For information, contact Norman Oder . One of life's more pleasant ironies is that the web, although often described as a blow to books and reading, itself contains a wealth of book-related information. This month's column focuses on book-related web sites that complement printed resources and are able to help both librarians and library patrons find a good read. A plethora of book-focused sites can be found on the Internet, including online bookstores, book reviews, genre pages, and awards lists. This information can be a special boon for busy reader's advisory librarians.
Most people still walk into a library expecting to find a good book, and the web can help deliver.
It stands out from competing book megasites by providing independent content and well-categorized links. Browsers might best start by going to the Index, which organizes both BookWire's own content and 7000 selected outside links into broad categories. While helpful, the annotations for those selected links often read like promotional blurbs. For the more Internet-savvy, the BookWire Navigator is a good alternative to the Index. Publishers Weekly's best sellers lists are also available here.