How do you use this site?

[Chana]

I'm just getting started here (down the rabbit hole!). How do you use this site? What features do you like? Do you belong to other groups?

[Mr Grimm]

I got an account years ago and just started using it when the MetaFilter Book Club thread mentioned it, so I'd appreciate any insight as well.

I use LibraryThing myself, but it seems GoodReads has surpassed it in features? I like the tagging/collection features in LT, but half dozen vs. six, etc.

Mostly, I just use LibraryThing to track my library and see what other people who read what I like to read are reading. It seems like GoodReads is primarily the same thing.

[[deleted user]]

I've just now started using this site mostly because there's a metafilter group and I'm curious to see how other people are going to use it. I've never used a book site before because I'm not sure what the purpose is, exactly... But I'm willing to find out. :)

[Moira]

I joined last year to fulfill a promise to myself to keep track of the books I read.

So, when I finish a book, I add it here and then rate and review. I don't post status, to-reads, or anything else. I just read, add, and review.

I've found great pleasure in looking back over my reading and seeing trends and themes that are only clear in hindsight.

[Catherine]

In general, I use it to keep track of my own books, find out what other people thought of them after I read them, and keep up on other people's reading. But I find it is becoming an daily site for me now that MetaFilter group is getting active. Thanks to philipy!

I'm really looking forward to what I hope will be an upcoming book club discussion here of whatever book people decide they want to read and talk about.

[[deleted user]]

I think it'll be interesting to see the different ways people use the site. I know I'll be learning things. ;)

[Chris]

I'm using it right now for the recommendations. Which will be a bit predictable until I get around to rating some more books.

[Bibi]

I joined intending to use the site for keeping my TBR (to be read) list and to gather recommendations. So far I've used it less than I planned, but since I've installed it on my phone and Nook-- and since you are all here!-- hopefully I'll get more use out of it now.

[Rob]

I joined one night when I was house sitting years ago and added a ton of books I remember reading. Then I stopped using it for awhile. Now I mainly use it to track books I read according to year read and books related to therapy. I did have a vast tagging system in place but it kept getting confused so I got rid of it.

I need to start reviewing books more but right now most of my reviews are just notes to myself about how the book helped me.

I also use it a lot to read reviews on books before I buy them.

[philipy]

I only joined this week too, but I can see this site working really well for me in so many different ways.

It would be nice to read and discuss some books together, and the list for that is working out well.

I can also see myself doing things like writing reviews, which I normally wouldn't do, because it seems like there's a good chance of people actually wanting to read them here.

And I can see it being a good way to encourage myself to read things that were otherwise likely to end up out-of-sight, out-of-mind.

[Elaine]

I've been using this for almost four years (!) and it's several things for me:

* Keeping my to-read list (ie, hear about an interesting book on Metafilter, toss it on the list so I don't forget)
* Keeping track of what I've read, since I often forget the name of a book even as random fragments of it stick with me.
* Finding out about different books, mostly from friends' reviews.
* Being involved in my local group, which is where most of my Goodreads friends are from. They're mostly librarians, so they mostly write really interesting reviews, which encourages me to improve my reviews, and the in-person events are lots of fun.

I also find that the process of writing a review helps me clarify what I did and didn't like in a book, to get more of the book to stick in my head, and to make better selections in the future.

[Chriskolak]

I've been on for about 3 years, and honestly I just use it to remind me of what I've read, and what I want to read.

I'm a sucker for short stories, but for some reason have a hard time remembering who wrote what. So it's been really nice for keeping track of authors who I like a story they wrote (I just add a book or two they've written\have a story in every time I read a story I like). I don't necessarily remember "oh they wrote this story" but it has ballooned the number of authors I regularly read.

I haven't really used the recommendation feature, I have enough (700 and some) books I want to read without it.

edit: I forgot to mention, I'm excited to try out the social aspect of it.

[JY]

I use it to keep track of what I've read. I used Library Thing until they began charging you for cataloging more than 200 books.