Where Books Live

I feel like libraries are always getting better in the internet age at giving you a sense of where you can get a book if not at your local library. And I feel like there are other interesting applications for this locate a book software as well.

First off I'm thinking about a Google Maps layer that allows you to search for the location of books on a map. The fun of this would really come from really small print books. You could see that a 500 copy run of books shows up all over the world in these random little universities and private collections.

I imagine this information would be totally useful to small presses as well. Cause they could contact the people directly the next time they have a release and it could help connect the people interested in the similar works.

I also imagine that this would need to have a strong self-reporting function. Where I could put my own library up on it as well. And you could select to search for public or private libraries. You could even search your friend's libraries if they shared it. It could create a whole new borrowing network outside of library cards and hallowed halls.

I know a lot of this already exists, but not in a meaningful coordinated way. Again this is really about aggregating enough information to really make it useful.

And how fun would it be if you could search for the first editions of some fabulous classic and see where all of them are living their lives around the world? It would be so fun is the answer.