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Same ISBN, different editions
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Tentatively,
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Jan 20, 2008 05:46PM

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ISBNs from different publishers should not be the same. The first few digits are supposed to correspond to the country and publisher.

However, if they're British and American editions of the same book, what are the "substantial differences" you're finding?

Here's another example: J G Ballard's "The Unlimited Dream Company". The conflict here is w/ a hardback edition of the same bk again - published by Harper Collins Canada in 1985 - 4 yrs after the UK paperback edition that I entered.
Now, in both these cases, perhaps the 2 editions being published on different continents - w/ one edition being paperback & the other hardback - may not qualify as what I referred to as "substantial differences" but it seems like the latter instance's having publication dates separated by 4 yrs might.

so what do you do in this instance? do you delete the other ISBN? send a discrepancy to the person who submitted the other book (if so how)? talk to the "Head Liberian" (if there is one how do we do that)? what is the standard procedure to follow when there is a conflict?


Otis is Otis Chandler, the founder of Goodreads and user #1:
http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1
Hey everyone,
I updated the ISBN for that version of A Wrinkle in Time - not sure why it wasn't taking.
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15...#
I updated the ISBN for that version of A Wrinkle in Time - not sure why it wasn't taking.
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15...#


To be more specific, here's my procedure: when I want to add a book that I've read, I search for the title in the GoodReads & Amazon databases. If I find the title, I look thru all the editions to try to find the exact edition that I have in my library. If I don't find the exact same edition but find one that's close I look at its ISBN. If the ISBN is the same, I decide whether I should add my own edition or just select the one that's already in the databases.
Now by "close" I mean, let's say: the same book & author (of course), paperback, published in the same year, in the same country. If the editions are that similar, then the question is: Should I add the edition I have even though everything is identical to a pre-existing one except for its being from a different branch of the same publishing house, for example?
If all the preceding factors match up & I decide that it might be too much to add another edition & there's no cover image associated with the edition that's already there, then I add the cover image.
My reasoning so far is based on what I've read here on this group - basically mention that a lot of what librarians here do is combine editions. My own personal preference is to make a different edition for any difference - ie: different artwork or whatnot. However, that seems to go against established practice so I'm trying to stick closest to the way things are already being done. If this issue can be clarified for me that would be great!
Thank you,
tENT

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21...
However, the version that is currently on the site has an entirely different cover, and a different number of pages (off by 21). It may also be worth noting that my copy only has the 10 digit ISBN, and the one on the site has both 10 digit and 13 digit.
So, what do I do? Add another copy of the book with the same ISBN?
tENT, I think I misunderstood you before. If you are adding a cover that matches the ISBN of a book already listed on GoodReads, that is exactly as it should be. :)
As far as adding another edition v. combining editions, those can be two different things. Let us suppose that A Book was first published in 2003 by Pub House, Inc. It was reissued (with a new ISBN and in a new edition) by the same publishing house in 2007. Definitely the 2007 edition of A Book should be a new edition -- and both should be "combined" -- that is, linked -- by a librarian. However, the second printing of the 2003 edition (with the same ISBN as the 2003, but a slightly different cover (it now says "NY TIMES BESTSELLER" in a star on the cover) would probably not be listed as a separate edition.
Does that sound about right?
As far as adding another edition v. combining editions, those can be two different things. Let us suppose that A Book was first published in 2003 by Pub House, Inc. It was reissued (with a new ISBN and in a new edition) by the same publishing house in 2007. Definitely the 2007 edition of A Book should be a new edition -- and both should be "combined" -- that is, linked -- by a librarian. However, the second printing of the 2003 edition (with the same ISBN as the 2003, but a slightly different cover (it now says "NY TIMES BESTSELLER" in a star on the cover) would probably not be listed as a separate edition.
Does that sound about right?
Angel, 13-digit ISBNs are a fairly new thing, only a few years old. No book published in 1995 would have had an ISBN-13 listed on it. However, they can be calculated from any existing 10-digit ISBN, and I believe GoodReads does so automatically.
I don't believe you can create two entries with the same ISBN. So you can either use that one (with the "wrong" cover) or enter your edition separately, sans ISBN.
I don't believe you can create two entries with the same ISBN. So you can either use that one (with the "wrong" cover) or enter your edition separately, sans ISBN.