Future of the library - Seth Godin

Re:Future of the library - Seth Godin by paganel on Monday May 16, 2011 @10:10AM (#2552539)

With an online library how are you going to "serendipitously" find new books from other domains you don't know you're interested in?

I remember when I was 14 or 15, I was going to our small-town's public library once every 2 days or so, I was reading all the SF books I could find. The thing is that the SF books shelf was just after the history books shelf, and, even though I liked history, I never would have thought of reading history books if it weren't for me passing in front of that history books shelf each and every time.

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Re:Future of the library - Seth Godin by stcredzero on Monday May 16, 2011 @10:48AM (#2552665)

With an online library how are you going to "serendipitously" find new books from other domains you don't know you're interested in?

Google could handle this with "I'm Feeling Lucky." I seem to remember delicious.com doing something like this. How about a serendipity web app that tries to figure out/crowdsource what you never knew you'd be interested in?

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Re:Future of the library - Seth Godin by bricestacey on Monday May 16, 2011 @01:13PM (#2553283)

You harvest book covers and then sort them by call number. Google something to the effect of "virtual shelf browser". It's ugly and isn't very effective, but neither is scanning the spines of hundreds of books.

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Re:Future of the library - Seth Godin by adeaver on Monday May 16, 2011 @11:32AM (#2552840)

Recommendation engines are getting pretty good at this. It's always going to be hit or miss no matter what method you invoke. Friends, browsing, engines... nothing will always be perfect.

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