Library Elf and Library Thing

Library Elf seems like a useful service for people who check their email regularly and who have a lot of books or Holds to keep track of. I read some of the testimonials. One person said she received Hold notices on Elf before the library notified her - maybe due to missed phone messages. But I wonder if patrons who give libraries their email addresses for Holds wouldn't receive the notices just as fast directly from the library, if an automatic notification program were in place. I guess what is really nice is consolidating notices from several library cards and also being advised that books are coming due.

Library Thing just looks like a lot of fun! The list of discussion groups was amazing. I looked up some books I read recently (THE FIVE BELLS AND BLADEBONE by Martha Grimes and DEATH'S JEST-BOOK by Reginald Hill). They were listed among people's holdings but no one had commented about them. I think I would like to go back to this site and check out some of the discussion groups.