Discussion Overview
The discussion revolves around finding a comprehensive website that indexes every published book from 1980 to the present, allowing searches by keywords and categories. Participants explore various resources and their coverage of published works.
Discussion Character
- Exploratory, Technical explanation, Debate/contested
Main Points Raised
- One participant inquires about a website that indexes all published books globally from 1980 to today.
- Another participant suggests the Library of Congress as a potential resource, noting its extensive cataloging.
- A different participant expresses uncertainty about the Library of Congress's inclusion criteria, mentioning that it may not catalog everything published but is still one of the most extensive resources available.
- WorldCat is introduced as an attempt to catalog libraries worldwide, implying it may be useful for finding published works.
- There is a light-hearted exchange about the use of "Amazon" as a resource, with one participant likening its role in product reviews to that of Google.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants do not reach a consensus on a single definitive resource for indexing all published books, and multiple competing views about the adequacy of suggested resources remain.
Contextual Notes
There are limitations regarding the completeness of the Library of Congress and WorldCat in terms of what is indexed, as well as the criteria for inclusion in these databases.
Who May Find This Useful
Readers interested in bibliographic research, library science, or those seeking comprehensive book catalogs may find this discussion relevant.