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LibraryThing for Libraries vs CONTENTdm

LibraryThing for Libraries logo

LibraryThing for Libraries

Software

Enrich your OPAC with social discovery features

From
$500/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
CONTENTdm logo

CONTENTdm

Software

Build, showcase, and preserve digital collections

From
$1495/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: LibraryThing for Libraries oPAC enhancement only, not a complete library management system; CONTENTdm pricing requires custom quote with no public pricing available
  • They diverge on capability: LibraryThing for Libraries covers Book cover images, CONTENTdm covers Digital collection management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which LibraryThing for Libraries and CONTENTdm actually diverge.

Attributes where LibraryThing for Libraries and CONTENTdm differ
AttributeLibraryThing for LibrariesCONTENTdm
Starting price$500/year$1495/year
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidCloud
Founded20051967

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 LibraryThing for Libraries

  • Book cover images
  • Similar books recommendations
  • Tag browsing
  • Series information
  • Author biographies
  • User reviews
  • Lexile measures
  • Awards information

Only in CONTENTdm

  • Digital collection management
  • Metadata management
  • Compound object support
  • Full-text search
  • Faceted browse
  • IIIF viewer
  • WorldCat integration
  • Custom websites

Both cover

  • SSL
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

LibraryThing for Libraries

  • OPAC enhancementnot CONTENTdm
  • Reader advisorynot CONTENTdm
  • Catalog enrichmentnot CONTENTdm
  • Discovery improvementnot CONTENTdm

CONTENTdm

  • Digital collectionsnot LibraryThing for Libraries
  • Digitization projectsnot LibraryThing for Libraries
  • Archival collectionsnot LibraryThing for Libraries
  • Special collectionsnot LibraryThing for Libraries

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

LibraryThing for Libraries

  • OPAC enhancement only, not a complete library management system

CONTENTdm

  • Pricing requires custom quote with no public pricing available
  • Expensive relative to open-source alternatives

Pricing, plan by plan

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

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

Which should you pick?

Choose LibraryThing for Libraries if

  • You need book cover images.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want similar books recommendations.
LibraryThing for Libraries review

Choose CONTENTdm if

  • You need digital collection management.
  • You work on Cloud.
  • You also want metadata management.
CONTENTdm review

Questions people ask

Is LibraryThing for Libraries or CONTENTdm better?
Neither clearly leads. LibraryThing for Libraries starts at $500/year and CONTENTdm at $1495/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, LibraryThing for Libraries or CONTENTdm?
LibraryThing for Libraries starts at $500/year and CONTENTdm at $1495/year.
Does LibraryThing for Libraries or CONTENTdm run on more platforms?
LibraryThing for Libraries runs on Web, iOS, Android. CONTENTdm runs on Cloud.
What is LibraryThing for Libraries best used for?
LibraryThing for Libraries is most often used for opac enhancement, reader advisory, catalog enrichment, discovery improvement. Of those, opac enhancement and reader advisory are not what CONTENTdm is typically brought in for.
What can LibraryThing for Libraries do that CONTENTdm cannot?
LibraryThing for Libraries covers Book cover images, Similar books recommendations, Tag browsing, Series information. CONTENTdm covers Digital collection management, Metadata management, Compound object support, Full-text search. Both handle SSL, Cloud deployment, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

LibraryThing 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.

Source
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.

Source
LibraryThing 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.

Source
CONTENTdm: 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.

Source
LibraryThing 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
CONTENTdm: 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.

Source
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