Full Author Name Vs. Published Name?

[Vicky]

I didn't do a search of all of his titles, but it appears that John Treadwell Nichols is the name utilized by the Library of Congress. There are also about 50 different John Nichols in the Library of Congress database.

A quick search of Goodreads turned up John B. Nichols, John D. Nichols, John Treadwell Nichols and others. Including the profile for John Nichols, which actually looks like it might need to be sorted out among the different John Nichols.

I'm fairly certain (though pretty new to the Goodreads librarian program) that when names are in question, we should favor the name used by the Library of Congress.

[Melody]

Vicky is correct. We use the name used by the library of congress. In this case john treadwell nichols.

[rivka, Former Moderator]

For authors with uncommon names, there's no reason to add middle names (unless they publish under them, or are GR members and want them there).

For those with common names, a middle name seems far preferable to being the 5th multi-spaced author instead.

[rivka, Former Moderator]

They are "accurate"; the cover of a book is not the only source of accurate information.

[rivka, Former Moderator]

Fortunately, a search for John Nichols will also bring up John Treadwell Nichols.

[Gerd]

Well, I agree that there should a be a better system integrated that allows for multiples of similar author's names with different book listings added to them.

But if a author has a middle name that can be used to discern him from all the other John Smith's out there it absolutely makes sense to add it, even if that means that people that want to add further books of that specific John Smith may have to do a bit more research first.

[Abcdarian]

Vicky wrote: "There are also about 50 different John Nichols ..."

I got a good start on disambiguating the remaining John Nichols. (Thank heaven for the ones with middle names or initials, say I!) I'm not sure if the books remaining on John^Nichols are all by the same author though; don't have any more time right now. :-)