CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO GAME CATALOG DISCUSSION

In library thing you should be able to add video games to your collection. Am I right?

ps4, ps5, xbox, and switch. steam, epic should all be able to catalog.

Am I missing anything? Thoughts, comments?

Petition to tim spalding lol

You can, you should, and people already do so. There's nothing stopping you.

>4 Diligent_Painter:

You can catalog anything. Books, antique vases, samples of famous people's hair, plastic colanders. It's just that there won't be a media type for the latter three, and you risk having your antique spoons combined with a book called Antique Spoons or the like. (See, I just made up that title, but there's a book that it linked to. :-)

Some things probably aren't worth cataloging, but LibraryThing is a database of objects. It's just that it's tweaked for books and other mass-produced copyrighted items.

Loudest thread title ever.

Ikr

>6 waltzmn: It should be a media catagory

If videogames were a media category it would make it so much easier to catalog. Why add manually?

>9 Diligent_Painter: You can add custom media categories. As for why add manually, because none of the sources available will have it. You can try Amazon, but doubtful about any luck

Ok so I manually cataloged a ps4 game: Battlefront II. And It took a little bit of work for it to look nice. This is why it should be a media category. It would make it so much easier. Click my books to see how I did :)

>12 Diligent_Painter: There is a world of difference between "I'd like it to be a media category" and "It should be a media category". That aside, I don't think there are currently any features that make cataloging, for instance, a DVD (a current media category, if I understand what you mean by that term), any easier than cataloging anything that doesn't have a media category, such as antique spoons.

>13 Foretopman: It should be. Just like you can easily add dvds to your collection, it should be an easily added element to spice up you collection.

>14 Diligent_Painter: I have not tried to add either video games or DVDs, so tell me how adding a DVD is currently easier than adding a video game.

>15 Foretopman: When you go to add books, you click on amazon.com movies. From there you can search the title of the movie or isbn. This can be seen as adding digital movies or dvds or whatever.

Battlefront II is somehow the only thing it finds ever after manually adding

>9 Diligent_Painter: It should be a media catagory.

As others have pointed out, you can add it if you need it.

There is a cost/benefit to each new media category. If we created a category "butter sculptures" and inflicted it on everyone, then everyone would have to scroll past it to get to something more permanent. So what is convenient to a butter sculptor is inconvenient to everyone else.

I suspect there are enough video games being catalogued that they collectively should be a media type. Whether they should have subtypes for the platform used... I haven't a clue. But in general I prefer the list of types shorter. I did not ask for a 78s sub-type of recordings just because I own a collection of 78s; I created my own sub-type, and I'm perfectly content.

>18 waltzmn: I understand the concerns that some users, like waltzmn, have about adding a new media category to LibraryThing, particularly the worry that it might lead to unnecessary clutter or a bloated interface. They raise valid points about the cost/benefit ratio of adding categories and the need to avoid overwhelming users with options that aren't universally relevant. However, I believe this perspective overlooks an important fact: video games are no longer a peripheral or niche hobby, but a central part of modern culture and collecting.

While it’s true that not every new category might appeal to everyone, the addition of a video game category wouldn't detract from the user experience for those who aren't interested in cataloging games. In fact, it would enhance the experience for those who do have video games in their collections. It’s not about forcing everyone to engage with video games but about acknowledging that for many collectors, they are just as important as books, movies, or music. If done thoughtfully, the introduction of a video game category could be neatly integrated without creating the clutter some fear.

Additionally, the argument that people can simply use custom categories already ignores the reality of how inefficient and inconsistent that can be. Manually adding video games or creating custom sub-categories isn't a seamless solution—it’s time-consuming and prone to errors. An official video game category would streamline the process for those who collect these items, offering greater accuracy and ease, just as we already enjoy for other media like DVDs or CDs.

In short, while I understand the concerns about balance, I believe the demand for a video game category is both reasonable and necessary. It would improve the user experience for a significant portion of LibraryThing's user base, and ultimately, it wouldn’t disrupt the overall platform for those who don’t wish to use it.

You can catalog your video games on sites like Grouvee, VGCollect, Backloggd, PlayTracker, and CLZ Games.
Sites for cataloging video games
Grouvee: A site for cataloging your video game collection and tracking your backlog
VGCollect: A site for tracking and organizing your video game collection
Backloggd: A site for tracking your game collection, rating games, and adding upcoming games to your wishlist
PlayTracker: A site that connects to popular gaming platforms to unite gamer data
CLZ Games: A site for cataloging your video game collection that allows you to customize your view by platform, genre, or release date

>20 2wonderY: The purpose of this is to get an option for cataloging video games specifically on librarything.

>16 Diligent_Painter: Which is about what is available at Amazon.com movies, not about whether LT has a video game media category.

>23 that_one_guy: Ok that's actually sick.

There's an existing 'software' media type, which you can use for games. You can create subtypes under software for DVD-ROM, cartridge, etc. That's how I catalogued my games.

Incidentally, I found listings for some of them in Overcat (from a Flemish library source).

Where is the software media type?

>27 Diligent_Painter: Click 'show all media' at the top

>28 SandraArdnas: Of the add books page?

>29 Diligent_Painter: At the top of the Media list when editing a work in your catalogue.

But does anyone agree about the separate media catalog?

Category or catalog?

If you want a separate media catalogue for your video games, your best bet is to follow the advice of >20 2wonderY: and use a website built specifically for cataloguing video games.

>32 Aquila: Category sorry

I wouldn't mind a video games category, but there are many improvements that I would like to see implemented first.

I fail to see why video game categories should be a made a standard for a site that is focused on book cataloguing. There are even book (and other printed media) subcategories that aren't preset on LT. The already existing "software" is more than enough. If the possibility of creating your own categories isn't enough, then use a different site than LT.

>33 GraceCollection: ... use a website built specifically for cataloguing video games.
>36 PawsforThought: I fail to see why video game categories should be a made a standard for a site that is focused on book cataloguing.

If this site is solely for book cataloging, why bother having sound recordings with subtypes or video recordings with subtypes? Shouldn't audiobooks be the only sounds that matters? Why have five different subtypes of printed music, or a subtype for calendars? But it appears as though there was enough of a want for those categories.

And libraries carry more than just books. There are a significant number that also now include games. They are not inferior media types. Creating custom subtypes takes more clicks than just adding "video games" under the software subheading would. People can create custom ones for consoles if they so choose, but personally I feel games have become ubiquitous enough in peoples' libraries that they merit having a media type.

>37 MrKusabi: Aren't physical digital media on the contrary on its way out? I thought basically everyone these days download their games, in which cases they are indeed software, plain and simple.

My board games and roleplaying games, on the other hand ...

>37 MrKusabi: I didn't say "is solely for book cataloguing". I said that it focuses on book cataloguing. There is a big difference.

I'm well aware that public libraries carry more than books - I am a former librarian. And even in the library system we used, media that wasn't books was catalogued as "other", because it wasn't the primary focus of the library - it was an extra. No one said games are inferior - that's you projecting. But games are not books and this site is primarily aimed at book cataloguing.
And maybe games are very common in the libraries of people you know, but that's not a universal truth. The people I know who play video games have online games or software - not physical games.

It's already quite easy to catalog video games here. Plenty of people do. No changes or separate websites are needed.

>38 anglemark: Aren't physical digital media on the contrary on its way out?

Don't people catalog eBooks? And people still keep their older collections as well. And I would argue in light of some of the commentary made by various companies, a significant amount of people are rethinking digital only.

(For anyone unaware, various companies have "clarified" that digital media—including movies and games—are licensed, not bought, and can be taken away at any time. Steam has mentioned that game libraries cannot be given to another upon death, and there were cases with the Crunchyroll/Funimation buyout and a Sony/WB agreement that lead to numerous people losing digital media they believed they had bought.)

That being said, creating a media type for every console/service would be excessive, however I see no reason why there isn't a subtype "Video Games" under Software by default. And having a subtype "Board Games" under Other should not be out of the realm of possibility either, as those are also important parts of peoples' libraries (I have quite a few myself).

>39 PawsforThought: ...games are not books and this site is primarily aimed at book cataloguing.

My apologies if I came across a little strong. And I am a current librarian as well.

I mentioned subtypes because LibraryThing already has subtypes for things that are not books. I do not see anyone here arguing those are unnecessary and should be removed, but there are quite a few arguing that games should not be treated the same. It certainly does come across as games being viewed as inferior to things like DVDs, CDs, and other things that are not books that are by default in the cataloging sections here. And yes, you are correct that many buy games digitally. Many by books digitally as well. That is why Ebook is a category. But many still keep older physical works (or even by new ones in physical) and that number is not as low as you'd think. I maintain that the number is significant enough to merit one subtype added for ease of cataloging. Otherwise, all other non-book subtypes are extraneous and should be removed from this book-only cataloging site.

>42 MrKusabi: Personally, I don't see the need for many of the other subcategories either but they already exist so it wouldn't be fair to remove them now (what would happen to the cataloguing people have already done?). But I would very much argue against adding any other subcategories. Especially since it's perfectly possible to do what multiple people have said multiple times on this thread: add your own category.

>43 PawsforThought:

I do get what you are saying, and I have added my own. I just adamantly believe that LibraryThing should more easily incorporate all aspects of libraries. Adding a custom category is prone to user error as well as just an extra step. That being said, it isn't the end of the world. I like LibraryThing and wouldn't stop using it over something so very minor. However with the sweeping updates, it would be nice if the categories got a bit of an update as well (with plenty of notice or some sort of way to address already cataloged works if they did decide to trim down some of them).

End of the say, I think the importance of gaming in libraries is something we will probably have to agree to disagree on. Which is fine. I do hope it didn't sound like I was attacking anyone. I just find it silly to argue "books only" when there's already plenty of "non-book".

>44 MrKusabi: Except that no-one has argued “books only”.

I'm not sure that 'video game' would work as a media type or sub-type in the LT sense. Media types refer primarily to the physical format of an item, rather than artistic form or content. 'Paperback' and 'hardback' rather than 'novel' or 'poem'; 'DVD' and 'video cassette' rather than 'film' or 'TV series' or 'documentary'. IMO 'video game' falls under the latter type of classification rather than the former. E.g. a game on CD-ROM, while obviously a different type of work, could have the same physical format as a photo-editing program or a digital encyclopedia.

>44 MrKusabi: Chiming in to voice my opinion: I disagree about incorporating all aspects of libraries, and I really, really like that librarything focuses on books and keeps it pretty simple. The degree of granularity as well as vagueness necessary to encompass all the possible things that people can catalog makes for an interface that is difficult to use. I am also a librarian and, frankly, I hate cataloging! I hate every professional cataloging software I've ever had to use! But I love librarything. I like that librarything makes it incredibly easy to catalog my personal book collection. If I had to click through a dropdown of RDA media types and content types to define what type of thing I'm cataloging when every single one of them is gonna be a book of some sort, I would become a villain and dress up in a costume and threaten to destroy the city with bees or something. There are other improvements that are a lot more pressing as far as I'm concerned.

People can catalog other things if they wish to (and they do! Good Omens Perfumes Collection ; Dragon Age Origins). There are also other platforms specifically for cataloging video game collections that include some really nice, video game specific features that would not be appropriate here.

Not every single tool needs to be optimized to do everything.

>45 PawsforThought:

True, you never specifically stated the exact words "books only". The repeated mentions of "primarily for books" gave that impression strongly, however. My apologies for putting words in your mouth though. It was how I interpreted it, though it may not have been your intent.

>46 konallis:

You make a very valid point. In that case, the only real difference would be "requires specialized equipment" (console) vs. "installed on a computer" (PC/Mac), or getting into creating subtypes for every specialized equipment (or at least the most popular ones) like sound recordings does, both of which would look clunky and potentially add entirely too much clutter.

>47 eclbates:

I get a little into cataloging since I specialize in it. I absolutely adore cataloging and all the tiny nitty-gritty detail. I get your point though. I don't want to use other sites since that means my library catalog is split between different places. End of the day, I like LibraryThing too. So like I said before, I'll keep using it even if it isn't optimized towards someone like me, because I think overall, it's the best one I've seen. I was just bringing up ideas since that's what this thread was focusing on. If wishes were horses, and all that jazz...

>48 MrKusabi: I chose that phrasing specifically because I wanted to point out that while LT is aimed at book cataloguing first and foremost but still allows for other types of media. So the very opposite of how you chose to interpret it. And I can’t figure out why you’d interpret it that way.

+1 for adding "video game" to the list of media types. With or without subcategories for consoles.

I've no dog in this race, so that'll be all I add here.

I sort of resent the usage of "library" that implies that institutional libraries (chiefly public libraries and school libraries--also some for churches and businesses) are the normative standard of "what is a library." LibraryThing seems designed and most widely used for private libraries.

The English word library denotes a collection of books. By metaphorical extension, the word has come to be used for other organized collections such as "video libraries" and even "seed libraries." But those are necessarily qualified by their difference from the default, which is still a collection of books. To insist otherwise is merely obtuse.

>51 paradoxosalpha: The English word library denotes a collection of books. By metaphorical extension, the word has come to be used for other organized collections such as "video libraries" and even "seed libraries." But those are necessarily qualified by their difference from the default, which is still a collection of books. To insist otherwise is merely obtuse.

To be sure, there are two views of language: the prescriptive and the descriptive. That's the prescriptive view. Most actual linguists are descriptivists: the meaning of language is what it is.

And, to be clear, I tend prescriptive: I desperately want a non-gendered singular pronoun (e.g. "se" or "ze") so we can stop using "they" as a singular. Anything that makes it harder to understand the works of Chaucer is pure evil. :-)

But while liber is obviously the Latin word for "book" (as βιβλος, whence bible, is the Greek), it's worth noting that none of these other formats existed in Roman times. Had a Roman been able to collect LPs, might not the Roman have put them in the library? In other words, does "liber" really mean book, or does it mean copyable item?

To be clear: I don't have an answer to that. But I think we should at least allow for descriptivism. :-)

I personally don't have an objection to having a "software" format, as long as it doesn't interfere too much with the cataloging of books (e.g. it stays below the book items on the media menu). It seems to me that, given all the strange stuff catalogued on LT, our real objection should not be to a few minor additions but to changes in the broader functionality of the site.

>52 waltzmn:
I am quite familiar with the difference between descriptive and prescriptive definition. I believe you have erred in characterizing my >51 paradoxosalpha: as prescriptivist.

>37 MrKusabi: I didn't say this site was only for cataloguing books. My response, if you want to quote the whole thing, says "If you want a separate media catalogue for your video games," which was a response to the comment at >31 Diligent_Painter:, which based on subsequent comments, I believe Diligent_Painter misspoke there.

Of course libraries carry more than just books. However, the infrastructure of this website is mainly designed for books, hence fields like 'Dewey Decimal Classification' and 'number of pages' that would not ever apply to a video game (or, for that matter, a video, CDs, jigsaw puzzles, or other non-book materials that many libraries own). Personally, I don't have anything against 'video game' being added to the media types, especially if it's put in the 'extended media' category instead of the default one.

However, at the end of the day, this is an almost negligible difference from an individual user adding 'video games' as a custom media type, and I recommend that as a course of action here, at least until & unless video games are added.

>54 GraceCollection: Sorry if misspoke there

>52 waltzmn: I'm glad

Testing.

I'm not against this. But several other media—especially short stories and so forth—are going to added first.

>60 timspalding: I add video games on here, but I just put them on software. I rather see short stories, poems, and plays have something like cataloging and classification wise too.