For a while now members have been celebrating “Thingaversaries,” anniversaries of the day they joined LibraryThing. As LibraryThing is now almost eight years old, a lot of our earliest, most active members have been celebrating 5-, 6- or 7-year Thingaversaries. The tradition is to use the occasion to buy as many books as your year.
Yesterday, norabelle414 (Nora), celebrated her six-year Thingaversary, and posted this to the “75 Books Challenge for 2013” group:
“Today is my SIXTH Thingaversary! Six whole years and I still can’t believe that I found this wonderful website that has changed my life, and that I get to talk to you lovely, like-minded people almost every day! It is Thingaversary tradition to buy oneself one book per year on LT, plus one to grow on. However, I’m trying to curtail my book buying this year. So instead, I’m going to buy myself one brand-new, sorely needed BOOKSHELF!”
In Nora’s honor, we’ve done two things:
1. We bought a cake in honor of Nora’s Thingaversary. Unfortunately, Nora lives hundreds of miles away, so LibraryThing staff in Maine—Tim, KJ, our 15-year-old intern Eddy and his two younger brothers(1)—are going to have to eat it for her! Sorry Nora, and thanks.
2. We’ve added a new Selected Thingaversaries module in the (new) “Folly” section on the home page. It highlights your connections who are having Thingaversaries and a semi-random set of members having their Thingaversary today—weighted by how active they are the site now.
So, congratulations Nora, and thanks to her and all the other members who joined years ago, and still love LibraryThing!
Feature-discussion here.
1. LibraryThing is turning into a summer camp. Alas, Jeremy is in Virginia this month for Rare Book School.
UPDATE: I added a notice of your next Thingaversary.
WHAT??? NOBODY SAID THERE WOULD BE CAKE INVOLVED. I’m getting on an airplane right now, brb.
Wow, Nora!!
Congrats on your 6 year *well-publicized* Thingaversary!!
I think we should all eat cake together in your honor when we see you for the National Book Festival. I know drneuron loves cake. 🙂
SqueakyChu
I love this! Such a nice gesture, and a fun feature.
ALAS Jeremy isn’t there, oh boo hoo, now there’s one more piece of cake to share amongst those who aren’t there.
Wily, these Mainiacs. Wily indeed.
Hey, my 7th Thingaversary happened way back in May! Who knew?
God, I’m old.
Just wanted to acknowledge Tim’s ongoing sacrifices for all of us at LT. Thanks for tackling this, Tim. It’s a cakey job, but somebody has to do it.
Happy Thingaversary, Nora! I just finished a chocolate cake in your honor!
I have to check when my Thingaversary is happening.
Loving this! Can’t wait to add it to my home page, it’s better than the FB birthday feature. 🙂
I’ve been noting my Thingaversary for a few years (just celebrated my 7th the day the site redesign launched) but had no idea there was a tradition of buying books to mark the occasion! That’s a lot of missed opportunities (read: excuses) to buy new books.
Well, look at that. My 6 year Thingaversary is in 15 days. I had no idea! Should I buy a cake?
I’m way behind on celebrating Thingaversaries, so does that mean when I hit 8 years in a few months I should buy myself 44 new books to make up for all the ones I missed?
Yesterday was my 7th Thingaversary!
Ooh, I did not know about Thingaversary! So I get to buy myself 8 books (plus one more to grow on) on November 4?! It will be a hardship, but I think I can manage it. And cake. Must have cake. 😉