Goodreads Librarians Group discussion

Is "Online Fiction" allowed in the edition field under any circumstances?

No. Online fiction should be listed with format ebook, and usually with no edition.

A link to the actual ebook is usually ok for the URL field. However, external links are not allowed in the description field.

Remember that in-process works should not be added, only completed fics. And such items should be hosted on somewhere other than Goodreads (AO3, author's site, etc.)

Also, "free" does not belong anywhere in the description, etc. Price information is not part of the Goodreads description, even when that price is zero.

Stories which are part of an ezine should not be posted individually.

rivka wrote: "Stories which are part of an ezine should not be posted individually."

Even if the story has it's own downloadable epub, mobi, pdf, etc?

rivka wrote: "Suz wrote: "rivka wrote: "Stories which are part of an ezine should not be posted individually."

Even if the story has it's own downloadable epub, mobi, pdf, etc?"

Correct."

rivka wrote: "No. Online fiction should be listed with format ebook, and usually with no edition."

Followup Question(s): So select "option" then type in "Online ebook"? And would this apply to any completed author online stories when there is no downloadable format (ie mobi, epub, pdf, etc) available?

rivka wrote: "A link to the actual ebook is usually ok for the URL field. However, external links are not allowed in the description field."

Got it, no external links in description fields!

rivka wrote: "Remember that in-process works should not be added, only completed fics. And such items should be hosted on somewhere other than Goodreads (AO3, author's site, etc.)"

Followup Question(s): If an in-process work was accidently added, should it be deleted and can a non-superlibrarian remove it?

Followup Question(s): So with the M/M Romance Group writing events that are hosted on Goodreads, should there not be links in "official url" field that take you to the posted stories? I know the more recent events have links that take you to the page where you can download the individual books, those are okay, right? What about the older events? Should the links that take you to the story topic be removed from the "official url" field and placed in the description field since they are internal links? Or are they not considered internal links?

rivka wrote: "Also, "free" does not belong anywhere in the description, etc. Price information is not part of the Goodreads description, even when that price is zero."

Thanks for further confirmation on the "free" issue! I knew it didn't go in the "format" or "edition" fields but I was confused about the "description" field.

Thanks ever so much for your help. I really want to do things correctly and not make work for other librarians.

One more thing. Is a link to ARe allowed in the "official url" field? To me, it doesn't seem to meet the link rules in the GR Lib Man yet I see it all the time.

Suz wrote: "rivka wrote: "Stories which are part of an ezine should not be posted individually."

Even if the story has it's own downloadable epub, mobi, pdf, etc?"

Correct.

Suz wrote: "So select "option" then type in "Online ebook"?"

No. "ebook" from the dropdwon.


Suz wrote: "And would this apply to any completed author online stories when there is no downloadable format (ie mobi, epub, pdf, etc) available?"

Yes.

Suz wrote: "If an in-process work was accidentally added, should it be deleted and can a non-superlibrarian remove it?"

Yes, it should be. If 5 or more users have shelved it, a super would be required.

Any story hosted entirely/only on Goodreads (in a group, etc.) is not a book by Goodreads policy. If you have questions about a specific one (especially any with large numbers of shelvings, ratings, etc.), I suggest using the Contact Us link on the Help page.

Suz wrote: "One more thing. Is a link to ARe allowed in the "official url" field?"

I am not familiar with that site.

rivka wrote: "Suz wrote: "One more thing. Is a link to ARe allowed in the "official url" field?"

I am not familiar with that site."

Sorry, All Romance Books.

Mostly, ARE has excerpts from the ebooks, which as far as I know does meet the criteria.

rivka wrote: "Suz wrote: "rivka wrote: "Stories which are part of an ezine should not be posted individually."

Even if the story has it's own downloadable epub, mobi, pdf, etc?"

Correct."

Q1: Should I remove the Changeling Encounter ones I've added?

Q2: What should be done about the ones that have been added because there is a Smashwords edition or the ones that have been added because they've shown up on All Romance Books? Example links:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7...
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/...
http://www.allromanceebooks.com/produ...

Sandra wrote: "Mostly, ARE has excerpts from the ebooks, which as far as I know does meet the criteria."

No, excerpts would only be ok if the link were on the author's site or publisher's site.

Suz wrote: "Should I remove the Changeling Encounter ones I've added?"

Yes, please. May need a super to help.


Suz wrote: "What should be done about the ones that have been added because there is a Smashwords edition or the ones that have been added because they've shown up on All Romance Books?"

A Smashwords edition is a separate publication, and does count as a book. All Romance Books would not be.