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Book & Author Page Issues > Lots of "A" author initial oddities

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message 1: by Susie (last edited Sep 08, 2013 04:58AM) (new)

Susie (dragonsusie) | 2469 comments I've decided to help out Debbie with sorting out the never-ending list of author initials that always seem to come up.

This is a list for authors with an A initial that need correcting to the standard GR format, for example: A^A, A^A^, A^A., A.^A^, A.^A. More will be added as I go along.

Paraphrasing Debbie:
"Most likely periods need to be added - if editing involves goodreads authors they should be cross-posted to staff merge thread or if no books/fans they can be skipped to be removed by auto-sweep. Might also be a data import glitch where a diacritic (like á, ô, ü type of characters) was replaced with a space (policy on initials at http://www.goodreads.com/help/show/60... which says:

* There should be a period after each initial.
* There should be no spaces between consecutive initials.
* There should be one space (excepting disambiguation) between an initial and a non-initial.
"

Another thing to watch out for are where author names look like they could be in the wrong order, for example: A Kelly Laura, when the name should actually be Laura A. Kelly.

Also, if a name appears too long with lots of initials in, it could be possible that it is multiple authors entered under one profile.


message 16: by Susie (last edited Sep 10, 2013 11:01AM) (new)


message 18: by Susie (last edited Sep 11, 2013 03:09AM) (new)


message 19: by Susie (last edited Sep 11, 2013 03:11AM) (new)


message 20: by Susie (last edited Sep 11, 2013 03:14AM) (new)


message 21: by Susie (last edited Sep 11, 2013 03:30AM) (new)


message 22: by Susie (last edited Sep 11, 2013 07:25AM) (new)


message 23: by Susie (last edited Sep 11, 2013 07:27AM) (new)


message 24: by Susie (last edited Sep 11, 2013 07:34AM) (new)


message 26: by Susie (last edited Sep 11, 2013 01:39PM) (new)


message 30: by Susie (last edited Sep 11, 2013 01:45PM) (new)


message 31: by Susie (last edited Sep 11, 2013 01:45PM) (new)


message 32: by Paw3pals (new)

Paw3pals | 1939 comments Very many of these have no books.

I think that some librarians did not do author merges when working on Debbie's list(s) - they edited the book records instead and those remain until the script runs, whenever that is.


message 33: by Susie (new)

Susie (dragonsusie) | 2469 comments I must admit, I haven't checked them all. I will have a look - sometimes the merges help at least clear up the lists, so we know which ones actually need editing.


message 34: by Susie (last edited Sep 08, 2013 11:16AM) (new)

Susie (dragonsusie) | 2469 comments Paw3pals wrote: "Very many of these have no books.

I think that some librarians did not do author merges when working on Debbie's list(s) - they edited the book records instead and those remain until the script runs, whenever that is."

Susie wrote: "I must admit, I haven't checked them all. I will have a look - sometimes the merges help at least clear up the lists, so we know which ones actually need editing."

Just did #3 - there were only a couple in there that were blank profiles, so I'm still assuming that most of these are new ones. Although the ACs do appear to be blanks...

For any profiles with no books that don't merge, I actually merge them with the blank profile, so that it'll be easier to check. It seems that the script doesn't run very often.


message 35: by Debbie's Spurts (D.A.) (last edited Sep 18, 2013 02:24PM) (new)

Debbie's Spurts (D.A.) | 6325 comments Turning this message into a checklist; under spoiler is what it used to say in addition to very brief lists. (view spoiler)

I'm very happy to let someone else take over the listings. Wasn't a project I wanted to carry on with too long ( durn OCD about finishing things and durn my own favorite authors who keep losing books to non-standard initial profiles that I have the urge to fix).

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My little checklists that were ongoing --where it says "thread" means a thread was started; "done" means list/thread was completed:

Checklist of initials with spaces instead of periods is

A A thru A J done at http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...
A K thru A M done at http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...
B A thru B J done at http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...

B K thru B Z need threads created or librarians editing
C A thru C P done at http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...
C R thru C Z need threads created or librarians editing
D a done at http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...
Db thru d j done at http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...

D k thru d z need threads created or librarians editing
E A thru E D done at http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...

E E thru E Z need threads created or librarians editing
F done at http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...

G A thru G Nter done at http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...
G Nter thru G Z done at http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...
H A thru H H done at http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...

H I thru H M need threads created or librarians editing
H N thru H Z need threads created or librarians editing
I done at http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...

J need threads created or librarians editing
K need threads created or librarians editing
L need threads created or librarians editing
M need threads created or librarians editing
N need threads created or librarians editing
O need threads created or librarians editing
P need threads created or librarians editing
Q need threads created or librarians editing
R need threads created or librarians editing
S need threads created or librarians editing
T need threads created or librarians editing
U need threads created or librarians editing
V need threads created or librarians editing
W need threads created or librarians editing
X need threads created or librarians editing
Y need threads created or librarians editing
Z need threads created or librarians editing

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Checklist of initials with periods but also with stray space between:

A. On A. Thru D.L doneat http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...

A.M. thru A.Z. doneat http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...

B. A. thru B. L. on A. Thru D.L. thread at http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...

B. M. thru B. Z. need threads created or librarians editing
C. Thread done at http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1... but also on a. Thru D.L. Thread
D. A. thru D. L. on the A. Thru D.L. thread

D. M. thru D. Z. need threads created or librarians editing
E. need threads created or librarians editing
F.a.-F.l. done at http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...
F.m.-f.p done at http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...

F.Q.-F.Z. done at http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...

G. need threads created or librarians editing
H. need threads created or librarians editing
I. need threads created or librarians editing
J. need threads created or librarians editing
K. need threads created or librarians editing
L. need threads created or librarians editing
M. need threads created or librarians editing
N. need threads created or librarians editing
O. need threads created or librarians editing
P. need threads created or librarians editing
Q. need threads created or librarians editing
R. need threads created or librarians editing
S. need threads created or librarians editing
T. need threads created or librarians editing
U. need threads created or librarians editing
V. need threads created or librarians editing
W. need threads created or librarians editing
X. need threads created or librarians editing
Y. need threads created or librarians editing
Z. need threads created or librarians editing

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Taking a stab at some common first names:

Andrea done
Andrew done
Angel done
Anita done
Ann done
Anne done
Ben done
Benjamin done
Beverly, bev, beverley done
Bill done
Bob done
Brian done
Carl done
Charles A done
Charles b done
Charles c done
Charles d done at http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...

Charles E thru Charles Z need threads created or librarians editing
David A done
David B done
David C done
David D & E done
David M done

David F to David L and David N to David Z need threads created or librarians editing
Douglas A thru Douglas P thread at http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...
Douglas Q thru Douglas Z needs creating or editing by librarians
Richard a done
Richard b done
Richard C done

Richard d thru Richard Z need threads created or librarians editing
More common first names with periodless middle initials need threads created or librarians editing

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On existing threads I made, I'll continue editing my messages to note completed ones so hopefully librarians aren't wasting time editing completed items; less because I was interested in project past the first weekend than as a courtesy because only the OP can edit titles and own messages.


message 36: by Susie (new)

Susie (dragonsusie) | 2469 comments I'm looking for a workable system that will mean that no one of us is working too hard. If by listing it gets the job done quicker, then I'm hoping for that.

I was just editing straight from the lists, but sometimes it takes a lot longer.

One possible idea is to split the taskforce into letters/names? May be a way of getting them done quickly. But it's too much for one to do.


message 37: by Debbie's Spurts (D.A.) (last edited Sep 08, 2013 11:57AM) (new)

Debbie's Spurts (D.A.) | 6325 comments The other thought I had on a wildhair was that maybe librarians could sporadically take a look at author profiles using "add book/author" for their own first name and initials. Or using regular search, look at their own last names. Could spread it out …


message 38: by Susie (new)

Susie (dragonsusie) | 2469 comments Debbie O'Neal wrote: "The other thought I had on a wildhair was that maybe librarians could take a look at author profiles using "add book/author" for their own first name and initials. Or using regular search, look at their own last names. Could spread it out …"

That's certainly another thought for attacking the endless lists of names! But the workload needs spreading out as otherwise, between us, we'll spend half our lives creating and editing lists!


message 39: by Debbie's Spurts (D.A.) (last edited Sep 08, 2013 12:15PM) (new)

Debbie's Spurts (D.A.) | 6325 comments I guess I just don"t understand. Why not just edit from "add book/author" instead of listing then editing? Seems should be quicker for a librarian to (1) just click author name from "add book/author" results (opens profile in new browser tab for editing) than to (2) click "add" to put in message, enter key for new line, re-hit "add book/author" and repeat until desired number of authors listed in message, post, then same librarian or another librarian clicks each name in posted message to open in same new tab as you would have gotten by just doing (1) to start with.

As a non-librarian, I was listing because I had to in order to request a librarian to edit. As a librarian, you can just edit. (Goes back in corner quietly until needs to mark more as completed on own posts)


message 40: by Susie (last edited Sep 09, 2013 03:04AM) (new)

Susie (dragonsusie) | 2469 comments Oh, it's because of all the extra work that goes into checking each author, the connected authors, the merging of books... It seems to be a never ending task and I thought it might be quicker if I got others to help...

I guess, as another try, might see if others are willing to do the "direct editing" thing, rather than relying on the lists, as if we all do that it would work faster...

How many people work on your posts?

I'm looking to do a bit each day, but the amount of work that needs doing seems to be endless currently.


message 41: by Z-squared (last edited Sep 09, 2013 12:58PM) (new)

Z-squared | 8576 comments 9-11 done


message 42: by Susie (new)

Susie (dragonsusie) | 2469 comments Z-squared wrote: "9-11 done"

Thanks for the help! :)


message 43: by Debbie's Spurts (D.A.) (last edited Sep 12, 2013 07:01PM) (new)

Debbie's Spurts (D.A.) | 6325 comments I've been updating message 35 as existing threads are completed; I'm not starting any new threads so anyone else feel free. The non-standard authors alphabetically not already on a thread are likely the ones most needing help.

(although probably duplicating an existing thread, like the two multiple "A" initial threads, will just generate a lot of author profiles that have no books, there are always new books continuously being added to goodreads database).


message 44: by Debbie's Spurts (D.A.) (last edited Sep 12, 2013 07:31PM) (new)

Debbie's Spurts (D.A.) | 6325 comments Maybe post here as anyone starts a new thread so six people don't all start "S"author profile lists or something?


message 45: by Paw3pals (new)

Paw3pals | 1939 comments May I suggest posting the info in message 35 as a thread on its own, and maybe ask that it be made sticky.

Also put a current date on the end of completed correction threads to show when they were done?


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