HelpThing:Organizations

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HelpThing was written by members like you, with some help from LibraryThing staff.

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How to become an organizational member

When you sign up with LibraryThing, you have the choice to state that you are an organization. You will be prompted to choose an organizational type.

Create a new account

If you are already a member, you can tell us what type of organization you are by going to Edit Profile, and choosing from the drop down menu pick an organizational type.
Soon, we will be compiling a list of all the different types of organizations who LibraryThing, and your organizational type will show up on your profile page.

It's just that easy!

Frequently asked questions

Do organizational accounts cost anything?

Not anymore! LibraryThing went free to all in March 2020 (read the blog post here). Libraries with more than 20,000 books should email info@librarything.com for permission.

Why do organizational accounts have a limit on how many books you can add?

LibraryThing is intended for smaller collections and does not have the same capabilities as a larger library OPAC. Requests are sometimes granted for more than 20,000 books. Contact us if interested.

Do you have separate administrator and user accounts?

No, LibraryThing has no distinction. We do offer administrator and patron accounts within TinyCat, however (see below for more info).

How will other people see my organization's catalog?

You can show your library to others by directing them to the URLs listed on your profile page. They do not need to have a LibraryThing account to view your organization's library catalog. The links should look like this, where the MEMBERNAME is actually the username on LibraryThing.

http://www.librarything.com/profile/MEMBERNAME (profile)
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/MEMBERNAME (catalog)

(Note: If you've set your account to private, no one will be able to view your library catalog unless they are logged into it.)

Will my members/patrons/anyone be able to add, edit, or delete books from the catalog?

Only those who are actually logged into the account with the user name and password have the ability to add, edit, or delete.

Can I print out a list of all of the books?

You can export all of the books in your LibraryThing account in a few different formats: Excel, .tsv, JSON, and MARC. Just go to the More>Import/Export page to find your options.

Can I set the display style for other people to view my catalog?

Yes. You can customize which columns you want to display in your library, and then set a "Suggested display style for visitors to your library". Just click the "Settings" button, next to the printer icon, in the Top Bar (underneath the Main Menu) of your catalog ("Your Books"). Visitors will see your suggested display Style as an option when they visit your library.

Does LibraryThing offer circulation/lending for my books?

Absolutely–check out the blog post for our Circulation, or Lending, Feature. You can also watch the help video for a general overview.

Does LibraryThing offer just an online catalog I can share with my visitors and patrons?

Yes! You can turn your LibraryThing collection into a sleek online catalog with TinyCat! TinyCat is powered by LibraryThing, and gives your visitors and patrons a simple, powerful way to explore your library's holdings. You'll also have access to an admin portal that allows you to customize your catalog, run circulation on your items, track patron information, and more. To learn more, visit https://www.librarycat.org/.