thinking we'd remove people who hadn't commented on all, regardless of when they'd last been on GR, unless they only joined the group in the past month or two. So please, please, please, if you haven't commented yet and would like to stay in the group, comment just once to let us know! :)

[Bee]

Hi!
I'm currently not commenting, however, I greatly enjoy reading the threads so please keep me around :D

[A.E.]

Hi

I joined just a month ago and so far enjoy reading the discussions. Checking in once a day so far, but haven't posted anything yet. Planning to be more active :)

[Richard]

I'm a very friendly lurker. I enjoy reading the comments and getting the recommendations and then having no time to read them.

If you are trying to cut down the group I won't be insulted if I'm removed. I'll just rejoin when I have more free time to join your monthly reads and comment.

[Ryan]

That was very Obi Wan Kenobi, Richard.

[Raye of the Dead]

Sorry. I'm a lurker too. I have trouble commenting because of my anxiety. Freaks me out. I do read what everyone else has to say.

[Richard]

Ryan wrote: "That was very Obi Wan Kenobi, Richard."

I don't recall causing, through my own arrogance, the death of nearly everything good in the universe! :-D

[Mike]

I am, indeed, a friendly lurker.

[Rinn, (Retired mod) Captain of the SSV Normandy]

Richard wrote: "I'm a very friendly lurker. I enjoy reading the comments and getting the recommendations and then having no time to read them.

If you are trying to cut down the group I won't be insulted if I'm r..."

You won't be removed! If you're a lurker, you are of course welcome to stay. I just thought that sending out such a message would make sure our lurkers make themselves known at least once, and those who joined and never post or even lurk can then be removed :)

[Rinn, (Retired mod) Captain of the SSV Normandy]

Raye wrote: "Sorry. I'm a lurker too. I have trouble commenting because of my anxiety. Freaks me out. I do read what everyone else has to say."

Then extra thanks for commenting :)

[Daniel]

I don't want to be kicked either

[( Display Error )]

I also am a lurker. Please don't kick me out, I read all of the books and really enjoy the selections.

[Ryan]

Richard wrote: "Ryan wrote: "That was very Obi Wan Kenobi, Richard."

I don't recall causing, through my own arrogance, the death of nearly everything good in the universe! :-D"

My mistake. Must have been the other Richard.

[Glitch]

Another lurker here that enjoys the discussions. Please don't delete me.

[Andrea: BookStoreFinds]

I'd like to stay!! :)

[Sjgomzi]

I'm one of the quiet ones, but would like to remain in the group.
Thanks

[Ryan]

I'm a friendly lurker!

[Lisa]

I am a friendly lurker and would like to stay in this group. :)

[Cristal]

I'm a lurker, and new to this group, i have been voting for the BOM, so I would like to stay if I could:-)

[Daniel]

Just joined the club. officially a "new" friendly lurker. :)

[Brock]

Rinn wrote: "When I founded this group, I set out with the aim of having a relatively small book group. I was always intimidated by large groups, and thought I'd never be able to get to know people or catch up...."

Friendly Lurker. My intent is to join in on books that I'm reading at the same time even though it may be a rarity. I'll join where able. Reading the same books all the time is a challenge unto itself.

[Katelynn]

I'm a friendly lurker as well! I really love seeing the books of the month and finding some new SFF reads that I've never even heard of!

[Rachel (Confessions of a Book Geek)]

I'm a happy lurker... :D

[Andy]

Just lurking until the semester's over and I have time to read and contribute (hopefully) again.

[Mpauli, Bitten by a radioactive book]

Great, thanks for letting us know guys. We appreciate it and it helps trmendously with the organisation. :)

[Insomnia]

I'm a friendly lurker as well because I'm reading more young adult SFF books at the moment than adult ones. I've bought a few adult SFF books last month though.
I hope I'll feel more comfortable to say something when I know some of the books you're talking about. :)

[Paul, A wanderer in unknown realms]

YA is ok to discuss as well. I know a few of us here read a fair bit of it :-)

[Cee]

Once a lurker, always a lurker

[Ana]

This will sound repetitive, but I am also a lurker. I like this group because I can find new books, mainly fantasy. Also, I am really friendly and I won't bother you guys too much :P

[Anika]

I do tend to lurk but when I joined I went on an overseas business trip straight after and I didn't have my log in details with me. I will try to post more now.

[Abi]

I was pretty active but out read myself last year and needed a break for a couple of months but I'm back now :)