Thumbs Up to Your Recommendations

Based upon word-of-mouth recommendations, I have checked out numerous excellent books over the years. These suggestions come from both friends and acquaintances. Isn’t that where good recommendations often come? Not professional critics, but other readers.

Professional critics can be engaging and are well-informed. However, what Simon says or Ebert writes, does not always translate into the best advice. I have much more success paying attention to what another readers, listeners or viewers think.

So for purely selfish reasons, I encourage you to share your thoughts about items on our catalog. You can now submit ratings and reviews on books, audio books, DVDs and more. How?

Let me give an example: Let's say that Mr. Greenspan, A.G. to his pals, has just read Crash Proof: How to Profit From the Coming Economic Collapse and thinks everyone else should too.
He visits our catalog at http://vulcan.bham.lib.al.us/. Greenspan locates the title that he would like to review using the search feature. In the display of the full record, he clicks the “Add Review” button on the right side of the page. A.G. enters his name and library card number when prompted.

Greenspan enters a short attention grabbing review headline and then proceeds to the review itself expounding the virtues of the book in a short pithy straightforward bit of prose. With the review completed, he clicks the submit button.

"Brilliant!” he exclaims as the clicks the OK button to confirm his review. Greenspan knows his rationally exuberant submission is on it's way to the Library staff for approval.

In the meantime, A.G. decides to add a reader rating as well. Since he is already logged in he finds the “Additional Info” box of the title record. Moving his mouse pointer over the rating stars, Greenspan clicks on the last one giving Crash Proof a five star rating.

Become a review maestro yourself and submit recommendations on the library items you enjoy. For more information on reviews click here. For more about ratings follow this link.

"Thumbs Up!" Image courtesy of Phototropism