Goodreads Librarians Group discussion

When adding/correcting the number of pages for a book, what is to be included? For example, in an edition of Nineteen Eighty-Four, there was first an introduction of 25 pages numbered in Roman numerals, then the actual story, and in the end an appendix which followed the same numbering as in the story.

Thus, you've got the following:
The introduction, starting on page i, ending on xxv.
The story, starting on page 1, ending on 342.
The appendix, starting on page 343, ending on 355.
(The specific edition I'm talking about is this one: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60...)

With this, would the appropriate numbering be 342, 355, 380 or 384 (which is the current value in the book's entry) pages?
Is there a guideline for when to include introductions, forewords, afterwords, appendices etc.?

Morten, the general consensus is that appendices should not count toward the page number, but introductions should -- but I can't find the discussion we had on this a couple months back, so hopefully some other librarian can remember this too!

Cait, I might be wrong but I thought that all pages that belong to a book, including appendices, are to be included when entering page numbers. What's not to be included are such things as preview chapters of upcoming books, etc. I cannot find the discussion either so hopefully I'm right because that's what I've done the times I've entered page numbers, and there haven't been many times the book has had appendices but those that have, I don't remember their titles so I'd have a hard time undoing any mistakes.

Lisa, I think you're remembering correctly, that's the criteria I've been using, as well.

Brooke, Whew! I hope that we're right.

Well, I haven't been adjusting page numbers at all lately, so I too hope you're right! :)

I thought that all pages that belong to a book, including appendices, are to be included when entering page numbers. What's not to be included are such things as preview chapters of upcoming books, etc.

Lisa, That's how I remember the discussion going. Skip preview chapters and ads for other books.

So would you actually adjust the page count for the introduction, if it was in roman numerals? I don't remember that being discussed before. My inclination would be "no".

So, for the original example, I'd say the page count is 355.

That's what I remember too. I like the page count of 355. Don't make me convert roman numerals and then add to the page count, please! :-)

So would you actually adjust the page count for the introduction, if it was in roman numerals? I don't remember that being discussed before. My inclination would be "no".

I agree. Renumbering the book pages strikes me as asking too much -- both of the reader and the librarian.

What about other additional items at the end of books? Specifically, I am wondering about things like author interviews, book club reading guides, etc. Do these count as appendices?

vicki, I count them. Hopefully, I'm right to do so.

Those all sound like appendices to me.