Software · head to head
CONTENTdm vs LibraryThing for Libraries
CONTENTdm
Software
Build, showcase, and preserve digital collections
- From
- $1495/year
- Rated
- -
LibraryThing for Libraries
Software
Enrich your OPAC with social discovery features
- From
- $500/year
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: CONTENTdm pricing requires custom quote with no public pricing available; LibraryThing for Libraries oPAC enhancement only, not a complete library management system
- They diverge on capability: CONTENTdm covers Digital collection management, LibraryThing for Libraries covers Book cover images.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which CONTENTdm and LibraryThing for Libraries actually diverge.
| Attribute | CONTENTdm | LibraryThing for Libraries |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $1495/year | $500/year |
| Platforms | Cloud | Web, iOS, Android |
| Founded | 1967 | 2005 |
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in CONTENTdm
- Digital collection management
- Metadata management
- Compound object support
- Full-text search
- Faceted browse
- IIIF viewer
- WorldCat integration
- Custom websites
Only in LibraryThing for Libraries
- Book cover images
- Similar books recommendations
- Tag browsing
- Series information
- Author biographies
- User reviews
- Lexile measures
- Awards information
Both cover
- SSL
- Cloud deployment
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
CONTENTdm
- Digital collectionsnot LibraryThing for Libraries
- Digitization projectsnot LibraryThing for Libraries
- Archival collectionsnot LibraryThing for Libraries
- Special collectionsnot LibraryThing for Libraries
LibraryThing for Libraries
- OPAC enhancementnot CONTENTdm
- Reader advisorynot CONTENTdm
- Catalog enrichmentnot CONTENTdm
- Discovery improvementnot CONTENTdm
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
CONTENTdm
- Pricing requires custom quote with no public pricing available
- Expensive relative to open-source alternatives
LibraryThing for Libraries
- OPAC enhancement only, not a complete library management system
Pricing, plan by plan
CONTENTdm
$1495/year- Basic$1495/year
- Up to 10,000 items
- 5GB storage
- Basic discovery
- Standard$2995/year
- Up to 50,000 items
- 25GB storage
- Custom branding
- Enterprise$undefined/year
- Unlimited items
- Custom storage
- IIIF support
LibraryThing for Libraries
$500/year- Small Library$500/year
- Book covers
- Similar books
- Tag browsing
- Medium Library$1200/year
- Everything in Small
- Lexile measures
- Author information
- Large Library$2500/year
- Everything in Medium
- Stack maps
- Custom widgets
Which should you pick?
Choose CONTENTdm if
- You need digital collection management.
- You work on Cloud.
- You also want metadata management.
Choose LibraryThing for Libraries if
- You need book cover images.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want similar books recommendations.
Questions people ask
- Is CONTENTdm or LibraryThing for Libraries better?
- Neither clearly leads. CONTENTdm starts at $1495/year and LibraryThing for Libraries at $500/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, CONTENTdm or LibraryThing for Libraries?
- CONTENTdm starts at $1495/year and LibraryThing for Libraries at $500/year.
- Does CONTENTdm or LibraryThing for Libraries run on more platforms?
- CONTENTdm runs on Cloud. LibraryThing for Libraries runs on Web, iOS, Android.
- What is CONTENTdm best used for?
- CONTENTdm is most often used for digital collections, digitization projects, archival collections, special collections. Of those, digital collections and digitization projects are not what LibraryThing for Libraries is typically brought in for.
- What can CONTENTdm do that LibraryThing for Libraries cannot?
- CONTENTdm covers Digital collection management, Metadata management, Compound object support, Full-text search. LibraryThing for Libraries covers Book cover images, Similar books recommendations, Tag browsing, Series information. Both handle SSL, Cloud deployment, Web support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
CONTENTdm: What types of organizations use CONTENTdm?
CONTENTdm is used by libraries of all types including academic and research libraries, public libraries, historical societies, museums, and other cultural heritage institutions worldwide.
SourceLibraryThing for Libraries: What does LibraryThing for Libraries add to an existing OPAC?
LibraryThing for Libraries enriches OPAC displays with tags, book reviews, ratings, series data, awards information, shelf browsing, similar books recommendations, and QR codes from over 153 million books.
SourceCONTENTdm: Does CONTENTdm preserve digital collections?
Yes, CONTENTdm secures and monitors digital originals in a cloud-based preservation archive to ensure collections remain safe for the future.
SourceLibraryThing for Libraries: How many tags does LibraryThing provide?
LibraryThing provides access to over 169 million library-vetted tags across 153 million books, enabling browse-based discovery beyond traditional keyword search.
SourceCONTENTdm: How much metadata access does CONTENTdm provide?
CONTENTdm allows libraries to describe digitized materials with structured metadata and provides access to over 153 million books and 169 million library-vetted tags.
SourceLibraryThing for Libraries: Does LibraryThing offer mobile access?
Yes, Library Anywhere provides mobile web catalog access and native apps for iPhone and Android phones without installation or maintenance required.
Source