Goodreads Librarians Group discussion

Guessing this is a bug I need to point out to Staff to get fixed, but the ability to get notifications from a thread seems to have vanished. I haven't been getting e-mail notifs that someone responded to a thread, and as of this morning I haven't even been getting notices on the little bell icon in the top right of the website. Is this just me, or are did we all lose notifications?

The tick box to receive notifications has moved from below text box, it is now above.

I noticed that, but it seems like I have to re-check it every single time I post a reply to the thread in order to continue getting them.

It's also not sending e-mail notifications, and when you create a thread for the first time, you don't get the checkbox and would therefore be unable to receive replies unless you immediately replied to your own thread with the box checked.

If this was on purpose, it's a completely baffling change that just makes the site that much harder to use.

They removed the ability to get email notifications for almost everything. It was announced last week here:

https://help.goodreads.com/s/announce...

Drace wrote: "If this was on purpose, it's a completely baffling change that just makes the site that much harder to use."

That's SOP on GR as has been for years.

Well, that sucks. Wouldn't mind as much if they would at least show me new replies on my topics on the actual notifications icon that is presumably there to notify you of things.

It's awful. I CHOSE to get email notifications because then I can sort and prioritise them, and I can read them weeks later, or never. If I'm away or offline, I never miss anything.

The Notifications list, even if it is comprehensive, doesn't let you flag which you've looked and which you haven't - which was easy with emails.

Even reviews where I HAD checked the box to follow are now UNfollowed by default.

I've posted over 1,200 reviews: do I need to go to every single one and tick the box?! 😡

It's going to kill discussions in comments, which is the unique(?) thing about GR. I've built up a circle of friends over 16 years, and fear we'll drift apart.

I feel like with how they've completely destroyed notifications, if the social element is what means the most to you on Goodreads, you might want to set up a book discussion Discord server or something to stay in touch with your book friends.

I always treated the site as more of a cataloging tool than a social network, but with how the automated Goodreads bot is completely demolishing the database right now, I'm making preparations to leave the site if it doesn't get fixed soon.

I'm not even getting email notifications for pm's sent out.
This is the worst thing they've done to date and boy they have done some really dumb things.
They didn't EMAIL an alert to anyone. Just stuck it on their
NO HELP HELP BS that NO ONE looks at.
If GR was a person I'd be slapping the crap out of them.
I have gotten where I HATE GR
This is one more NAIL IN THEIR COFFIN

So what/where is the alternative?

I don't want the hassle of setting up a blog (who would visit?), but I DO want to post reviews, read friends' reviews, and discuss both in comments.

Cecily wrote: "So what/where is the alternative?

I don't want the hassle of setting up a blog (who would visit?), but I DO want to post reviews, read friends' reviews, and discuss both in comments."

StoryGraph is the most well-known Goodreads alternative, but I'm not experienced with it. If you export the .csv file of your Goodreads shelves, they let you import it to your account there (although you might have to play around with which editions you have shelved; their editions catalog for each book isn't as complete as Goodreads). Or maybe set up a Discord server and send the invite link to your friends.

Thanks, Drace. I've heard of TheStoryGraph dot com, and know how to export the CSV. I expect some of my friends are there, though I'd still have to connect with them.
reedsy com/discovery/blog/goodreads-vs-storygraph
Any other comments about differences, pros, and cons?

Setting up a Discord server? Even having worked for software companies for 30 years, that sounds daunting.

I'm not super familiar with StoryGraph and haven't done much beyond importing my .csv, but a few differences I noticed:

1. The site doesn't seem to let people have Kindle/Audible editions. Maybe it's a copyright thing? You can find the ISBNs for standard non-Amazon ebooks and audiobooks on the site, but not Amazon's proprietary stuff. If you read a lot of stuff on Kindle and you're super picky about all the details of what you have shelved (like myself), this might be an issue for you, but I personally rarely ever use Kindle for ebook reading.

2. Instead of a big forum with direct communication, getting the site's librarians to correct issues is done via submitting a support ticket, like a customer support-type interaction.

3. The UI in general is a lot smoother and sleeker than Goodreads, but I don't like the My Books UI. You can see way fewer books at a time on your shelf, and there doesn't seem to be any way to adjust how it looks. Here's what a chunk of my to-read list looks like on desktop Goodreads vs. on desktop StoryGraph:



4. Their library isn't as complete as Goodreads and there's a sizeable chance you'll have to add missing books to StoryGraph as a site. They have a feature that lets you punch in an ISBN to automatically create an edition on the site, but you'll probably have to follow up with the librarians to correct any errors the importer made.

As for the bit about Discord servers: Discord is actually a chat app not unlike Slack or Microsoft Teams, but meant for much more casual use rather than workplace communication. A server is basically their term for one large chatroom with smaller branches ("channels") for different topics of discussion. If you've used Teams or Slack, the way Discord works shouldn't be too unfamiliar. It also has built-in templates that you can work from to help you get started on setting one up.

I think LibraryThing is more user friendly.
Looks like I may become more active with that site.

Just stopped getting e-mail notifications in our group earlier this week — they just stopped. Even when you click to be notified about posts, they are no longer sending you e-mails. Our group relied on those e-mails to prompt people to visit the group.

Whoever made this decision should be fired.

The Reading Cove wrote: "Just stopped getting e-mail notifications in our group earlier this week — they just stopped. Even when you click to be notified about posts, they are no longer sending you e-mails. Our group relie..."

Yep.

Goodreads changed things over night.
Did NOT send out an announcement.
But posted it on their HELP site that NO ONE uses because it sucks

Here's what it says

Changes to Goodreads Notification Settings
We’ve simplified the way we notify you about activity on Goodreads. Within Account Settings, we’ve moved the notification settings to a new Notifications page.

Some notifications have been updated to only alert you on Goodreads and can no longer also be sent via email:
When one of your groups is about to start reading a book
When a Goodreads member answers your question for Goodreads Q&A
Reminding you to write a review for a Giveaway you’ve won
Requests to join your group.
Notification settings can only be modified on desktop and any changes you make will appear on the iOS or Android app. For steps to change or review the updated notification settings, see How do I edit my notification settings?
clock icon Sep 19, 2024 • Announcement

They are a bunch of chickens knowing people would be bombarding them with comments.
So they just
Snuck It In.
The ONLY email notifications you will get are the ones
YOU DON"T WANT

Furthermore, whereas most websites with apps are increasingly focused on making the app at least as good, there is no Notify checkbox on the app. If you comment via the app, it may check a box you can't see? If so, I may end up posting inane comments, rather than quietly following.

Adding a comment to a review, whether in a browser or the iOS app, does NOT check the notification box! In the browser, you can click on it, but in the app, it's not displayed.

I’m just going to say, this simplification isn’t helpful. Not to the users on the site at least.

I see where another Librarian thread says that this is not a Librarian issue and that Support or Help should be contacted, but that is unlikely to provide any result. Supposedly the email notifications should work for Likes and Comments, so perhaps it is just a delay in the system update for those to begin working again.

I tired unticking Notifications and then re-ticking a few days later in case that did anything, but it did not. So as of October 9, 2024 this is still unresolved.

Alan (Notifications have stopped) wrote: "... Supposedly the email notifications should work for Likes and Comments, ..."

All my email notifications for likes and comments stopped at least a fortnight ago (and like you, I've tried switching them off and on again).

I've had an issue with Goodreads notifications for awhile. It looks like I need to go and recheck the "Notify me..." box on threads that were previously checked.

I haven't been on Goodreads long, so I don't know how much it has changed. What I fear most is what I posted at the bottom of a thread I started in Help.

I've stopped receiving Goodreads notifications, has anyone else?

Hi everyone,

We've recently adjusted certain notifications received via email & certain ones have been altered from email notifications to site/app notifications. For more information please use the help article below:

https://help.goodreads.com/s/article/...

Hope this helps!