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Questions (not edit requests) > Need help with a book without author

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message 1: by theo (last edited Jun 13, 2015 11:13AM) (new)

theo | 6 comments The World's Greatest Alien Abduction Mysteries

The World's Greatest Alien Abduction Mysteries: Amazing, Bizarre, True?...Detailed Accounts of Contact

I wanted to combine these two as they're the same book but I'm technically unable to do it, I'm guessing it's because the "authors" of these two are apparently different. What do?

The version that I have in my own hands is an Estonian edition of the book, and it says that the original publisher of it was Chancellor Press; copyright 2001 Octopus Publishing Group Ltd. No specific author is mentioned.

EDIT: I'm thinking that the one that says that the author is "Book sales Inc." is wrong, that I should change the author there. But what do I change it to?


message 2: by lethe (new)

lethe | 16359 comments According to Worldcat the first link is by Chancellor Press, 2001, and the second link by Alva Press, 2002.

I would rename both authors Chancellor Press, as that is the first edition, also according to your book. Then you can combine them.


message 3: by theo (new)

theo | 6 comments So Chancellor Press is both the author and publisher? Alrighty. I'll change it now, I guess they can be edited again if this is wrong.


message 4: by theo (new)

theo | 6 comments I've combined them, (and I'll add the edition I have); but I think there's something wrong. Amazon and Google Books are telling me different things about these editions and their authors and publishers, both of the ISBNs seem to be valid too, according to those sites. Could they be wrong?


message 5: by theo (last edited Jun 13, 2015 11:43AM) (new)

theo | 6 comments Okay, same problem. The edition I wanted to add already exists here and I'm not able to combine it, even though I added Chancellor Press as the author (it previously listed translators).

Maailma põnevaimad kohtumised tulnukatega

EDIT: Nevermind, I was able to combine them now.


message 6: by lethe (new)

lethe | 16359 comments Rosemary wrote: "I've combined them, (and I'll add the edition I have); but I think there's something wrong. Amazon and Google Books are telling me different things about these editions and their authors and publis..."

We cannot use Google Books for book data and Amazon is not always to be trusted either. In cases like these we use Worldcat or National Library catalogues to verify the data.


message 7: by lethe (new)

lethe | 16359 comments Rosemary wrote: "Okay, same problem. The edition I wanted to add already exists here and I'm not able to combine it, even though I added Chancellor Press as the author (it previously listed translators)."

It may look a bit odd, but in cases like these the publisher has the author responsibility. I'm just wondering where all those different publishers' names come from.

Anyway, they're combined now :)


message 8: by theo (new)

theo | 6 comments Yes, thank you. I just re-read the librarian's manual. I've been away from this site since 2011 and I just came back today. :)


message 9: by lethe (new)

lethe | 16359 comments Welcome back then! :)


Elizabeth (Alaska) When a book has multiple unknown editors, we use the author "Various". I have edited the above to reflect this policy.


message 11: by lethe (new)

lethe | 16359 comments OK, thanks Elizabeth! I'm still a bit hazy on the various, unknown and anonymous authors :)


Elizabeth (Alaska) lethe wrote: "OK, thanks Elizabeth! I'm still a bit hazy on the various, unknown and anonymous authors :)"

Ha! I had to look it up to make sure. I work with book data a lot, awards particularly, and most anything else has me wandering off to the manual. I like it when these questions come up, though, because I always learn something.


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