Top 1000 Library Books

November 30, 2004 1:31 PM

"Libraries are rich, deep, resources for preserving cultural heritage and indispensable resources for the communities they serve.” OCLC, a nonprofit, membership, computer library service and research organization, has compiled a list of the top 1000 titles owned or licensed by its 50,000+ member libraries. There are sublists by subject, a cross listing with a banned books list, and some fun facts, including the supremely annoying one that the highest listed living author is Jim Davis of Garfield fame (#18).
posted by donnagirl (16 comments total)

Also includes the Find in a Library service discussed here
posted by donnagirl at 1:31 PM on November 30, 2004

Someone banned the bible!
posted by u.n. owen at 1:32 PM on November 30, 2004

I say with considerable pride that the library at which I am presently working (and using OCLC, natch) does not hold #18 in its august collection.

whew.
posted by felix betachat at 1:51 PM on November 30, 2004

Oh, here's a find:
OCLC Report: 2004 Information Format Trends now available

2004 Information Format Trends: Content, Not Containers returns to the subject of the Five-Year Information Format Trends report of 2003, driven by remarkable changes since its publication. The new report examines the "unbundling of content" from traditional containers (books, journals, CDs) and distribution methods (postal mail, resource sharing)....

You can download without registering. This could prove interesting.
posted by fluffycreature at 2:36 PM on November 30, 2004

The only children's picture book on the banned cross-list is ... Sylvester and the Magic Pebble!
posted by expialidocious at 2:39 PM on November 30, 2004

yeah, OCLC is frikin COOL!


(disclaimer : i work for oclc)
posted by das_2099 at 2:40 PM on November 30, 2004

I wonder if Garfield would be so high if they had considered each collection separately.
posted by synecdoche at 5:33 PM on November 30, 2004

Robinson Crusoe #22 is said .. "to be the most widely read book after the Bible. Sometimes regarded as the first novel in English (1719). No single book in the history of Western literature has spawned more editions, translations (even into languages such as Inuit, Coptic, and Maltese), imitations, continuations, and sequels than Robinson Crusoe. There have been hundreds of adaptations in dozens of languages. By the end of the nineteenth century, "Crusoe" had appeared in at least 700 editions, translations, and imitations."
posted by stbalbach at 6:09 PM on November 30, 2004

expialidocious: I did a banned books display at a library where I once worked and encountered "Sylvester and the Magic Pebble." All the characters in the book are animals and a couple of policeman characters are portrayed by pigs. Apparently some police association challenged it because of that.

I just want to know, where's the World Almanac on that list? We couldn't have survived at the library without that thing.

"World Almanac: 80% of the time its better than Google."
posted by marxchivist at 6:20 PM on November 30, 2004

the highest listed living author is Jim Davis of Garfield fame

There is a good solution to that particular problem.
posted by five fresh fish at 7:10 PM on November 30, 2004

They're also the folks that sued the Library Hotel. Later settled, sure, but that left a bad taste in my mouth.

What's it like working for OCLC, das_2099? I admit I'm dubious about it as an organization and its goals (the Google/WorldCat alliance makes me nervous - libraries have a commitment to privacy, Google, though...). I think that by providing cataloging information to libraries big and small, that they're stiffling some advancements here and there.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 7:14 PM on November 30, 2004 [1 favorite]

Marxchivist: That's interesting - I was wondering what could possibly be offensive about that book. I thought maybe the Harry-Potter-is-Satanic-propaganda crowd would object to the magic pebble. I do remember it as the only children's book that consistently made me sad every time I read it.

Although now that I think about it, the donkeys with pipe and glasses (Dad) and print housedress (Mom) are pushing it. And what's that kid doing naked all the time?
posted by expialidocious at 9:20 PM on November 30, 2004

I lived in Dublin, OH (upscale suburb of Columbus) where the OCLC campus is located. They have a large group of buildings with security cameras looking down at the walkways (at least I thought thats what they were) next to the beltway. Sort of CIA looking I always thought.
posted by sirvesa at 9:20 PM on November 30, 2004

Hey, fluffycreature: I like your user name.
posted by Fuzzy Monster at 11:22 PM on November 30, 2004

I love libraries. I especially love reading banned books. Cool post, donnagirl.

Meanwhile, an Alabama State Representative is trying to ban library books which reference homosexuality ... both fiction and non-fiction.
posted by Orb at 6:34 PM on December 1, 2004

Alabama is a great counter-argument to evolution: it's quite apparent they are going backward there.
posted by five fresh fish at 9:11 PM on December 1, 2004