ReadathonBeta

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[edit] First LibraryThing Readathon

[edit] Genesis

The thread that started it all.

Inspired by Do Nothing But Read Day, LibraryThing member squeakychu suggested we have our own event which doesn't limit a day's activity to just reading. (It was discovered that it's really hard to do nothing but read, when the doorbell rings, or pets/children need tending.)

Thus was born the LibraryThing 24-hour Readathon. The idea is to have LibraryThing members from across the world reading continuously for 24 hours. Each member is committing to reading for one hour, at a designated time. We've built in a redundancy, in case someone is trapped in their car in a snowstorm ... without a book.

[edit] Instructions

• Before you start editing, look at the timeline to find which time slot you'd like to fill in. Note the GMT time, as this will help you find the right line to edit.
  • You'll want to find a time that hasn't been taken, which you'll know because it has a placeholder "NAME". See below (at If table is full) if all the spots are taken.
  • The first column of names is for the top of the hour (:00) to the last minute of the hour (:59).
  • The second column is to start at the half hour (:30) and read for an entire hour, until the next half hour (:30).
• Open up the page by clicking EDIT which is to the far right of the word "TIMELINE".
• Each hour is a row in the table. The | (bar) marks define the columns.
  • If you want to read for the 00-59 hour, you'll want to edit the NAME that appears in the second-to-last column.
  • If you want to read from the 30-30, edit the last column.
• Where it says NAME, you'll delete the text NAME, and replace it with the text in bold, making sure to then exchange the two spots it says USERNAME for your actual username: [http://www.librarything.com/profile/USERNAME USERNAME]
• Click SHOW PREVIEW to see what you've changed. This has not saved your work, but it does let you see if you need to fix something.
• When you're done editing, click SAVE PAGE.

[edit] Example

If I want to read at 8am Eastern time, from 8:30-9:30, this is what I'll look for:

  |1300-1359||0800-0859||0001-0059 (nd)|| Name||Name

Now, I'll add my name, and create a link to my profile. This is not done with HTML. Instead, you use brackets to associate a URL with the text you want to see. Put an opening bracket ([), then the link, then a space, then what text you'd like to actually show, then a closing bracket (]).

  |1300-1359||0800-0859||0001-0059 (nd)|| Name||[http://www.librarything.com/profile/sonyagreen sonyagreen]

[edit] If table is full

• Choose your slot (preferably one with only one name in it).
• As above, click Edit. Find your place, and instead of deleting the placeholder put a comma and space after the user block that's already in there.
• Enter the bold text and replace USERNAME with your username: [http://www.librarything.com/profile/USERNAME USERNAME]
• Click SHOW PREVIEW to make sure it looks right, then click SAVE PAGE.

[edit] Example

Find a slot:

  |1300-1359||0800-0859||0001-0059 (nd)|| [http://www.librarything.com/profile/USERNAME USERNAME]||[http://www.librarything.com/profile/USERNAME USERNAME]

Now, add your name, and create a link to your profile. Put in a comma and space, then copy the link text and put in your user name.

  |1300-1359||0800-0859||0001-0059 (nd)|| [http://www.librarything.com/profile/USERNAME USERNAME], [http://www.librarything.com/profile/sonyagreen sonyagreen]||[http://www.librarything.com/profile/USERNAME USERNAME]

[edit] Timeline

When you sign up in the table below, you commit to reading for a FULL hour starting either at the beginning of an hour (if you are in the first column), or starting at the half past (the second column).

[edit] Notes:

• How to figure out your local time as GMT: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/
• GMT is a reference time zone it is not subject to daylight savings etc
• USEST is US Eastern Standard Time (LT timezone)
• AEDT is Australian Eastern Daylight savings Time ('cos I'm there!)
• (pd) means previous day
• (nd) means next day