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Archived > I'm adding books written in my native tongue to the database, and I'm confused

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message 1: by Jasmine (new)

Jasmine (diewolke) | 125 comments I'm from an Asian country. The number of books from my country in the database here is criminally low so I've set out to change it. Don't worry; I've read the librarian manual somewhat religiously multiple times.

So my dilemma is this. When creating a book of the aforementioned nature, do I type the names of the author and the book in English or in my mother language? How does it work when creating an author profile too? The language in question here has its own writing and numeral systems, like Japanese and Chinese.

The manual only elaborates on the authors who are published in several languages, which, obviously, do not apply here. I've also searched in the group and the help section but to no avail.


message 2: by Jasmine (new)

Jasmine (diewolke) | 125 comments Thank you so much. Have a good one, Andrew.


message 3: by Arenda (new)

Arenda | 26447 comments The title of the book should always be in the language as written on the cover.

When the book is published in multiple languages, the first author should be the English version of the author's name on all editions. Editions with the author's name in a different language/alphabet on the cover, should have that version of the name added as a second author.


message 4: by Jasmine (new)

Jasmine (diewolke) | 125 comments What if the author translated a book in another language, say English, into his/her native language? The primary author listed should be the one who originally wrote it, yes, and I'm guessing the translator's name should be in the language it was written in on the cover?

Another thing is that for most of the authors from my country already on the database, there are, more often than not, two profiles for each: one in English, another in the native language. The problem is almost all of them never published internationally. Meaning their works only exist in the native language they were originally written in. Hopefully, more of them will get translated into other languages in the future. But I digress.
Do I merge the author profiles I'm dead sure are of the same person? My senses tell me yes, but I wanted official affirmation.


message 5: by Emily (new)

Emily | 17621 comments To clarify what you are asking. If they are listed anywhere in or on the covers with an English name, then they keep the English profile for books where that might be written.
If there is no name in English on any of their books, you can merge the English author profile into the native language profile.


message 6: by Jasmine (new)

Jasmine (diewolke) | 125 comments Thanks, everyone. I'm good to go now :DD


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