Description of the QUERY ABANDONED BY POSTER folder

[Kate]

The Query Abandoned by Poster folder is used when the Original Poster (OP) has not responded to suggestions for a long time.

One time frame that was suggested was that if a thread had been inactive for two years, it would be moved to this folder. We have had volunteers try to send messages to an OP to see if they were still looking.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

I noticed a ton of threads being moved to Abandoned recently and I have concerns. A big concern is that once things go into the Abandoned folder, people are not as likely to look at them and they are much less likely to be solved.

A lot of threads are being moved to Abandoned when there has been recent activity in the thread. What I sometimes do is ask if the OP is still looking; then if there hasn't been any response to my prod in 1-2 years, I move to Abandoned. But I noticed some of these have been moved to Abandoned when I only left that message a few weeks or a few months ago. I don't think this gives the OP enough time to respond, especially when a lot of people fail to receive the notifications from the group, because the notifications are buggy or whatnot.

I think if a mod does move a thread to Abandoned, they should post a comment saying so. Otherwise the threads are silently migrating over here with no warning.

Thoughts?

[N]

I appreciate when a message is posted to the OP and then when an announcement is made that a thread is being moved. These alerts seem very helpful both to the OP and to others who may be following (or researching) an interesting topic. I do like the procedures you have, Lobstergirl, and appreciate them. I also think it's better not to move threads to Abandoned too quickly; since the suggested bump period is 30 days, 1-2 years doesn't seem unreasonable.

[Kris]

Lobstergirl wrote: "...I think if a mod does move a thread to Abandoned, they should post a comment saying so. Otherwise the threads are silently migrating over here with no warning...."

That sounds like a good idea. It also tells the original poster and other moderators why the thread was moved.

In some cases, perhaps the original poster marked their thread as Abandoned because they're no longer interested in the book.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

This is still happening.

[Ayshe]

I've seen some which has neither suggestions nor prod in this folder. Should something be done about them?

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

If you have concerns that perhaps a thread has been sent to Abandoned prematurely, you can make a comment in that particular thread. I would rather have them sit in Unsolved for longer than go to Abandoned before their time.

[Justanotherbiblophile]

We should update the rules/habits, and ask OPs to acknowledge (via a comment/edit/post) when they've abandoned a search.

Otherwise, the guidelines/procedures for mods moving posts sound great - ask OP (one comment), then notify the community at large (second comment/while moving to abandoned).

What might be nice is when notifying OP, that mods put in a count-down date of when a thread will be open season for moving to abandoned, and how OP can move it back out of abandoned (ie: post a comment that they're back, still looking, and how to swap folders).

Here's an edge case, though: What about when OP hasn't been active, but members in the community have been doing the bumping/want to read the book OP described?

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Justanotherbiblophile wrote: "What about when OP hasn't been active, but members in the community have been doing the bumping/want to read the book OP described?"

I don't have a problem with people bumping a thread because they want to see a thread solved, even if they aren't the OP, and if the OP hasn't been active for awhile. Sometimes threads get solved even if the OP isn't around to see it get solved, whether because they've actually left the group or just haven't been active in the group or on GR for years. If it is clear and obvious that a match has been found for their book, because of certain undeniable and specific details, we'll call a thread Solved. I don't even particularly care if people are bumping a thread that is already in Query Abandoned...if there is a chance of getting a thread solved. We've solved threads that have already been moved to Abandoned, in some situations.

Of course, there are some threads where the query is so vague there's little chance of getting it definitively solved; in cases like that, I'd prefer that community members not bump it, if the OP is never going to return.

[Yvonne]

Can I/ a poster search for my post. I posted about a book, but I don't check often. And since there are many posters looking for books in just 1 or 2 weeks there are a lot of post to look through. It would be helpful if I could go to my post.

[Ayshe]

In a thread you posted (like this one) hover over your avatar and click on "comment history" in the box that shows up.
Or you can use this link: https://www.goodreads.com/group/185-w...