Goodreads Librarians Group discussion
Questions (from Librarians only)
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Amazon adding duplicate editions and GR transferring ISBN to them
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We don't know why they are doing this, and we can't alter ISBNs or ASINs once entered. Please contact support.
Joao wrote: "Hello,I added this book in Nov 15, 2022, filling in all the relevant fields, includind ISBN-13, ISBN-10, date of publishing, language, etc.:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6......"
Did you get any answer from the staff?
The bots moved the ISBN of a large print, hardback edition to the original paperback edition. I told support about it and have kept a watch to see if it was fixed. Nope. All of the meta-data was changed. So now over 3 MILLION!!! people have had the book they placed on their shelves years ago changed to an edition that had fewer than 1000. The author is one of the very oldest ones on the site. The book is from the very first week. Well done bots, well done. /s They are just so much more helpful than us puny humans.
I found another example so was wondering if contacting staff would help.Overall, staff are less informed about GR policy and practices than librarians; or should I say they are barely informed? Recently, they don't even read a 2-line email and just want to close requests by thanking the requester.
Well, no wonder; GR does not have any insentive for working properly!
K1 wrote: "Joao wrote: "Hello,I added this book in Nov 15, 2022, filling in all the relevant fields, includind ISBN-13, ISBN-10, date of publishing, language, etc.:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6......"
Sorry for not replying earlier.
One or two days after my message, they replied, but only fixing that particular problem (merging both editions). Regarding my questions about why was that happening, I had no answer at all.
K1 wrote: "I found another example so was wondering if contacting staff would help.Overall, staff are less informed about GR policy and practices than librarians; or should I say they are barely informed? Re..."
I believe you are quite right guessing that staff is less informed regarding GR policies than most librarians.
I added this book in Nov 15, 2022, filling in all the relevant fields, includind ISBN-13, ISBN-10, date of publishing, language, etc.:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...
However, “amazon_com” created a duplicate edition on April 20, 2023:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
Duplicate edition has incomplete title, wrong publication date, no language setting, no pages setting.
Nov 08, 2024 GR removed the ISBN from the first register and transferred it to new duplicate edition.
Now we have a complete and correct register, but without the ISBN, and a duplicate edition with ISBN, but with incomplete and defective data.
Can I ask you why is this happening? If a Librarian adds a new book, is it possible for amazon bots to create duplicates of it? Is it GR policy to remove IBNS from correct and legitimate registers and transfer them to duplicates?
Thanks in advance?