We take it for granted now, but the Internet Movie Database saved a generation from aimlessly browsing the video store. It allowed movie-lovers to search for films based on any number of obscure variables, from producer to art director to key grip. Now a couple bright publishing experts want to do the same thing for books.

Last week, a number of bloggers and readers pondered the future of the digital book review. Over at the TOC blog, David Henley took the conversation in a brand-new direction, speculating that book readers would be better-served by a IMDB model for books.

Imagine searching for books in a comprehensive index that includes the whole team that worked on a book–from agent to editor to book cover design. It’s a daunting, but intriguing project. Read more here:

“[W]ith databases like IMDB we can easily find lists of films containing the actors we like, or directors and discover more things we might like to watch. I think books can be the same. Currently I don’t get to know who edits each book, or acquires the rights, but if I did I might start to follow their work.”