Introductions

Welcome! Feel free to introduce yourself here if you'd like.

I'm just barely introverted, technically on the borderline between introverted and extraverted, and I do talk a lot on LT, but I thought it was very important to have this space. So I'll try not to post TOO much. :)

Hello there, I rarely post in Talk. Usually just because I hate getting drowned out. I also have always been quite the old "Victorian Child", seen and not heard.

I never liked stepping on feet whenever I am talking so if I am in a room of talkers I won't speak at all. So I tend to come across as strange face to face but I am such a shy person. So it seems it rings true for me online as well, I try to be respectful of everyone.

I post on other groups a couple times per week. Like Quembel, I don't like getting drowned out. I also don't like feeling like, if I refuse to engage in a useless argument with someone, I'm somehow fragile or overly sensitive.

I'm hoping this group will provide some safety for those of us who have strong and valuable opinions but choose to express them in carefully thought through and quieter conversations. A chance to be heard without having to yell.

I also hope we can point people to other groups on LibraryThing where our quieter approach is valued. They are out there!

Thanks very much, caffron for starting this group. I hope your initiative will start a trend of greater civility on Talk.

This is an awesome group!
Face face I never shut up, probably because my friends never do either and we talk about books all the time.
Online, I tend to be on the quiet side now, too many forums have changed and ones where they say you can speak your mind, you can, only if you agree with a certain person(s).
I am very new to LT, and have already found that things can be taken the wrong way in the forums.
*Sigh* I just want to talk about books!

Oh well this seems like a great group!

Great idea caffron! I hesitate to mention on LT that I'm a librarian as that group seem to be particularly vocal. I'm looking forward to some pleasant discussion about reading and LibraryThing here.

Hi VivienneR! Being a librarian is totally fine, I'm one too!

My local librarians hate me :( lol

No, they don't hate you ladylenneth - but I have to admit, in my experience many seem to give that impression. I have a feeling you are one of their best customers!

Glad to hear from another librarian minelson01.

Is it bad to add that I have my MLS, but I don't work in a library?

I don't consider myself quiet or shy, and I'm not easily put off by controversy, strong opinions or rude language. I have a twenty-five year history in retail and you don't survive that without learning the art of not taking things personally!

I'm also interested in many of the more active technical topics on how LT works or should work.

But I'm not an expert librarian or book cataloger, can't argue the niceties of the variety and form of MARC records, and rarely have anything to say on those threads that couldn't be trumped by someone with more technical expertise than I possess.

Plus, as I said in the other thread, I'm busy. I don't have tons of time to post so I try to post where I might be heard.

>11 WalkerMedia: Oh, don't get me wrong. I have nothing against librarians (though I believe the oddest people I've ever known are academic librarians). My worry is that because librarians are inclined to be extremely correct, one will notice somewhere in my library that a cover image doesn't match the edition. If I no longer own the book then I'm relying on not-so-reliable memory.

I'm a (non-employed) librarian, too. I got my Diploma in Librarianship and Information Studies nearly thirty years ago but haven't actually worked in a library very much but I definitely put my skills to use whenever I can.

I don't post much on LT - I think I'm a listener rather than a talker in a group situation. I also have a tendency to procrastinate, so any thread I might eventually get round to taking part in has moved on too far by the time I'm ready!

>11 WalkerMedia: Caffron and >14 CDVicarage: CDVicarage, I also have an MLS but don't work in a library. I work in a corporate setting, trying to preserve the knowledge of 50 years of scientists and engineers for the next generation. That MLS comes in very handy. I love public libraries but could never work in one, I don't think.

>12 southernbooklady: southernbooklady, the things you said on Caffron's lurker thread really resonated with me. One way we might use this group is to bring some of those topics here, start our own threads on those topics, and see what people here think.

I guess I could be considered a somewhat frequent poster. But that's only in the LT-related groups. Maybe because my profession is software and I have a great interest in how this site works in addition to loving it for book cataloging. I've also had to learn to hold my own in a debate, again due to my profession. That doesn't mean I enjoy it, or that I want to spend my limited free time energy on it. And I quickly drop out of most of the threads that explode with 10s or more posts overnight.

So, it's really, really nice to have a space to quietly relax in. Looking forward (here!) to the talk.

Hello all; I go through phases where I post more than at other times, but in general I think I could be labeled a lurker, for reasons already stated by others here. I enjoy my lurking habits in some other groups, with the occasional post, but I too sometimes feel that because I'm not a super-frequent poster, my posts go unnoticed. I very much like the idea of a quiet little corner in LT to come and relax and lurk with other lurkers. :) Many thanks to Caffron for starting this up!

I'm probably not the target audience for the group, as I'm one of the more frequent posters in the larger world of LT. I'm also someone that might be considered one of the "ruder" posters. I'm big on kindness, not politeness. I prefer directness to coyness.

I will, however, be a lurker to this group. I'm all for listening...

If anyone is interested in a slightly more intimate setting for discussing books, I'd also recommend checking out BookBalloon. It's a smaller forum without the bells and whistles that LT has. It also tends to be a hell of a lot less contentious than LT. (No, Tim, this isn't meant to supplant LT, just to supplement it).

Now, back to lurking.

>18 Jesse_wiedinmyer: Seconding Jesse's recommendation for BookBalloon, which I like very much and I'm not at all a lurker or even infrequent poster there. Mostly because I have got to know the people on the site. LT is wonderful for the breadth of topics under discussion, but it is conversely much harder to get to know people individually.

I'm definitely on the talky side in Talk, but mostly in the site-related groups. I would love to have quieter discussions, without the drama that pops up so often. And I don't talk about books much just because I can't find a place where detailed discussion really fits. So this group sounds great!

(besides, after _not_ posting in the Lurker thread, I really want to get to know some of you better!)

stalker alert.

pllllbbbbbtttttt.....

>20 jjmcgaffey: jjmcgaffey, you are most welcome here, as are others who want a slower paced discussion. I've heard other "talkative" LT members mention a desire to be here, or "lurk" here, in the hopes of learning what might help make their own groups more all-inclusive (or just to see how well they are doing at it.) Glad to have you!

yep another active Talker (well sometimes when work is slow enough) just dropping by to annoucne my lurkeriness. We're watching you quiet types too you know. ;-)

HI, some may consider me a talker but I don't feel that I am a talker here in talk. I think my number for posts is high because I do some challenges and I mostly post in my own thread.

I love to read and sometime get involved in a discussion of a book. I am not a very well thought out talker nor do I feel that I can articulate my thoughts correctly or coherently for some people and even sometimes for myself.

I am just a woman that enjoys reading and likes to discover new books, authors and genres.

Welcome, crazy4reading!

Welcome also reading_fox, I'm already amused by you as I don't normally consider myself among those warrant watching! :-) I guess we'll just have to wait and see!

Hey, all!

I post on a regular basis on the Bookmooch forum, but elsewhere very rarely, and only after confirming it's safe to swim in the thread waters. I love being able to post freely at the BM forum, and it's definitely because I lurked for a long while and when I did post there was a lot of positive reinforcement. I would like to see that happen here too.

I am an introvert and a wallflower. I usually want to communicate but I often don't know how to do it clearly, or feel clumsy doing it. Also, I am a sensitive snowflake. One sharp look and I'm crawling under the furniture (thankfully I've outgrown that in reality, if not in theory...) Once I am comfortable, though, I'll chat till the cows come home. I'll tease and banter - all good naturedly, of course (see: hiding under furniture).

I use most of LTs cataloging features. I do combine occasionally (when I am fairly certain I'm not making a mess of things) and I enjoy editing info in my library. I love tags, and I love recommendations (because I need more books. Really, I do.)

And I do like Talk, though I would like to read what people thought about certain books in a discussion, outside of reviews, you know? But I also know that of all the thousands of people here, the percentage of the ones reading the same book I am, at the same time I am, and poking around Talk to talk about it, is really slim. I can't do structured book clubs either because I am a mood-reader, and that can change from day to day. But I would love to chime in on anything I've read, knowing I won't be fed to the sharks. (nom nom)

See, I'm talking already. Group works! :)

27> Did you see Tim's post about what to call super-touchstones (no idea where it is - I linked from Twitter)? Looks like they're really coming. That will be very helpful in finding real discussions of a particular book...

ETA - it's in RSI - Oh, please help me with a name!

my posts per day is 0.33 and most of those are probably in BookMooch. I follow RSI and New Features and some other site related groups- I read LT every day, but rarely post, a little because the debate can get very tense sometimes and a little because I feel like someone else has already made the points I would want to make.

I'd just like to say that, reading through this thread, it's so nice and exciting to find other people who feel the same way I do about being shy about posting and such. Yay! I'm inordinately happy to be meeting all of you here!
(Too much? Should I calm down a bit?)

(Edited for typos)

I found RSI and New Features to be the most contentious groups. It was entertaining for a while then became just the opposite. I stopped reading after a short time. However, I must go back and find out what these super-touchstones are.

scaifea, unrestrained joy is welcome.

It may seem like I post alot but its my 2( 75 & 1010) challenge threads and BM & audiobooks. Those are the groups I have found the nicest people in. I have tried to start threads and haven't had much luck except my What Did You Just Finish thread.
I started a thread at the beginning of summer that asked for good summer beach reads and all I got was snarky comments and 1 suggestion.
As others have said I have tried posting in some of the other threads that are mostly the same people arguing over the same things and I too have felt like my comment was completely overlooked.
I am a lurker who watches many groups and threads and feel like if I try to say something I will get my head bit off or made to feel stupid because I have found there is a core group of people that likes to feel superior to everyone else and if you have so much as 2 exclamationtion points or had improper use of a semi colon in your sentence you are flamed.

So what I am hoping for is a kinder gentler LT more than a quieter LT.

Hi all - I'm another infrequent poster, although I do a lot of reading :) Great idea, caffron! And I'm glad to see there are some talkers here. It would be sort of boring if all of us lurked. (I just had this weird mental image of trench-coated figures - hands in pockets, hats pulled low, slipping silently into the dark, shadow-shaded corners of LT's electronic alleys... only to find the shadows already occupied. I think I've had too much caffeine this a.m.)

I'm another librarian - academic, although I don't think I'm too odd. Right now I'll just be happy (like the students) when exams are done!

You brought a big grin to my face today fssunnysd

Greetings all. I have stepped out of the shadows and joined up as this looks to be an interesting group. I recognize a few folks from my wanderings around LT and like the emphasis on civil discourse. Happy reading!

Hello ya'll! I found my way here. I'm a regular poster on the BookMooch forum, but don't really post anywhere else. I tend to be much quieter around strangers, and only vocal once I get to know people. I am one of those people that sit in the background and only pop up when needed, or when I have time to post. I'm looking forward to getting to know ya'll better.

Hi all. I do post in several different groups but am really an introvert. Being an academic librarian and a cataloger, the "I" is expected. I also am a church librarian. My problem is time - I can't read all the posts in very active groups and still have time to work on my libraries, help out in various ways on LT, read and stitch. In lurking the past few days, I like the tone of this group. Looking forward to discussions here.

Hi everyone. I'm not much of a talker or one to post mainly because I'm quiet and introverted. I'm hoping to find a couple of friends on here whom I can discuss the books that we read. Sometimes I get to caught up in reading the post and "lurking" that I don't get much reading done. Of course right now at my job I get plenty of time to read.

I knew it was a mistake to write that about odd academic librarians. But I had a laugh when I read fssunnysd's post. Then when I saw fdholt's post I realized there might be a lot of lurking librarians. Well, there are actually. In library school we were told to "lurk in the stacks".

"Lurker in the Stacks" sounds like a horror film!

Yooouuuu diiiiidnn't retuuurrrrn yooouuurrr booooook oooon tiiiime...

AAAH!

Oh macsbrains, you might be an introvert (your word) but you sure are funny!

Horror film? Maybe. But I'm talking real life!! :)

>41 VivienneR: Thanks for the compliment :)

In my brain the "Luker in the Stacks" came with a disturbing visual, too. Spectral and spooky, soundlessly emerging from the shadows...... BOO!

Aha! That'll be the librarian. Watch out!

Another lurker coming out of the shadows...

I've been enjoying the threads here. For full disclosure, I do have spells of frequent posting but lately most of my posts have been on my 1010 Challenge thread. Anyway, just thought I would let you know I'm here.

Hello to all the new lurkers! It's so nice to see how many people are coming out of the woodwork.

Hello, new. I know I can't keep up with the 150-300+ posts per day in other forums. I may spend 10 minutes reading, but I won't always post. I'm certainly not an introvert, but I'm time-challenged!

I just wanted to say hello and welcome to everyone. This group has succeeded beyond my wildest dreams. :) I'm enjoying alternating the lurking and chatting here. I'll admit I was worried I would have to play an active role to get things started, but I've been able to just sit back and relax and mostly listen. I don't have to skim long threads, and I'm getting to hear from new names plus familiar ones in new ways. I never disliked the frequent talkers...heck I'm generally one of them...but I just wanted a change of pace in conversation, and this has been it. I'm sure the group will be even more rich when the expanded Talk features get implemented. Thanks for forming such an awesome community so quickly! :)

Hi all! Thanks for starting the group caffron. I am another lurker who's been in the shadows for a while. I've been in the 75 challenge group for a few years now, but I rarely post outside my own thread. I am typically outspoken and friendly in real life, but online I end up quiet and shy and never really able to communicate what I'm thinking. It's nice to have a slower-paced group where we can dip our toes in the water instead of plunging in head first!

Hello caffron and others:

First of all, I'm delighted that you have created this group. After almost two years of merely cataloging my books and lurking on the boards, I have just started to post in Le Salon Litteraire du Peuple pour le Peuple where people have been welcoming. However, the introvert in me revels finding likeminded souls who desire something different.

Cheers,
Saro

Is this the fell of the wagon group? I went to the thrift and found three terrific oldies, did not have enough for total purchase and the man next in line offered to assist and I let him....help!

welcome!

#51: If it is, I fell off the wagon & down the cliffside a very long time ago.... and I'm not going to bother climbing up the cliff to get on the wagon again, either!!

I like my books.
a lot!

>50 Sarine:: Welcome to the group, sarine :) Glad to have you.

>51 pre20cenbooks:: There was a wagon? Oh, so THAT'S what that thing was that went off into the distance without me.

Welcome sarine and other new members. Hard to believe we have over 60 members already!

I agree with so much you guys have written. I enjoy reading the groups (not sure which ones you refer to as noisy) but I also feel lost in the shuffle. I'd really like to be able to join in on discussions - sometimes it works but most times not but I think that's us lurkers - we don't think we'll be responded to so we don't respond. I've decided to respond more often whether or not I get "noticed" but I've pared down the number of groups I look at because of time limits.

An "appreciation" button would be nice if you don't have a lot to add to the group but just want to join in, since some of the groups are so big.

Anyway, it a great place to read about books and to read the opinions and experiences of others.

Hello -- have also been lurking in the stacks for a little while! I don't post much, and agree that some of the groups can be quite hard to get to virtual grips with, but I appreciate the thinking behind this group.

I'm not sure I actually saw the wagon, maybe because I am shortsighted.

Welcome nhlsecord, 1Owlette, and about 20 other new members in the past couple of months. It's still cozy...not too crowded. :)

Hi everyone.......... Sounds like a great group. I'm probably a semi-lurker. I post sometimes.....not a lot. Thanks for not being critical of grammar and spelling. I wish we had grammar & spell checker. I have become spoiled. Love books, english authors, english mysteries, etc. This is kinda like a cozy mystery.... nice and easy but still very interesting.

Welcome JaneAustenNut. I like that you said it is 'kinda like a cozy mystery.' It really is. I lurk more than I post, that may change in time. Hope to see you around!

Hi, all,
I've been lurking around here a bit; you seem like a nice group of people :) It's nice to have a group where things don't get lost in the shuffle. I don't know what to say by way of introduction. I'm a small-town librarian whose job description is basically "whatever someone wants me to do this week." My library here is a skewed representation of what I actually own because I've been very lazy about putting in my backlog of books (bad, bad). I post here and there in other threads, but I'm not a consistent poster anywhere.

Anyway, good to meet all of you! That's my scattershot intro.