Adding LibraryThing to your blog

I’ve recently had a couple of different questions about how to add LibraryThing to your blog so I thought I’d just put the instructions up so everyone can see them. If you see any mistakes or have any questions please let me know.

There are two ways you can go about adding LibraryThing to your blog. You can either use the LibraryThing Gadget that is available through Blogger or you can add the Blog Widget that LibraryThing provides. Each of these options has a couple unique options. I’d suggests taking a look at both of them and see which will work better for you. However, the one difference I want to point out is that the Blog Widget from LibraryThing provides the options of allowing you select which books are display based on the tags you’ve assigned to your books.

For both options you will of course need to be logged on to your Blogger account. You will need to go to the Layout tab and be on the Page Elements page. There are multiple different ways you can get to this page. If you are on the Blogger Dashboard select Layout. If you are logged on to Blogger and viewing your blog there should be a link in the top right hand side of the page that says Customize. It will take you to Page Elements page.

LibraryThing Gadget Available Through Blogger

1. Click the Add a Gadget link. You may have multiple of them available. Select the link that corresponds with the location where you would like the gadget to be displayed.
2. In the Add a Gadget window search for LibraryThing. (Make sure you do not have a space between library and thing.)
3. You will get two results. It does not which one you use. Click on one of them.
4. Customize your Gadget. Make sure you remove J_Raghu name from the title and put your own LibraryThing User Name in the ID box. (FYI - when I was writing this the Preview option was not working.)
5. When you are done click Save.
6. Click Save a second time.

Blog Widget Available from LibraryThing

At this point you should be logged on to your Blogger account and be on the Page Elements page. If you’re not go back and do that. (See above)

1. In a new browser window or tab go to LibraryThing and log on to your account. (Make sure you keep your Blogger page open!)
2. Go to this page: http://www.librarything.com/widget
3. Customize your Widget. If you would like to display titles with a specific Tag use the Tags dropdown box to select the tag.
4. On the right side of the screen there is a box labeled The HTML Code. Select and copy all of the code. Make sure you copy all of it.
5. Got back to your Blogger window or tab.
6. Click the Add a Gadget link. You may have multiple of them available. Select the link that corresponds with the location where you would like the gadget to be displayed.
7. Make sure the Basics category is selected then scroll down the page until you locate HTML/JavaScript. Click on it.
8. Enter a Title. You can use anything you want. Here are a few examples: My Books, LibraryThing, Quilting Books, or Books I’ve Read.
9. Paste the HTML code that you just copied from LibraryThing into the Content box.
10. Click Save.
11. Click Save a second time.