Goodreads Librarians Group discussion

My post in Book Cover Help has been ignored. I've followed all the guidance and think I've been reasonably patient, making sure I only bump once a week as advised, but it's been 2 months now.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I really appreciate that Librarians are volunteers. It's difficult to watch other people's requests get responses with a day, though, while mine is passed over. It's starting to feel personal, but I can't imagine why it would be.

I don't know what to do. I can't message anyone about it directly becuase you have to be Friends first. I hope it's okay to post here as it's the only thing I can think of trying now. I would appreciate any help or suggestions.

If you have changed the cover and the book has no ISBN or ASIN you can add a new edition.
We don't change covers. See 'delete photo' at https://help.goodreads.com/s/article/...

Martin wrote: "If you have changed the cover and the book has no ISBN or ASIN you can add a new edition.
We don't change covers. See 'delete photo' at https://help.goodreads.com/s/article/......"

Thanks for the reply. I understand that, "This is because we don't want to delete an image that a member might have on the book they purchased."

However, the book in question is only available to read for free on open publishing sites such as Wattpad, so there are no ISBNs or previous editions to speak of or any print or digital copies in circulation that people have purchased.

In addition, my current GR cover was just a placeholder image until I was able to purchase artwork.

A placeholder would be an image used prior to the book being available to purchase/read.
As your book has been available since June 2020 and you only replaced the image three years later I can't see the earlier image as a placeholder.

Martin wrote: "A placeholder would be an image used prior to the book being available to purchase/read.
As your book has been available since June 2020 and you only replaced the image three years later I can't s..."

I can see how that would apply for traditional publishing, but it's a little different with the online-only format, where the current version is always live. On Wattpad etc. you're required to have a cover image up while the book is in progress, even if only one chapter is available to read, so the goal posts move.

I posted my first chapter in June 2020 but didn't post the last until a year later. I didn't conduct a major edit until a year after that, and have edited the occasional missed typo here and there since then. I only purchased art for the cover when I was happy with the book. Granted, it's an unusual route to publishing, and I know it's often looked down on, but GR does approve of it.

Regardless, I think the point stands that with this format, there are no alternate editions that need to be accounted for to ensure purchasers don't have copies with different covers. The only copy is the live one available at the source, and it's free to read and not downloadable. I believe listing a new edition would not make sense in this particular instance and would only take up unnecessary GR server space.

I think the discussion here indicates why nobody responded to your post in the book cover folder.
Librarians have to follow the written rules on Goodreads or they can lose their privileges. The book rule on covers is not to delete existing images.
Authors have a different set of priorities and want librarians to replace old images. This is why authors no longer have the ability to delete/replace images.

I am pulling out of this one now as I don't know how else to answer your question.

Martin wrote: "I think the discussion here indicates why nobody responded to your post in the book cover folder.
Librarians have to follow the written rules on Goodreads or they can lose their privileges. The boo..."

I accept that it's a tricky one given the current policy not being specific to the situation. If I have to make a new edition, I'm okay with that. It just doesn't seem like the appropriate option here.

I'll mark my other post as closed now that I have had a response, but what happens now? Will you pass my request on to a Superlibrarian or GR for clarification etc?

Add a new edition and you can select that one as the default edition so the new cover shows on your author page and in searches.

Other librarians, including superlibrarians, can see the discussion here and make comment as they see fit.
If you feel there is reason to contact GR about their policy you can do so.