Can you add a cover without downloading the image?

[Melanie]

Ok, so I believe I've seen other librarians mention before that you can add a cover to a record by using the image URL. How is this done? For the life of me I cannot figure out where I would enter the URL. I'm only given an option to browse my computer for a file. Am I just missing something obvious? Or is this not actually possible and I'm imagining having seen people state this?

ETA: For example, here is a book that is missing its cover and the Amazon page showing the ISBN and the cover image URL on Amazon.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/303...
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.c...

Is it possible to add this cover using the Amazon image URL is basically what I'm asking. Or is the only way to download the image and upload (which is what I've been doing but would prefer not to have to)?

[Dobby]

There are a couple of methods I use. I'm using Chrome, btw. Your browser might have slightly different right-click options.

* Right-click on the image and select "Copy image address". Go to the book edit page, select "Choose file" to upload the image, then paste the image address in the "File Name" box. Press Enter to upload the image.

This works for most straightforward image files. However, it can get tricky with some Amazon images. Most Amazon image file names have extra information that you have to remove. Here's an example (I've added a space in "https" and used (dot) so the string will display):

h ttps://images-na.ssl-images- amazon(dot)com/images/I/51qlCOSNjUL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

Delete everything between the two periods; I bold-faced that part so you can see it better. This is what is left:

h ttps://images-na.ssl-images-amazon(dot)com/images/I/51qlCOSNjUL..jpg

Delete the extra period:

h ttps://images-na.ssl-images-amazon(dot)com/images/I/51qlCOSNjUL.jpg

Press Enter to upload the image. Always check the listing to be sure the image uploaded correctly. (I learned that the embarrassing way!)

* A shortcut alternative works most of the time for an active listing on Amazon. It does not work for a used book listed by a third-party. Again, I'm putting a space in "http" and using (dot) so the string will display:

h ttp://ecx.images-amazon(dot)com/images/P/(ASIN HERE).jpg

h ttp://ecx.images-amazon(dot)com/images/P/(ISBN-10 HERE).jpg

This works only for an ASIN or an ISBN10. So, for ASIN B01BH6W4Y0, this is what you would type:

h ttp://ecx.images-amazon(dot)com/images/P/B01BH6W4Y0.jpg

A note about the Amazon images. The Amazon listing page must load completely before you can copy the image. Sometimes I'm impatient and try to grab the image before the page has loaded. You'll get a long string of characters, and it won't end with ".jpg." Just go back to the page, which has now loaded and is sitting there nicely, and copy the image again using either of the two methods I described.

This method works for almost all the images that are available through the standard, acceptable sites. Sometimes, however, you can't get a good .jpg or .gif with the url. In those cases, I decide if I want to d/l the image to my computer. Since that has the potential for risk, I make that decision on a case-by-case basis.

[Melanie]

Dobby0390 wrote: "Go to the book edit page, select "Choose file" to upload the image, then paste the image address in the "File Name" box. Press Enter to upload the image."

Right here seems to be where my problem is. There is no file name box. I'm using Chrome, so perhaps it's because I'm using a Mac? Basically when I go to the edit page and click "Choose File" under the add cover section there is nowhere for me to enter an address. It goes to my computer and asks me to select an image file, I don't have the option to enter a URL or anything.

So it must be a Mac limitation I'm guessing.

But thank you for the detailed instructions.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Thanks Dobby - I'll try this next time I need to add a cover.:)

[Dobby]

Melanie wrote: "Basically when I go to the edit page and click "Choose File" under the add cover section there is nowhere for me to enter an address. It goes to my computer and asks me to select an image file, I don't have the option to enter a URL or anything."

That's where you enter the url. Your computer uses a "Temporary Internet Files" area to keep the image in memory so you can paste it.

[Melanie]

Dobby0390 wrote: "That's where you enter the url. Your computer uses a "Temporary Internet Files" area to keep the image in memory so you can paste it. "

The problem is on my Mac, there is nowhere to enter the URL. I can click on an image but can't type anything (not even a file name), I have to actually select the file.

But I'm glad these directions could be helpful to others, like Carol.

[Emy]

I'm sure there is a way on macs as I think I used to do it in my old place. I don't have access to a mac here, but I'll see if I can borrow one to try and figure out how I did it before unless someone else who habitually uses a mac can chip in? :)

[lethe]

I habitually use macs (MacBook and iPad), and I see no way to enter a URL, there is only a browse button for images stored on my computer.