A free alternative is the open source software form Gurulib. Gurulib is an initiative of two students from the University of Missouri. It enables you to categorise your own library in customized categories and sub-fields. Extra features are for example: a wish list (handy for birthdays and other events), recommendations within your own library and a notification system that shows which items are already borrowed.

If you are happy enough to share your library with the Gurulib community, you’ll be able to view favourites, recommendations and libraries from other users.

• the opportunity to share your iTunes library with others
• the possibility to scan CD-barcodes with your webcam
• open up different categories of your library to different people (this ensures that none of your colleagues will have to know that you own the entire Woezel & Pip collection).

Of course you’ll have to sacrifice an entire evening to scanning your collection into your library. Whether or not social library will be the next big thing is open for discussion. However, the developments show that we will continue to socialize more and more online.