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Policies & Practices > Question about combining "editions"

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message 1: by Leslie (new)

Leslie (kodiak3000) | 5 comments I've got a first edition of "CSS Pocket Reference" (O'Reilly) with ISBN 0-596-00120-7, ISBN13 9780596001209. There are two editions already listed in GR, neither of which has either of these ISBNs. What are the chances the same edition has different ISBNs due to print runs or some other reason? Wanting to check before I combine editions and change both of the other ISBNs.


message 2: by Sandra (new)

Sandra | 31402 comments Leslie, you never change ISBNs!

What you have is another edition of the book and you combine it with the others to give 3 versions of the book.

I think you are confusing combining with merging.


message 3: by Leslie (new)

Leslie (kodiak3000) | 5 comments Well, that's why I posted here first, rather than just changing it! ;)

I don't, however, have another edition. These all claim to be first editions, but they have different ISBNs, which is why I'm confused.

I did not know there was a merge function, and so I believe you're right that I am confusing that option with the combine function. I'll go read up on that now, but if someone knows why the same edition would have more than one ISBN, it would sure help clear things up for me!


message 4: by Cait (new)

Cait (tigercait) | 4988 comments Leslie, only your book is the first edition; the others are a second edition, a German edition, and an unspecified edition which has been published more recently than any of them. I've updated the "edition" field of your book to reflect that it's the first edition.


message 5: by rivka, Former Moderator (new)

rivka | 45177 comments Mod
Also, it is perfectly possibly for mutiple (often simultaneously released) ISBNs to all be "the first edition". Most commonly this happens when there are different US/UK/Aus editions, but sometimes publishers seem to use multiple ISBNs just for the heck of it. ;)


message 6: by Leslie (new)

Leslie (kodiak3000) | 5 comments Thanks Cait. It all looks a lot tidier in there now. Still not sure I understand where the other "first" edition came from, but it's gone now, so presumably you tidied that up too. Thanks.

Re: edition numbers in titles, I see you removed them from there and they appear only in the edition field now. That answers another question I had, which was "Is that field only for 'special' edition notations such as 'large print' or 'anniversary' editions, or can it be used for 1st, 2nd, etc?" But it raises another question: should the edition explicitly NOT appear in the title? I've seen many that do, and added it to some of the ones I've edited based on that trend. It does make the "right" edition easier to find when you're searching for a specific one...


message 7: by rivka, Former Moderator (new)

rivka | 45177 comments Mod
Leslie wrote: "But it raises another question: should the edition explicitly NOT appear in the title?"

No, it should not. The edition field was only added relatively recently, but that's where all info like that should go.


message 8: by Leslie (new)

Leslie (kodiak3000) | 5 comments Thanks Rivka.


message 9: by M (new)

M (masanobu) | 10 comments This is not really related, but it sprung to mind reading this: if you know for sure that a certain edition of a book is out of print, should you put it somewhere?


message 10: by Paula (new)

Paula (paulaan) | 7014 comments No - out of print books stay in the database, there are still people who have read it or find a copy to read and shelf


message 11: by willaful (new)

willaful I think maybe Masanobu meant, should you indicate somewhere that the edition is out-of-print? Good question.


message 12: by rivka, Former Moderator (new)

rivka | 45177 comments Mod
No, we do not.


message 13: by Sandra (new)

Sandra | 31402 comments Out of print books can still be bought and sold, just not at mainstream new bookstores.


message 14: by MissJessie (new)

MissJessie | 866 comments I just bought 13 "out of print" books at a library sale this week. One was over 120 years old. But still nice books.


message 15: by Sandra (new)

Sandra | 31402 comments Lucky you MissJessie!


message 16: by MissJessie (new)

MissJessie | 866 comments It was a blast. Some days you hit it lucky; other days, nothing you would have for more than $1 !! I had to stop looking due to decreasing funds :) and increasing weight of purchases. It was worth a 60 mile trip, that's for sure.


message 17: by M (new)

M (masanobu) | 10 comments Okay, it's always good to know.

MissJessie: sadly, the only used bookstore in my city closed last February!


message 18: by MissJessie (new)

MissJessie | 866 comments Oh, that's terrible. Obviously, an area with no culture :) (Present company excepted..)(Just kidding, I hope you realize.)

I particularly like library sales, since the prices are so reasonable.


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