The Datafication of the Contemporary Book Culture and the Two-Way Relationship Between Bookish Platforms and Users: A Goodreads Analysis

The present study employs a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods in order to establish the concept of datafication within the contemporary book culture, using the Goodreads platform as a primary case study. Through a close examination of the platform functionalities as well as of their implications for the overall reader experience today, the study attempts to analyze the changes that the current book culture has undergone in its hybrid form and to identify the dynamics between modern bookish platforms and their users. Upon conducting data analysis on Goodreads and Amazon reviews respectively, along with the observation of the shifting notions of Identity, Community, Ownership, Privacy and Control, it becomes evident that the modern reader is not merely a passive entity limited to the traditional ‘Reader’ archetype but rather emerges as a crucial agent of the contemporary book culture within the digital realm. Whether through their user-generated data or the...Show moreThe present study employs a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods in order to establish the concept of datafication within the contemporary book culture, using the Goodreads platform as a primary case study. Through a close examination of the platform functionalities as well as of their implications for the overall reader experience today, the study attempts to analyze the changes that the current book culture has undergone in its hybrid form and to identify the dynamics between modern bookish platforms and their users. Upon conducting data analysis on Goodreads and Amazon reviews respectively, along with the observation of the shifting notions of Identity, Community, Ownership, Privacy and Control, it becomes evident that the modern reader is not merely a passive entity limited to the traditional ‘Reader’ archetype but rather emerges as a crucial agent of the contemporary book culture within the digital realm. Whether through their user-generated data or the composition of extensive reviews on popular titles, present-day readers possess the ability to determine emerging bookish trends and ultimately shape the book market. This pivotal role of the bookish-platform user culminates in a two-way relationship where users perpetually influence the platform they engage with, and vice versa.Show less

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The Datafication of the Contemporary Book Culture and the Two-Way Relationship Between Bookish Platforms and Users: A Goodreads Analysis