Goodreads Librarians Group discussion

I have a general question about the ACE policy. I have read the policy that it should go in the description field and should not go in the Edition field.

My question is twofold; doesn't putting it in the description field make it possible for all editions using the default description to be identified as ACEs should someone make that description the default? (I have seen other books that have physical descriptions or features of a specific edition used as default, which is why I ask.) Secondly, it seems easier for users looking at the list view to have access to that ACE information without having to open up the full page or edit page. This is why I'm curious about the reason behind the policy.

Agreed on both counts. I have seen many instances of edition-specific default descriptions, and some of them were for ACEs. Makes this system needlessly complicated (I would love to get rid of default descriptions altogether).

Also, putting (some of) the ACE information in the edition field makes sense to me. It is edition information, after all. Just putting Alternative Cover Edition (or ACE) in the edition field, and leaving the librarian note in the description would already be a great help.

I like it as the first line in the description, when I am looking at editions. I also appreciate when the librarian takes the time to cross-reference both the original edition (with or without an ISBN) and the ACE edition.

I prefer the ACE description in the description field, there is too much other stuff in the edition field, but find the hyperlinking to other editions useless when there is more than 1 ACE since hyperlinking is not compulsory, Ill say no more,

Its quicker to select all editions link and find your ACE than click on each hyperlink in the description for multiple ACE's.

The default description is flawed but it is easy enough to fix if someone does set the default edition to the one with the ACE info in it

Paula wrote: "Its quicker to select all editions link and find your ACE than click on each hyperlink in the description for multiple ACE's."

Paula, if you read public domain works by authors like Jane Austen or Charles Dickens, you cannot find your ACE on the all editions page because there are several hundreds of editions. I know it isn't compulsory, but I appreciate it when librarians take the extra time to link them. Especially when they cross reference the existence of an ACE in the description of the edition with the ISBN.

Paula wrote: "I prefer the ACE description in the description field, there is too much other stuff in the edition field, but find the hyperlinking to other editions useless when there is more than 1 ACE since hyperlinking is not compulsory, Ill say no more,

Its quicker to select all editions link and find your ACE than click on each hyperlink in the description for multiple ACE's.

The default description is flawed but it is easy enough to fix if someone does set the default edition to the one with the ACE info in it"

I agree with this.

Please explain how it is easier to find an ACE here:

https://www.goodreads.com/work/editio...
https://www.goodreads.com/work/editio...
https://www.goodreads.com/work/editio...
https://www.goodreads.com/work/editio...
https://www.goodreads.com/work/editio...

Any of us could go to the combine page and find a note, but we're here to make things good and nice for the other 49 million members.

Lisa wrote: "doesn't putting it in the description field make it possible for all editions using the default description to be identified as ACEs should someone make that description the default? "

In all my years of librarianing I have never seen this happen. Has anyone? Seems like a bit of a non-problem.

Lobstergirl wrote: "In all my years of librarianing I have never seen this happen. Has anyone? Seems like a bit of a non-problem."

I actually saw this unicorn just the other day on an edition of Asimov's Forward the Foundation, but I was rushing out of the house, so it's still there. It really is very visible.

However, a crowded edition field with publisher imprint, edition number and ACE information on top might not be as good. A separate field for ACE info, or even displaying the librarian note on the "All Editions" page would be ideal really.

I personally always hyperlink from the ISBN/ASIN edition to the ACE(s), so someone searching by the identifiers can find theirs relatively easily (if it's on GR) -- even if it might take a few clicks.

I rarely hyperlink the other way though -- anyone on the ACE can just copy/paste the identifier into the search bar and land there. (Exception if there's an ASIN/ISBN conflict).

To add on to message #4 [>>#6], the following is a real example of ACE-related hyperlinking gone astray: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Please explain how it is easier to find an ACE here:

https://www.goodreads.com/work/editio...
https://www.goodreads.com/work/editio...
https://www.goodreads.com/w..."

These are good examples of what I had in mind. Books with editions that fill only one or two pages are really non-issues, but classics - particularly those in the public domain, are difficult.

Lobstergirl wrote: "In all my years of librarianing I have never seen this happen. Has anyone? Seems like a bit of a non-problem. "

I've seen this happen, and more often than just once or twice.