Are textbooks considered adaptations?

[Alex]

I've found a couple of books that are editions of books that have been adapted into textbooks.
Ex. Cupboard Love: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...

It hasn't currently been annotated as such, so do I now note it as abridged in the edition field, add the adaptor as primary author and separate from the work it is currently in?

[Deon]

Alex wrote: "add the adaptor as primary author and separate from the work it is currently in"

yes

also, leaving a librarian note, that is it is adaptation will be helpful going forward

[Alex]

Thank you for the confirmation! Will do! :)

[Deon]

On further thought, please note the difference between abridgment and adaptation (see below), in the above record you mention it both ways, which will be confusing to other librarians


Abridgments, i.e. a work that contains the author's original text, with some parts removed to shorten it. This are combined with the original work.

Adaptations and Retellings, i.e. a work that tells the same story but with comepletely new text (with little to none of the author's orginal words). This are not combined with the original work.

[Alex]

Hmm, well it's an abridged version that has been adapted into a textbook; I imagine it has the same text, but probably drastically reduced to accommodate inclusion of textbook exercises and discussions. Which category would it fall under?

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

I would think it falls into a similar category as Norton Critical editions as it has the original language with added material. Those are combined with the main work.

[Alex]

Hmmm, basically, the important part is the original language... So I have to figure out if the textbooks adapted the language for use in class, I guess. Time to research 1980s literary textbooks then! XD

[Alex]

Hmmm, I'm not coming up with much, predictably. WorldCat has the names of the adapters first on its records; is that significant?

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Alex wrote: "Hmmm, I'm not coming up with much, predictably. WorldCat has the names of the adapters first on its records; is that significant?"

I would think so - a good lead for you. I don't know what their policy is, but it wouldn't surprise me if GR took a cue from them. These are hard. It's the sort of thing I often just leave as is, with a note to myself to spend time when I have it or am so inclined.

[Alex]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "It's the sort of thing I often just leave as is,...."

I agree, that's what I'd do too, but it snuck up on me while doing a request, and now I've separated a couple of them out of their original works. And you know, these are classics (not this particular one maybe; or I just haven't heard of it), so there are mountains of editions.
If I leave it as is, no one will probably touch it, if I put it back in, I'll probably forget about it and then who knows when someone will next come across it amongst all those!

Basically, I'm now the last one that touched it, so now it falls on me if it's not where it's supposed to be. XD

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Alex wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "It's the sort of thing I often just leave as is,...."

I agree, that's what I'd do too, but it snuck up on me while doing a request, and now I've separated a couple of th..."

Yep, you get in the middle of something and ...

Glad to know someone else is working the oldie moldies.