Goodreads Librarians Group discussion
Book & Author Page Issues
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Which cover image for different editions/reprints?
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Elke
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Mar 19, 2009 01:59AM
Some books get new cover images when they are reprinted, though the isbn remains the same. Which cover image should be preferred to use on goodreads, from the first edition or from the latest edition? Example: ISBN 0060773758
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I believe the general agreement among the librarians is to have the newest cover, since people are more likely to have a newer copy than an older one.However, when I am going through my own books, if there is a cover already on the site, I leave it and create a new 'edition' with no ISBN. Then a I add text such as "Alternate cover for ISBN 0000000000" to the description.
vicki_girl wrote: "I believe the general agreement among the librarians is to have the newest cover, since people are more likely to have a newer copy than an older one."That makes sense, even if I personally don't like that very much for aesthetic reasons. Newer editions often reflect a certain trend (like all those exchangeable covers for vampire novels) which make the look completely exchangeable and imho steal the book's personality, while the first edition cover remains original. Especially old books often have painted cover images with lots of details while newer ones make do with fanciless photos or simple standard motives. But that's a different discussion topic ;)
vicki_girl wrote: "However, when I am going through my own books, if there is a cover already on the site, I leave it and create a new 'edition' with no ISBN. Then a I add text such as "Alternate cover for ISBN 0000000000" to the description."
That sounds like a possible workaround, but wouldn't it be better to enable multiple covers for a single book, where you can add a comment describing which edition the image shows? Like a gallery which reflects how the cover changed over time? (which also would be very interesting to observe).
We've been asking for that kind of feature for some time. The site owners have been working on a good way to implement it, but I don't think it will be very soon.BTW, here is an example of one I have on my shelves.
Mod
Meanwhile, we do as vicki suggests. Although personally, my preference is to leave whatever cover was imported from Amazon as the one in the record with the ISBN, just because it makes it less likely to get accidentally "corrected".
I do the same, Rivka. I leave whatever is already there and make a new edition for the cover I have. I think the difficulty in the multiple cover feature is enabling a way to allow users to pick which cover shows on their bookshelf. Adding the ability to upload multiple covers probably wouldn't be hard...but giving users the choice is more tricky.
Mod
I don't replace existing covers. If Amazon doesn't have one, I will do my level best to find one or scan the copy I have with the matching ISBN number. I don't know which one takes priority in a "combine", but it's nice to see covers from "other editions".
You have to beware of those librarians who'll see an edition with no ISBN and merge it into the others. Not naming any names though. Ahem.
Mod
(Please let it not be me.)
Hopefully I've never done that! I usually only delete ones that have no information at all other than a title and author.When I add an alternate cover edition now, I use the Librarian Notes feature to note that the edition is an alternate cover one and the ISBN. Doing that is much more noticeable than putting it in the summary.
Mod
But might want to put it in the summary as well, for non-Librarians who might be looking for that cover/ISBN.
Good point, Rivka. I've only added one alternate cover edition since the Librarian Notes feature was created, so most of my Notes are still in the summary anyway. But I have 10 books on my "have-different-cover" shelf that I need to create editions for at some point, so I'll remember to put notes in both places.
I do tend only to remove ones without covers; sqrls of course sometimes make mistakes! :D
Mod
What if in addition to having a different cover, the page count is also different, but the ISBN is the same?For example, I have DeMille's The Gold Coast (ISBN 0446360856). Amazon's listing has the same publisher/year, but page count of 656 and a different cover than my copy (mine has the original cover and a page count of 626). Do you make this an alternate cover edition w/ no ISBN as well?
Ross, in cases like that it usually turns out that Amazon simply has the wrong page count -- they're wrong on that fairly often, it turns out -- so unless someone else has a copy of the book with page count that isn't 626, this is a time when you can change the record to match the book in your hand.
Page counts from Amazon are rarely correct.
...Hah, except that I fail at reading comprehension, because you said that the cover was different as well. Yes, in that case you should make an alternate cover edition.
