an intro to being a librarian

[MissJessie]

I always thought she was a silly woman :) (just kidding).

But it's true: WHO will look up Julie Edwards? But, it does support my opinion that people should be called by the names they choose, not by an arbitrary decision at a catalogue/web site level. Apparently LOC agrees.

I feel a little strongly about this because my name is Jessie -- NOT Jessica, and in school all the teachers (elementary school back in the dark ages) wanted to call me by my "real" name, not a "NICKNAME". Drove me crazy.

[R]

Okay. This whole discussion has made me jittery about what to put, so I created a basic page, feel free to edit it.

[Peter]

But how do you connect a foreign translation/edition of a book to the original edition ? I'd tried everything I could, but I just don't understand what I'm supposed to do to make it work effectively.

[Paula]

Peter you need to combine the foreign translation/edition with the original from the combine page.

Select one of the editions and on the book page at the top right is a Combine Editions link - select that, find the two book you want to combine and tick.

If they are over two pages you need to either filter the display to get both books on one page or temporarily change the title of one of the books, combine and the change the title back

Edit to add: The author in the first position has to be the same so you may need to change that first.

Add a link to the book you are trying to sort out, then we can see what the difficulties may be

[Peter]

Thanks, Paula. :-) I already tried it out. Worked like a charm.

[MH]

If you combine authors names, such as "Jo Nesbo" and "Jo Nesbø" , will a person searching under either name be able to bring up that same author?

[Cait]

Lénou wrote: "If you combine authors names, such as "Jo Nesbo" and "Jo Nesbø" , will a person searching under either name be able to bring up that same author?"

Only if the two names are considered the same by the matching software (which has a limited ability to interpret certain characters as equivalent). There isn't a way to list alternate spellings of an author's name right now (you'll hear people referring to this as "the a.k.a. feature" -- oh, the long-awaited aka feature, it will bring happiness).

[Jan]

Hi. Need some help.

I would like to add these books to my author profile, and to add a cover, but it seems I cannot edit them unless I become a librarian. What is the best way to go about adding my books? When I try to add them it just adds them to my reading list. I would also like to mention my website so that potential readers will know where the books are available.

Baby Bupe PRP English version

Jake Big Book South African edition

Leon Chameleon P.I. and the case of the kidnapped mouse

Leon Chameleon P.I. and the case of the missing canary eggs

[rivka, Former Moderator]

Jan, to show up on your author profile, the author listed for the book must be identical as the name listed on your profile. Do you prefer to be listed as Jan Hurst-Nicholson, or as Janet Hurst-Nicholson?

[Jan]

Hi Rivka,
Thanks for your reply.
My children's books are published under the name Janet Hurst-Nicholson. But I once overheard a woman saying her husband wouldn't read a book written by a woman, so when I published Something to Read on the Plane I used the gender neutral, Jan. I thought this was a good idea at the time, but now it is causing problems. I've used Jan Hurst-Nicholson for my Kindle books, and many of my children's books are out of print, so I think I had better stick with Jan Hurst-Nicholson.

[rivka, Former Moderator]

Ok. All your books should now show up on your profile. :)

[Jan]

Thank you. I have added the cover to one of the books and will now do the others.

[Elizabeth]

Should the children's books have "Janet" listed as a secondary author and/or the "Jan" profile include an a.k.a. link?

[rivka, Former Moderator]

That's up to Jan.

[[deleted user]]

i have a librarian question. i added a book to my currently reading shelf. then found out the book i added was an ebook format and im reading the real hardcover book. should i add a new edition for the version im reading? or just ignore it?

[Jan]

Grant, if you go the book you've already added, in the right corner there's a link called 'Other Editions.' Click here, and find the edition you'd like to switch to. Click on 'Switch to this edition' link. Either on the editions page, or if you are on the book page, on the place where your review would be.

[[deleted user]]

the ebook edition i found is the only edition on goodreads.

[[deleted user]]

well turns our the ebook edition i found is the only edition on goodreads. So should i add a new edition of the hardcover i have?

[Deborah]

Grant wrote: "the ebook edition i found is the only edition on goodreads."

What book is it?

[[deleted user]]

Tolstoy The Inconstant Genius A biography

[rivka, Former Moderator]

I found one other edition (author not quite the same; now merged). The other edition(s) aren't present because they are pre-ISBN.

[Sue]

I'm adding some of my older (pre-ISBN) books to my shelves and finding some not in the Goodreads database when I search on title or author. One I added because I could only find the paperback published later, not the hardcover I have; one wasn't there at all. Several others are shown with no cover. Should I try to upload scans of my covers, even though some are a bit tattered? And is there any way to use the Library of Congress numbers, which most do have?

[rivka, Former Moderator]

Sue wrote: "Should I try to upload scans of my covers, even though some are a bit tattered?"

Yes, please.

We do not use LCCNs.

[Semsemaya]

Hello guys,

I tried to add a cover book to a certain book but, each time I click "edit details" I get a message says: " Sorry, only users with librarian status can edit book & author data. If you'd like librarian status, please apply here." Although I am already a memeber. Does anyone know how to solve that?

Thanks

[rivka, Former Moderator]

Being a member of this group does not automatically make you a librarian.

You have to apply.

[Semsemaya]

I had applied and it didn't work though. I've tried now and it works!!. Thanks for replying.

[rivka, Former Moderator]

That's because applications are not reviewed instantly.

Congratulations on becoming a librarian. :)

[Sara]

Hi, I just recieved my librarian status email, and I have a question about it. One of the 'important tips' says you shouldn't change the language of the book title, but I've come across a book with the title written in English while the book is not in English, and has not been translated to English at all . Should I write the proper title in the original language?

[Cait]

Sarah, if the book record has the title entered incorrectly for a particular edition, you can fix it so that it's correct. Could you link to this one?

[Diane]

I am a professor, not a librarian, but work closely with librarians. I am wondering how librarians educate teachers about new databases or collections the library purchases? Is there a usual format or is it up to the teachers to ask for help and info? Thanks for the input--and BTW, I couldn't live without the research librarians at my school!

[rivka, Former Moderator]

Diane, this group is for Goodreads Librarians -- volunteers who correct things in the GR database -- not for people for work as librarians in real life. (Although we have a few of those.)

[Ron]

Diane wrote: "I am a professor, not a librarian, but work closely with librarians. I am wondering how librarians educate teachers about new databases or collections the library purchases? Is there a usual format..."

As both a Goodreads Librarian and an academic Librarian, we try to provide information via announcements and class instruction. But each institution is different. I hope this helps.

[Rachel]

I bought a copy of an old, classic book recently and I searched the ISBN and everything, but I still couldn't find this particular edition so I created it. I want to combine it with the rest of the editions but when I click combine, no other editions of it come up. How do I combine it?

[Kim]

Rachel wrote: "How do I combine it?"

What is the book and what is your ISBN?

[Deborah]

Rachel wrote: "I bought a copy of an old, classic book recently and I searched the ISBN and everything, but I still couldn't find this particular edition so I created it. I want to combine it with the rest of the..."

Make sure the author names are exactly the same.

[Kim]

Never mind, I found it. The problem is it's spelled Brontë not Bronte. I fixed that up, combined the authors and then combined your copy of Jane Eyre with the rest.

[rivka, Former Moderator]

Usually.

[Katie]

Hi there, I have a question about page numbering. Should the epilogue be counted when adding the total number of pages in the book? Thanks!!

[Deborah]

Katie wrote: "Hi there, I have a question about page numbering. Should the epilogue be counted when adding the total number of pages in the book? Thanks!!"

yes

[[deleted user]]

Thank you! It is nice being a librarian!