Goodreads Librarians Group discussion

Is there a policy about profanity in the librarian note and/or the change comment? This is the second time I have seen this from this author. I flagged the change with the associated profanity in the change comments, but it cannot be done for the librarian note.

That just looks like the author being a jerk.

I know I could just delete the comment but that doesn't address the situation.

You should flag what you can and can also email support.

You should also remove the link to the author in your post GR does not like individuals being linked to in public forums

Link removed and yes, thanks I will email support.

The author doesn't seem to be able to read the title of her own book and obscenity must be banned on a site with so many youngsters and indeed whole schools being menbers.

Be interesting to see if much happens to her.

Agreed, just afraid to be disappointed again by GR if they side with the author over their own policies.

Staff have added a librarians note to one of the books. The incorrect title is now protected. Obviously flagging didn't work...

Nothing on the other book yet so we librarians are still being called 'assholes'. Nice.

Yes I mentioned that siding with the authors when they go again the polices that librarians follow under cuts us. They mentioned "While profanity in itself doesn’t violate our rules, comments of this nature are not allowed in the description field or in librarian notes." Not too how something is not allowed but still doesn’t violate their rules.

They also mentioned "We're in the process of following up with this author to clarify our policies" but you can imagine the author's reaction to that email.

Lisa wrote: " They mentioned "While profanity in itself doesn’t violate our rules, comments of this nature are not allowed in the description field or in librarian notes." Not too how something is not allowed but still doesn’t violate their rules."

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/3309...

Lisa wrote: "Yes I mentioned that siding with the authors when they go again the polices that librarians follow under cuts us. They mentioned "While profanity in itself doesn’t violate our rules, comments of t..."

i'm guessing profanity is allowed in a general sense, but if its abusive towards other members, like this case, then its against TOS

Banjomike wrote: "The author doesn't seem to be able to read the title of her own book and obscenity must be banned on a site with so many youngsters and indeed whole schools being menbers.

Be interesting to see i..."

Profanity is fully allowed on Goodreads, but what you're saying the author stated sounds like flaming to me, which IS a vio and I'm glad to hear it's been flagged.

Erin (*is in a reviewing slump*) wrote: "Profanity is fully allowed on Goodreads, but what you're saying the author stated sounds like flaming to me, which IS a vio and I'm glad to hear it's been flagged. "

One of the instances of profanity was in the description of a book, "Hey librarians. Do not F*** with my title (...) Do not change it again.", visible to anyone who went to that book page and aimed at librarians who were trying to edit the title to match the title that was actually on the cover and not an imaginary version of it. Staff have clearly decided that the author was right to insist that the incorrect title be used and that profanity is OK in the pursuit of that end.

The other one I saw had a librarians note concerning the definition of new editions being the responsibility of publishers and not "you a**holes" ie librarians. Presumably someone who does not like ACEs.

If an author feels that strongly about something then they should contact support not dump their crap in the database.

I agree with you - the only thing appropriate in the description section is the actual description per policy anyway.

For profanity, though, you also can see profanity by scrolling down and seeing it in the reviews, questions, and listopia names, so I wouldn't think it'd be removed just for that.

But it's rude, unprofessional looking, and doesn't belong in that section, so not sure why staff wouldn't remove it.

Banjomike wrote: "Staff have added a librarians note to one of the books. The incorrect title is now protected. Obviously flagging didn't work..."

So now that their is a note by the GR staff saying not to update the title the author adjusts her title (which does not match the cover already) appending "- (A Dark Erotic Suspense)". Do I flag it again? That got me no where last time, but this is clearly more than a "minor" difference of the cover.

I would - (A Dark Erotic Suspense) is not standard in the title field

Lisa wrote: "So now that their is a note by the GR staff saying not to update the title the author adjusts her title (which does not match the cover already) appending "- (A Dark Erotic Suspense)". Do I flag it again? That got me no where last time, but this is clearly more than a "minor" difference of the cover. "

Absolutely. Staff notes apply to the author as well. Or not. I notice the cover has been changed to (almost) match the original 'wrong' title but as Paula says - (A Dark Erotic Suspense) is not standard in the title field.

Since there are reviewers who have clearly read the book I would think the new cover should be an ARC but let the staff do what they feel like.

Lisa wrote: "...So now that their is a note by the GR staff saying not to update the title the author adjusts her title (which does not match the cover already) appending "- (A Dark Erotic Suspense)". Do I flag it again?..."

FWIW, I saw & flagged that today (yesterday?). Also flagged author's earlier edit w/ profanity, noting that she went against own words. :/

Ok so here is the response from GR: "Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Changing the title to this extent does violate our librarian rules, and we're in the process of following up with the author."

Really? Why is this so difficult?!?!?!


Oh and now she updates it to (A Dark Suspense) from (A Dark Erotic Suspense).

The follow-up has been...interesting. Mais en fin, fini.

Yes, and amusing to watch, as it got a lot worse before it got better. Thankfully GR pulled through and followed up on every email I sent back with the author's additional attempts. And then what I thought would be the end of it wasn't because the author found an accomplice. It is a shame because in the author lost more than just their battle of the title of this one book.

So she isn't a Goodreads Author any more. I don't see that as a great win especially since the 'accomplice' has been flagged for the same issues in the past.

But, nice one support.

Maybe the accomplice should have her librarian access revoked?

Janet wrote: "Maybe the accomplice should have her librarian access revoked?"

That didn't happen.