Learn how to take charge of your reading list
by Sarah Elizabeth
Adler, AARP,
March 16, 2020
There's a stack of unread books on your
nightstand, but you don't know where to start — or maybe you can't remember the
title of the novel that you loved last summer and want to recommend to a
friend. Sound familiar?
Whether you want personalized recommendations,
a place to record which books you've read and what you thought of them, or a
tool to track your daily reading time, these apps and websites can help:
Libby
Great for: Library lovers
What it is: Mobile app for iOS and Android devices
Price: Free
Libby is the new mobile offering from the
makers of OverDrive. Both apps give patrons access to their local library's
collection of audio- and ebooks on their device (just enter library card
information after downloading), but Libby's sleek design has mobile users in
mind. The app can support multiple library cards, keep track of active loans
and holds, and lets you sample books before checking them out.
Goodreads
Great for: Amateur critics
What it is: Website, plus a mobile app for iOS and Android devices
Price: Free
Keep track of recent reads (or find new ones)
on Goodreads, a hybrid social network and review site where bookworms rate
millions of titles, plus share custom reading lists, participate in discussion
groups and receive personalized recommendations based on past favorites.
Frequent publisher giveaways mean there's also a chance to score free copies of
new releases.
LibraryThing
Great for: Type A organizers
What it is: Website, plus a mobile app for iOS and Android devices
Price: Free for the first 200 books, then $10/year (or $25 for a
lifetime membership)
Like GoodReads, LibraryThing is home to active
groups, forums and giveaways in all genres. But the site takes a bird's-eye
approach to managing your home library, allowing users to catalog, tag and sort
the titles in their book, movie and music collections. LibraryThing also
maintains an index of local pages for information about bookstores and literary
events in your area.
Shelfie
Great for: Notetakers
What it is: Mobile app for iOS devices
Price: First 10 scans are free; subscriptions start at
$0.99/month (or $1.99 for 600 additional scans)
Ready to upgrade from sticky notes and
highlighters to a digital note-taking experience? Shelfie uses optical
character-recognition technology to convert pictures of text into searchable
notes. Add your book, then snap a picture of your favorite passages, which will
be stored in a searchable, exportable collection. A monthly subscription comes
with unlimited scans and other features, like soothing background tracks to
play while you read.
Bookly
Great for: Goal-oriented optimizers
What it is: Mobile app for iOS and Android devices
Price: First 10 books are free; subscriptions start at
$4.99/month
Think of Bookly like a fitness tracker for
your reading habits. Tell the app which books you're reading, then start up a
“reading session” any time you crack one open: Bookly will track your pages and
time reading, then estimate how long it'll take you to finish at your current
rate. Paying subscribers get more features, such as unlimited books,
personalized reminders and reports, and iCloud backup.
Pocket
Great for: Newshounds
What it is: Internet browser extension
Price: Free, with a premium option for $4.99/month or $44.99/year
Pocket is a browser add-on that lets you
seamlessly save articles and webpages to read later (or just to file away),
plus offers up trending news stories from across the web in a variety of
categories. Your saved articles are accessible both online and offline in an
easy-to-read format, so you can pull them up anytime, anywhere. The premium
version comes with perks like advanced search and tagging tools for even more
organization.
Do it yourself
Don't overlook the humble notebook. Fans of
the pen-and-paper planner system known as bullet journaling often track their
reading habits using colorful, custom-drawn charts.
On the computer, something as simple as the
Google Sheets spreadsheet tool or a general note-taking app like Evernote or
Notion (both are free, with paid subscription options) allow you to create and
maintain reading lists, too.
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