Questions on lists

2 questions, I suppose.

1) can you search the lists to find a specific list?
and
2) how do you add a list?

I've been gradually working my way through the BBC's Big Read 100 best books, keeping track in excel, but I sort of think that the list function here should be able to give me the ability to see what I've read and what I need to find.

I don't think it is already a list, as I've read a number of the books on the BBC's list and that title, or anything like it doesn't appear. So I think I'll need to add it, but can't see how to start with that.

Edit to add: yes it is, but it's an award, not a list. At least I've found it - eventually!

Thanks

I don't think there's a way to search lists.

You add a list by clicking on "create new list" in the upper right-hand corner of the main list page: http://www.librarything.com/lists

2. Thanks. How do you get to that page? it's a new one to me! The only lists page I'm familiar with is the one that's your books on lists that's accessed through the Stats/Memes page.

This is my biggest problem with LT - it does loads, but it's not at all obvious to the new(ish) user.

Yeah, it's a bit too well hidden. You can get there from the link in stats/memes - click any list mentioned there and you'll see a link top left.

But here's a direct link: http://www.librarything.com/lists . Create new list is top right.

> 3

Click on the link in my previous message.

5. sorry, I meant how do you find it without the link - as in how would I have discovered it myself.
Barking Matt provided the answer in his post.

Every once in a while someone complains they can't find lists, and Tim says - again - "Oh yeah, I need to provide a proper link to that...". Hasn't happened yet. The Stats page link is an improvement, it used to be you _had_ to go via the URL. But something elsewhere, in a slightly more visible spot, would be helpful.

1. My browser (Firefox) has a search feature (Cntl-F) that does a keyword search of a web page. I use that to search lists, as they are all listed on the page give in the link above. Don't know if that will help you or not.

Question: Where are instructions on how to use the Edit List box?

I don't understand what some of the fields mean. For example, is the limit the max number of books that the list can hold, or is that how many books each participating member can add? What does the "Base the list on" option do? I'm assuming there's a description page I'm missing.

>9 aspirit: The limit is intended to indicate how many items each individual participant can add to the list.

If you open the drop-down menu for "Base this list on," you'll see its intended purpose. It allows you to automatically populate a list full of books pertaining to the same series, book award, tag, and a few other pieces of data.

I also want to know this.

>10 lorannen: Thanks for responding.

The participant limit is a nice feature. I'm happy to know what that does now.

I saw the drop-down menu but wasn't sure what a selection does. I've since experimented with the "Base this list on" option, which does not appear to do auto-populate (at least for me). That's fine; I'll ignore that field.

To thread readers, I was additionally wondering about deletions. From what I've seen, we have an hour to delete a list. Individual works can be added and deleted at any time.

>12 aspirit: Can you tell me what you tried basing a list on that didn't work? I tested series before my last post, so I'd like to investigate if there's a bug there.

>14 lorannen: I've already forgotten. A tag? It wasn't a series. (Although, now I'm curious if we can load multiple series to the same list. That could be handy for media tie-ins on one theme within large franchises.)

I'll try basing my next list on something and report back here.

I didn't report back here.

In the past two years, I have seen the "based on" field auto-populate one list, seemingly random. I still have no idea how to make books appear in a list based on tags.

At the moment, I am trying to get the feature to work. Any tips?

>16 aspirit: It's working fine for me. I just created this list based on the tag "Octopus": https://www.librarything.com/list/42878/all/Books-about-Octopuses
and as expected it's almost identical to the tag page for "Octopus": https://www.librarything.com/tag/octopus

>17 norabelle414: Okay, I also got one to work this evening but still ain't sure how.

We can't do tagmashes, correct?

Is there anywhere that gives an introduction to Lists and help in how to use this feature? I've been to the 'help' page, and it has nothing on that front. Theres' no one question I've got, just a sense of utter confusion as to how things work and what things mean when I try and use it.

>19 Willoyd: Try this thread: https://www.librarything.com/topic/130669