Groups:Flash-Mob Cataloging

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Flash-Mob Cataloging, an Introduction

Quite a few small libraries use LibraryThing as their catalog—schools, churches, synagogues, Masonic temples, companies, museums, and even a couple of embassies! They find LibraryThing much cheaper and easier to use than most "library automation" software. (More about organizations using LibraryThing here.)

But it's not always easy for a single overworked volunteer to catalog a big collection. So we thought we'd try a "flash-mob" cataloging party! A bunch of LibraryThing members show up with laptops and barcode scanners in hand and see how fast we can enter an entire library into LibraryThing.

If you're not familiar with what a flash mob is, read more here.

So, You'd Like to Flash-Mob a Library

If you'd like to have volunteers come catalog your library for a LibraryThing account, come join us in the Flash-Mob Cataloging Group. We'll blog the event, find some volunteers and help work out the details.

If you're eyeballing a library in your area, and have even convinced them to let you catalog their collection, let us know so we can help you get things set up. You can email info at librarything.com.

If the library in question is in New England, it's likely the LibraryThing staff will want to come help. Consider yourself warned.

Logistics

See some tips and ideas in the What works, what doesn't thread in the Flash-Mob Cataloging Group.

Upcoming Flash-Mob Cataloging Events

Previous Flash-Mob Cataloging Events

Trinity Lutheran Church, Athens, GA

We had our Flash Mob cataloging day Saturday, Oct 17, 2015. We had 12 volunteers who each worked about 3 hours and we got just under 800 books catalogued. Each item was entered and the edited to include a bar code, which probably doubled the amount of time needed to enter each book. We also included tags on some of the school books to help sort by season, color and shapes, numbers, etc.

Even with snacks and break time, I'd say that most folks in our group couldn't have worked much more than 4 hours at cataloguing. We had some young people that added to the fun.

Arts Together

(January 15 & 22, 2011)

NCSU LIbraries
Contact: Erin Stalberg at erin_stalberg@ncsu.edu.

The 1963 White House library (virtual)

(February 22-23, 2010)

Media

Resource Shelf

Talk thread/blog posts

Alexander Room in the UGA department of Classics

(Saturday October 24, 2009 at 10am)

flash-mob planning thread

Central Park School for Children, Durham, NC

(October 3, 2009)

NCSU LIbraries
Contact: Erin Stalberg at erin_stalberg@ncsu.edu.

Canton Museum of Art

(October 3-4, 2009)

folktales collection of a storytelling professor

(August 30, 2009)

Dan Keding's LibraryThing profile

LibraryThing blog post recap

The Crossroads Infoshop (a Radical Library and Zine Distro)

(July 10, 2009)

Crossroads Infoshop on LibraryThing

LibraryThing blog post

Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts

(June 24, 2009)

Bemis Center on LibraryThing

LibraryThing blog post

Flash-Mob at Clemson Montessori School in Upstate South Carolina

(May 30, 2009)

Clemson Montessori School on LibraryThing

LT blog post

Puerto Rican Cultural Center in Chicago

(April 19, 26 & May 3, 2009)

Puerto Rican Cultural Center's catalog on LibraryThing

Joel Lane House, Raleigh NC

(March 23, 2009)

The Metadata & Cataloging department at North Carolina State University hosted a flash-mob event at the Joel Lane Museum House, in Raleigh, NC on March 23, 2009. For more information, contact Erin at erin_stalberg@ncsu.edu.

The Joel Lane Museum House on LibraryThing

Rhode Island Audubon Society

Feb 21, 2009 Audubon Society of Rhode Island's catalog on LT

St. John's Episcopal Church, Beverly MA

(Nov 15, 2008)

StJohnsBeverlyFarms catalog on LibraryThing