LibraryThingTim
@librarythingtim.bsky.social
LibraryThing founder. Father, hacker, bibliophile, ex-classicist, Mainer, Catholic. I tweet books, libraries, technology, culture.
LibraryThing: @librarything.com
LibraryThing: @librarything.com
Pinned
Talpa Search is BETTER! We've released a big upgrade to @LibraryThing's groundbreaking new library search, with significant advances on "What's that book?" benchmark searches. 🧵
FWIW, I'm pretty damn proud of this work. Every percent improvement in the quality score was a struggle. There are some genuinely new ideas underneath here, but also a lot of experimenting, testing, tuning, and running things over and over!
When I was designing LibraryThing's "genre" feature, I made a "Falconry" genre to see if my data crunching would work for highly-specific things. So I present to you, the 2025 most-read books on falconry and falcon-related topics in US public libraries!
Eat your heart out, Falconry fans!
Eat your heart out, Falconry fans!
January 16, 2026 at 4:04 AM
When I was designing LibraryThing's "genre" feature, I made a "Falconry" genre to see if my data crunching would work for highly-specific things. So I present to you, the 2025 most-read books on falconry and falcon-related topics in US public libraries!
Eat your heart out, Falconry fans!
Eat your heart out, Falconry fans!
❤️
My twenty-year Thingaversary today! Thanks @librarything.com @librarythingtim.bsky.social for building and maintaining the best site on the web. Here's to many more!
January 10, 2026 at 8:37 PM
❤️
I redid the 2025 stats and forgot to limit it to 2025, so here's the most popular books in US public libraries across the last nine years.*
You may be surprised to see Harry Potter at #2, when it doesn't usually make the top 20. But being around 25 every month for nine years adds up!
You may be surprised to see Harry Potter at #2, when it doesn't usually make the top 20. But being around 25 every month for nine years adds up!
January 9, 2026 at 6:29 PM
I redid the 2025 stats and forgot to limit it to 2025, so here's the most popular books in US public libraries across the last nine years.*
You may be surprised to see Harry Potter at #2, when it doesn't usually make the top 20. But being around 25 every month for nine years adds up!
You may be surprised to see Harry Potter at #2, when it doesn't usually make the top 20. But being around 25 every month for nine years adds up!
1/ This year we did "Art Epiphany"—one hand-made present each, after all the Christmas craziness. I vibe-coded a three-person iPhone app, "Slugstagram," a cross between Instagram and FB Memories. I threw some 2,000 images in a bucket—family photos, GIFs from movies we've seen, poems, etc.
January 8, 2026 at 6:51 AM
1/ This year we did "Art Epiphany"—one hand-made present each, after all the Christmas craziness. I vibe-coded a three-person iPhone app, "Slugstagram," a cross between Instagram and FB Memories. I threw some 2,000 images in a bucket—family photos, GIFs from movies we've seen, poems, etc.
It ain't AGI, but if Claude successfully reads the PDF of the 1905 French edition of the UDC and turns it into structured JSON, well, I'm prepared to update my priors!
December 31, 2025 at 7:12 PM
It ain't AGI, but if Claude successfully reads the PDF of the 1905 French edition of the UDC and turns it into structured JSON, well, I'm prepared to update my priors!
You've never seen an LLM fabricate with more gusto than when you feed it a Judeo-Arabic text from the Cairo Geniza and ask for a translation. Absolute fantasy, confidently delivered.
December 30, 2025 at 6:03 AM
You've never seen an LLM fabricate with more gusto than when you feed it a Judeo-Arabic text from the Cairo Geniza and ask for a translation. Absolute fantasy, confidently delivered.
I found an error in LibraryThing's LCC (Library of Congress Classification) parsing. Enlisting AI to help me fix it and… I think I've found the new test for AGI. (Which it's not passing.)
December 29, 2025 at 10:51 PM
I found an error in LibraryThing's LCC (Library of Congress Classification) parsing. Enlisting AI to help me fix it and… I think I've found the new test for AGI. (Which it's not passing.)
NPR on Baker and Taylor shutting down, with @mbreeding.bsky.social on NPR (!) www.npr.org/2025/12/29/n...
Book distributor shutting down deals logistical blow to libraries
Baker and Taylor is one of very few companies that do book-distribution for libraries — companies that act as the middle man between libraries and publishers. But a few months ago, the company abruptl...
www.npr.org
December 29, 2025 at 6:32 PM
NPR on Baker and Taylor shutting down, with @mbreeding.bsky.social on NPR (!) www.npr.org/2025/12/29/n...
Today was reserved for reading these two enormous books.
December 28, 2025 at 5:04 AM
Today was reserved for reading these two enormous books.
IT'S OUT! The top library books of 2025, from Syndetics Unbound, @LibraryThing and @clarivateag.bsky.social
proquest.syndetics.com/news/2025/12... 🧵
proquest.syndetics.com/news/2025/12... 🧵
December 17, 2025 at 5:49 PM
IT'S OUT! The top library books of 2025, from Syndetics Unbound, @LibraryThing and @clarivateag.bsky.social
proquest.syndetics.com/news/2025/12... 🧵
proquest.syndetics.com/news/2025/12... 🧵
Reposted by LibraryThingTim
Content Café is closing Dec 15, 2025 but Syndetics has you covered with free catalog cover images through Jan 31, 2026.
Seamless setup, no cost, no hassle—just keep your library looking sharp: about.proquest.com/en/blog/2025...
Seamless setup, no cost, no hassle—just keep your library looking sharp: about.proquest.com/en/blog/2025...
December 15, 2025 at 9:25 AM
Content Café is closing Dec 15, 2025 but Syndetics has you covered with free catalog cover images through Jan 31, 2026.
Seamless setup, no cost, no hassle—just keep your library looking sharp: about.proquest.com/en/blog/2025...
Seamless setup, no cost, no hassle—just keep your library looking sharp: about.proquest.com/en/blog/2025...
1/2 All I want is an e-ink tablet. Must be limited—not a general purpose device I can check my email on. Must be very large (letter or larger), so I can read full PDFs comfortably. Must allow me to read SOME proprietary ebook standard. Must convert writing to text and also handle dictation.
December 15, 2025 at 5:39 PM
1/2 All I want is an e-ink tablet. Must be limited—not a general purpose device I can check my email on. Must be very large (letter or larger), so I can read full PDFs comfortably. Must allow me to read SOME proprietary ebook standard. Must convert writing to text and also handle dictation.
Reposted by LibraryThingTim
Ahmed al Ahmed, the man who tackled one of the Bondi killers, became an Australian citizen 3 years ago.
His deed was "his way of conveying his gratitude for staying in Australia, for being granted citizenship."
He took 5 bullets, and fears he'll lose his left arm.
www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...
His deed was "his way of conveying his gratitude for staying in Australia, for being granted citizenship."
He took 5 bullets, and fears he'll lose his left arm.
www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...
December 15, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Ahmed al Ahmed, the man who tackled one of the Bondi killers, became an Australian citizen 3 years ago.
His deed was "his way of conveying his gratitude for staying in Australia, for being granted citizenship."
He took 5 bullets, and fears he'll lose his left arm.
www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...
His deed was "his way of conveying his gratitude for staying in Australia, for being granted citizenship."
He took 5 bullets, and fears he'll lose his left arm.
www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...
I'm working on our race of the most popular books in public libraries. The data is mostly what you'd expect. But then, in early November, François Rabelais' 17th century fantastical riot of fart jokes "Gargantua and Pantagruel" leaps far ahead of all other books!
Did I miss something on TikTok?
Did I miss something on TikTok?
December 15, 2025 at 3:42 AM
I'm working on our race of the most popular books in public libraries. The data is mostly what you'd expect. But then, in early November, François Rabelais' 17th century fantastical riot of fart jokes "Gargantua and Pantagruel" leaps far ahead of all other books!
Did I miss something on TikTok?
Did I miss something on TikTok?
Baker and Taylor's "Content Café," is going dark on Monday, Dec 15, 2025. Cover images are going to vanish across thousands of library catalogs.
If this is your library, Syndetics is offering free cover images through Jan. 31, 2026. No cost, no hassle.
about.proquest.com/en/blog/2025...
If this is your library, Syndetics is offering free cover images through Jan. 31, 2026. No cost, no hassle.
about.proquest.com/en/blog/2025...
Syndetics offers complimentary cover image service for libraries
Content Café subscribers can request free access to Syndetics cover images through January 31, 2026.
about.proquest.com
December 12, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Baker and Taylor's "Content Café," is going dark on Monday, Dec 15, 2025. Cover images are going to vanish across thousands of library catalogs.
If this is your library, Syndetics is offering free cover images through Jan. 31, 2026. No cost, no hassle.
about.proquest.com/en/blog/2025...
If this is your library, Syndetics is offering free cover images through Jan. 31, 2026. No cost, no hassle.
about.proquest.com/en/blog/2025...
Upcoming "Year in Review" for LibraryThing includes a section for your authors who died this year. I don't have any. Either I'm reading books by young people or by already dead people. I think you can guess which.
December 10, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Upcoming "Year in Review" for LibraryThing includes a section for your authors who died this year. I don't have any. Either I'm reading books by young people or by already dead people. I think you can guess which.
At one point or another there seem to have been up to a dozen Spanish-language LibraryThing/Goodreads clones—a few still extant—and every single one is from Span, not Latin America. Why?
December 10, 2025 at 2:02 AM
At one point or another there seem to have been up to a dozen Spanish-language LibraryThing/Goodreads clones—a few still extant—and every single one is from Span, not Latin America. Why?
Reposted by LibraryThingTim
"there's a new serif in town"
Marco Rubio ordered diplomats to return to using Times New Roman font in official communications, calling his predecessor's decision to adopt Calibri a “wasteful” diversity move
Rubio Stages Font Coup: Times New Roman Ousts Calibri
The secretary of state called it a "wasteful" diversity move, according to an internal department cable seen by Reuters.
www.huffpost.com
December 10, 2025 at 1:06 AM
"there's a new serif in town"
December 5, 2025 at 7:08 AM
CM did not, actually, need to do this. Like some other universities—but not all!—they are acquiescing to Trump Administration bullying. Code4Lib must NOT change its scholarships to comply with this. And indeed I would propose that CM not be welcome at future events. Cowardice must have its price.
Carnegie Mellon has cancelled hosting the Code4Lib conference this year because Code4Lib has scholarships supporting diverse attendees. Some lame fuckery indeed.
Carnegie Mellon deciding at the last minute that they can't host the annual Code4Lib conference is some lame fuckery.
December 5, 2025 at 6:31 AM
CM did not, actually, need to do this. Like some other universities—but not all!—they are acquiescing to Trump Administration bullying. Code4Lib must NOT change its scholarships to comply with this. And indeed I would propose that CM not be welcome at future events. Cowardice must have its price.
Carnegie Mellon has cancelled hosting the Code4Lib conference this year because Code4Lib has scholarships supporting diverse attendees. Some lame fuckery indeed.
Carnegie Mellon deciding at the last minute that they can't host the annual Code4Lib conference is some lame fuckery.
December 5, 2025 at 6:03 AM
Carnegie Mellon has cancelled hosting the Code4Lib conference this year because Code4Lib has scholarships supporting diverse attendees. Some lame fuckery indeed.
Intelligence is knowing that an ISBN is any 10 digit number where the last digit is the mod 11 of the sum of all the other digits.
Wisdom is slapping down 0123456789, 1111111111, 2222222222, 3333333333…
Wisdom is slapping down 0123456789, 1111111111, 2222222222, 3333333333…
December 3, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Intelligence is knowing that an ISBN is any 10 digit number where the last digit is the mod 11 of the sum of all the other digits.
Wisdom is slapping down 0123456789, 1111111111, 2222222222, 3333333333…
Wisdom is slapping down 0123456789, 1111111111, 2222222222, 3333333333…
I wonder if that's Whole Foods, or sorting and delivery alone.
November 30, 2025 at 4:52 PM
I wonder if that's Whole Foods, or sorting and delivery alone.
Just confirmed: I'm going to the Guadalajara International Book Fair in early December. Anyone else attending?
November 27, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Just confirmed: I'm going to the Guadalajara International Book Fair in early December. Anyone else attending?
Reposted by LibraryThingTim
Canadian Soul: "Aretha Franklin considered Anne Shirley somewhat of a kindred spirit, and was quoted saying 'Anne of Green Gables' was one of her 'favourite things.'" #CanLit #BookSky www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Why Aretha Franklin found a kindred spirit in Anne of Green Gables | CBC News
Aretha Franklin considered Anne Shirley somewhat of a kindred spirit, and was quoted saying Anne of Green Gables was one of her "favourite things."
www.cbc.ca
November 20, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Canadian Soul: "Aretha Franklin considered Anne Shirley somewhat of a kindred spirit, and was quoted saying 'Anne of Green Gables' was one of her 'favourite things.'" #CanLit #BookSky www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...