Get your library in Goodreads

Get your library in Goodreads:Users of the leading social book-review website like to read and love to spread the word. Your library can tap that intense interest and guide users to your collection by completing a few easy steps.

OCLC and Goodreads, the world's largest site for readers and book recommendations, have teamed up to provide greater visibility for public libraries. We've been working together since 2007, as Goodreads has referred more than 5 million Web users to WorldCat.org. But we both thought we could do more.

New for libraries: Library group pages

Goodreads has pledged to help libraries receive greater visibility with their more than 20 million site members. How? Now libraries can create their own "Group" pages, and a library group page will be listed first in a reader's group listings. In the future, they'll also highlight libraries that are geographically close to a reader's IP range, encouraging them to find their next read at their local library.

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Goodreads members can join online reading-circle groups for specific genres, subjects, authors or geographical locations. When your library creates its own group page—with spaces for promoting library events, uploading photos or video, and web-based discussion—members can join it as well. On a member's "My Groups" page, library-affiliated groups bubble to the top of the list (above).

Since Goodreads already provides the "libraries" link to WorldCat.org, you've been receiving traffic from Goodreads all along. This new enhancement lets you create more of a direct connection with this voracious reading community, who may or may not be currently using your library. You'll expand your patron base, without having to expend many resources.

Members find your content, services and community

Goodreads site members can affiliate with you—their local library—and find their next great read. Plus they're also likely to find other passionate readers in your area and be able to connect with them through social media. Made possible by your library.

How to make it happen

Just a few simple steps help get your library going on Goodreads:

  1. Make sure you library information is up-to-date through the Library Spotlight program. Claim your library, and help your library get more visibility on the Web. Any library regardless of OCLC status is encouraged to maintain a free profile. Be sure to check your location coordinates and OpenURL information, because this is what powers the "library look up" functionality and provide potential links to your e-books from WorldCat.org traffic partners like Goodreads. (Goodreads is still working on adding this functionality to their site, so be ready for it now!)
  2. Create your library Groups page on Goodreads. Learn how at our recorded webinar, and then create your group here.
  3. Use the Choice Awards momentum. The Goodreads Choice Awards, the only major book awards decided by readers, are a great opportunity for you as a library staff member to play up the nominees through your online channels and also create in-library displays of the winning titles in categories including Best Fiction, Best Memoir, Best Romance, and many more. Download library posters and shelf-talkers from Goodreads and encourage your patrons to voice their opinion!
  4. Tell us what you think. The idea of this partnership is to help libraries gain visibility online and connect with new library supporters. But is it working at your library? We want to know.

Recent Webinar recordings

Goodreads Fireside Chat with Libraries

Recorded October 30, 2013 Goodreads' Patrick Brown discussed the evolution of the website and how libraries can take advantage of its incredible reach with more than 20 million very engaged readers and members. Topics included the 2013 Goodreads Choice Awards, Goodreads integration into Kindle, and more.

Watch now »

   

Getting Started on Goodreads

Recorded November 15th, 2012 This one-hour Webinar shows you the new functionality available on Goodreads for libraries. Goodreads and OCLC staff walk you through what’s possible with library group pages and take attendees' questions.

Watch now »

Why is the cooperative partnering with a social book site?

This new expansion of OCLC's partnership with Goodreads promises to bring additional visibility to libraries on the Web, and to encourage an already well-established community of readers to support their library. Read the announcement »

More about Goodreads

Goodreads is the largest site for readers and book recommendations in the world. Loved by avid and casual readers alike, Goodreads has more than 20 million members who have added more than 665 million books to their shelves. Goodreads users can find their next favorite book, see what their friends are reading, keep track of what want to read and have read, form book clubs and much more. Launched in January 2007, Goodreads is a privately owned company.

More about OCLC's partnership activities

The cooperative has been working many years now towards a strategy to help libraries be visible where users already are, at the webscale level, through partnerships with key information providers such as Google, Yahoo!, Amazon, Microsoft, EasyBib and more. It seeks to put WorldCat data where users already are and where libraries want to be. It's innovation made possible through the APIs and integration environment available through the OCLC WorldShare Platform.