New librarian question before adding a new edition of "Sea Siege" by Andre Norton

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

A few questions before adding the 1957 Ace mass paperback edition of the book (no ISBN, says Ace #75697 and spine says 4417569). [I have a huge collection of older Ace books so wanted to check once before doing it wrong for all the books :) ]

(1) Because 1957, I don't need to locate an ISBN? There is a publisher Harcourt hardcover 1957 edition shown that does show an ISBN. Where (possibly librarian notes) if anywhere should I put the ACE numbers?

(2) I am correct that I need to "add edition"?

(3) Anything else anyone thinks I should know before adding editions?

(4) While I do have book and took the following picture of cover, is this too faded/damaged to be used as cover image for added edition:

[Cait]

1. Yes, there won't be an ISBN on that unless it was reprinted later. I find myself suspicious of that 1957 ISBN, actually. You can put the Ace number in the description or the edition field.

2. Yes, add an edition and then combine the new edition with the existing ones as a second step.

3. Just ask if you have any questions! :)

4. That looks fine to me for a paperback that old.

[vicki_girl]

Here is a discussion on "converting" vintage book numbers to ISBNs:

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/8...

For your book the ISBN would be 0441756972. Try searcing on this number first.

If the ISBN is in the database, use that one. You can correct or add any details as needed, except for the cover. If there is an edition with a matching ISBN, but a different cover, please add an Alternate Cover Edition. If there is no cover go ahead and add yours.

If the ISBN is not in the databse, add a new edition, using the Add New Book form. The ISBN 0441756972 would go in the ISBN field. The Ace book number Ace #75697 would go in the "edition" field. Fill in the rest of the details as appropriate.

The cover is fine. Any image is better than none at all, and yours is better than many. I've had to add some really horrible looking ones because some of the paperbacks I aquired were in terrible shape.

Good luck with your collection, and thanks for adding them! Post back if you have any additional questions. I have worked on some vintage paperbacks myself, and know they can be troublesome sometimes. :)

[Ellie]

4. As long as it shows the actual cover, every picture is better than none. If an image of higher quality turns up someday, the other can be replaced.

[vicki_girl]

Cait wrote: "I find myself suspicious of that 1957 ISBN, actually."

Considering that the price on the cover $1.25, it's probably the 1974 reprint:

http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?2...

While the source of the date is a bit sketchy, paperbacks at $1.25 would have been printed in the 1970's. In 1957 paperbacks were 25 - 35 cents. Also, 1957 is the original copyright date. :)

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

Thanks everyone! And, duh *facepalms self*, I too am sure it is the 1974 reprint (I was just looking at inside cover page and typed the dates/numbers found). I have inherited some pre-1970 books or gotten secondhand; but, I became a big fan of this particular author (and had Ace line of books available at army post exchange where most books were bought) in the 1970s.