Online Social Networking for Book Lovers

Online social networking is obviously here to stay, so networks have sprung up all over the Internet. Many are for general or business online social networking, but more specific niche networking sites have also been created.

The reviews below cover four online social networking sites created especially for bookworms who want to meet other book lovers. They're packed with some of the features you'd want in a general online social networking site, but they also incorporate book reviews, the ability to browse other people's "bookshelves" and other cool book-specific features.If you're a big reader and you like to get other people's book recommendations, you'll love these sites!

aNobii

The weird name of this well-organized social networking site that focuses exclusively on books comes from the first few syllables of Anobium Punctatum, which is the scientific name for bookworms.

Users interact and find new books on aNobii by browsing the helpful "Most Popular" lists in the sidebar that feature popular tags, books and members. The sidebar also features links to the most "buzzed" and referred books. Once on an individual book page, you'll find book reviews, tags, similar books, ratings and a list of international sites that sell the book and its current prices.

To keep track of the books you've read or want to read, you can build your own bookshelf. You can add books one at a time or in multiples and then see who else on aNobii likes the book too. The system also gives you the ability to import book lists (such as an Amazon.com wish list), which can help you build your bookshelf quickly.

• Read more about aNobii

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GoodReads

GoodReads is not only a great place to keep track of your favorite books, it's a powerful place to network with fellow book lovers. Their system gives you the ability to browse their members by the following categories, which gives you one- or two-click access to anyone in their system:

• Top readers
• Top reviewers
• People online when you're online
• People near you geographically
• People with frequently viewed profiles
• "Top librarians," or people who have contributed a lot to the GoodReads community

Another great feature is that every time a book appears on a list anywhere in this social networking community, you can rate it and add it to your list with the same click. You can also easily add your GoodReads book list to Bebo if you're a Bebo member, giving you the ability to share it with your friends in that community.

• Read more about GoodReads

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LibraryThing

LibraryThing is two sites in one. It allows you to create a catalog of your own books, while participating in the creation of a massive catalog comprised of all members.

There are a lot of opportunities to connect on LibraryThing, whether it be in Talk, the group forum; in existing groups or those that you create; or in the group Zeitgeist area, where you can see links to members categorized in a number of helpful ways. Links to book information or members who have similar interests are always just a click away. The site also has a helpful Search tab, which gives you many different ways to search for information and people within the LibraryThing system.

• Read more about LibraryThing

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Shelfari

Like the other sites, Shelfari allows you to build virtual bookshelves for books you've read or want to read, and you can rate, review and tag books. Unlike the other sites, however, these bookshelves actually look like they exist in the offline world. They even have three-dimensional-looking wood shelves and covers for each book.

Another nice feature is that you can join groups and place books on their collective bookshelves. And to extend your literary network even further, Shelfari has widgets that allow you to take your bookshelves with you into other social networking sites or onto your blog.

• Read more about Shelfari
• Read the Shelfari blog

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