Add from Amazon?

[Cynthia]

Ok, maybe it shouldn't be a librarian question, but ...

Once upon a time, I had a bookmark that allowed me to add a book to my "to be read" shelf from Amazon. I lost it during a computer rebuild, and I cannot seem to find where I got it on GoodReads way back when I originally joined the site. Help, pretty please?

(I've always hoped that somewhere there are bookmarks that allow addition of books from WorldCat and other sites.)

[rivka, Former Moderator]

Widget tab on my account. Bookmarklet, far left.

[Cynthia]

Um, how do I get there? If I click on your name, it says, "Sorry, only friends of that member can view that page."

Sheepishly,
Cyn

[rivka, Former Moderator]

Not my (rivka's) account. The "my account" page -- link right under "hi [yourname]".

[Cynthia]

Oh - duh. Thank you!

[Cynthia]

Hmmm - well, I installed that, but it doesn't work like it used to. I used it when I was on a book's page at Amazon. On the Kindle page for the book, it told me that the page didn't seem to be an Amazon book page. I went back to the Mass Market Paperback page, where I don't get an error message, happily - but I do just get sent to the Goodreads search page.

In the past, if the book was on Goodreads, I would have been taken to its page, and I think it would have been added to my books in some way (I can't remember that last bit for sure). If it wasn't already on Goodreads, it would be added and I would be taken to its new page. But I never just saw a search page.

What changed?

Thanks,
Cyn

[rivka, Former Moderator]

No idea. The bookmarklet always used the search (that's really all it does).

[Keith]

For most of my entered books, I've been using this "Add to Goodreads" javascript bookmarklet, which has only worked to import from Amazon. In light of the recent mandate from Amazon, I would presume that I should stop using this, right? Or is it really just executing a search, and not importing data in the process?

Further, if we do have to stop using that, will GR be developing some other bookmarklet/tool/whatever to import online book data when the books is not already on GR? Or anything at all to reduce the effort (and error rate) of manual data entry? Even something that will simply recognize a book page and attempt to open the corresponding GR book page would be handy, though of course importing data GR doesn't have is handier still. And a screen-scaper for, say, Worldcat would be just lovely.

(This is essentially a repost from the hyperactive "Amazon going away" thread, where it was presumably and quite understandably overlooked.)

[rivka, Former Moderator]

I believe the bookmarklet actually stopped working a couple days ago. If not, it will shortly.

Various other options that work along similar lines are being looked into.

[Keith]

rivka wrote: "Various other options that work along similar lines are being looked into."

Yay! Thanks!

(I gave the creation of a similar tool for Worldcat a shot, but my JavaScript skills are quite good enough, yet, because their URLs appear to use OCLC instead of ISBN. If I figure it out later, I'll post here.)

[rivka, Former Moderator]

WB, are you using FF? If so, do you have custom searches (e.g., through the Mycroft Project)? There's a GR search you can add (looks like there's a second, via Google one, as well now).

When I want to search an ISBN (or title, whatever) from a webpage, I set my search to GR, highlight, right-click-and-select. (Much the same as if I wanted to search something on Wikipedia or IMDB, other custom searches I have.) Not as fast as the bookmarklet, but pretty close.

[rivka, Former Moderator]

WeaselBox wrote: "switching is always a pain"

True, that! I use Chrome for a few things (it does tend to be faster), but I'll never give up many of my FF extensions that are Chrome-incompatible.

[rivka, Former Moderator]

Cool. I'll have to remember that for the next Chrome user looking for something similar.