Goodreads Librarians Group discussion

It seems like a judgment call to me. I can certainly see how someone could perceive Laura Ashley to be consistent with cottage interior design; and, Listopias are meant to solicit votes from the entire community rather than just be a private list. The best way to keep voters in line and on topic is to give a thorough, clear description of what books you want to be on the list.

My sense of the warnings that accompany deletions is that they're meant more to prevent people from deleting things like, say, "Twilight," from a best books list. Some people will love Twilight, others will loathe it, and emotions sometimes run high in the comments sections of lists like that. Your list probably wouldn't provoke the same degree of passions, so I wouldn't be quite as worried about the consequences of deletions. (This is just my take, of course.)

You are probably best qualified to know if that particular book is cottage design; if it is absolutely not, I think it was fine to delete it. Another option is to post a comment below the list asking if a particular book is appropriate.

One would hope that someone (whoever would take it upon themselves to delete your account for editing a list you created) would mention it to you before unilaterally taking you down (so to speak). I can't imagine it to be any other way.

In fact, who is empowered to do so, besides the PTB at GR?