I am an author & need help from a Library Thing administrator!

I am an author who has come back to Library Thing after many years of absence and am very confused! I have a novel coming out in a month, The Wife Who Wasn't, and your faulty system isn't allowing me to upload the book cover or import it from Amazon. Moreover, your system included the wrong ISBN and it didn't allow me to change it. This is ridiculous! This whole platform is supposed to help me, but it's literally boycotting my book. No wonder no one is using you any longer and everyone is on Goodreads!

Gee, I was all set to help you till your barrage of complaints grew so big. Let goodreads be goodreads. Some of us like it much better here.

Look at the bottom of every page. There is a link for Contact. That will allow you several ways to contact staff.

You mean this book?
http://www.librarything.com/work/26234668

I'm amused at the assumption that 'this whole platform is supposed to help me', when it's made pretty darn clear that LT is primarily for *readers*, not authors. Authors are welcome, sure, but this isn't a site for authors to promote and it's not specifically catered to them.
(unless something has drastically changed in the past year..)
(Also amused at the 'literally boycotting' phrasing, I'd think a published author wouldn't use such language so completely wrong.)

>1 Ifland: ISBNs aren't supplied by LT, so if there's a wrong one attached to the book it's coming from the source you used to add the book.

It looks like you added the book to your library using Amazon as a source, so if the ISBN imported is wrong you should address your complaints about it to them. You can of course change the ISBN for your copy of the book here on LT by clicking the "Edit your book" option on the left side of the work's page.

>1 Ifland: "No wonder no one is using you any longer and everyone is on Goodreads!"

Some of us left GRs for something better and found it here.

I am an author who has stuck around LT for nearly fifteen years, and I've been very happy with the site. I've seen significant improvements in the time I've used it, and on the rare occasions I've encountered genuine bugs, they have received prompt attention from the staff. Sometimes I've been confused about how to achieve a specific outcome in my own catalog or the site-wide data, and other users have been very helpful in getting me oriented.

>1 Ifland: What's ridiculous is your ridiculous post.

While LibraryThing's "faulty system" as you call it, is not perfect, it comes pretty damn close, and calling it "faulty" based on your inability to figure it out, when the vast majority of us 2.6 million+ "no ones" have figured it out just fine, is faulty logic on your part. What's amazing is that even after your insulting tantrum, users have nonetheless helped you with your new book.

Gee, I sure can't wait to read it now.

>1 Ifland:
Along with the other advice you've gotten, I also want to note that:

1) Unless you use the "manual entry" option, LT doesn't magically create the book information, but relies for its data on whatever source you have selected -- if the source is faulty or incomplete or the interface between the source and LT is imperfect, you will need to correct the information connected with your copy. If you want to enter a book that has not yet been published, manual entry is sometimes the best option, since library sources generally won't have catalogued it yet.

2) You don't have any control over incorrect information (misspelled titles, wrong isbns) that may have been entered by other people. LT creates "work" records by aggregating the information from all users who have entered a book -- regardless of how good that information is. There is no single, standardized form. (This is a fundamental way LT differs from Goodreads.) The "Common Knowledge" section can, however, be used to record basic facts about a book.

3) I suggest that rather than entering the description of your book as a review, you might use the section at the bottom of work pages for users to enter their own "book description".

>1 Ifland: If you go to the work page mentioned by >2 2wonderY: you'll find "change cover' in the left hand column. Click that and you'll find the option to upload your own, or to grab one from the net.

p.s.: I much prefer LT over GoodReads, but to each their own.

This author has been spamming in other places.

>11 MarthaJeanne: Yuck

>9 spiphany: Neither a review nor a member description should be copied from other online sources or the book jacket. Reviews can be flagged and member descriptions removed if they are copies of (part of) general publicity materials.

>10 Nicole_VanK: I tried and it didn't work.

>8 absurdeist: OK, my post is ridiculous. But I had tried what other people suggested and it hasn't worked. In fact, another book I added--a translation of mine--which had all the data correct--had its cover changed out of the blue from the regular cover to a blank cover. And I can't change it back. Also, I spent hours trying to change the cover of my novel--and it was during these hours of frustration that I posted this message. Maybe there was a malfunction of the system or maybe I am technologically inexperienced, whatever the case, I did my best and anyone in my place would have been frustrated. This is no reason to insult a new member who can't figure out what is wrong with a system.

>11 MarthaJeanne: Asking for advice is not spamming. And when someone is on the same thread with you and you talk as if they weren't there, it is lack of courtesy to talk as if they can't read. "This author" is here.

>2 2wonderY: Thank you. I had no idea there was a link for Contact. I was very frustrated because I spent several hours trying to figure out stuff, and I couldn't find any contact links.

>4 amanda4242: I did click Edit numerous times and when I tried to change the ISBN, the cursor literally refused to move. It didn't let me delete it either, it was strange. That's why I was so frustrated. I spent hours trying to figure it out.

>9 spiphany: Thank you. I will look for that--am not sure I understood (I have low tech skills), but will try.

>13 MarthaJeanne: I am not sure if you are referring to the review I posted about my book or something else. I don't really understand the terminology on this site, as i said, I am new. If this refers to the description I have of my book, those words are mine. Who would remove the member description and how would they know if they are part of general publicity material (I am trying to understand)?

>3 Heather19: By "This whole platform is supposed to help me" I meant that this platform was designed to help people upload their books, whether they are readers or authors (besides, I am a reader first of all, and an author, second). It hasn't help me upload my books. I tried for several hours and I ran into all kinds of issues.

Regarding my language as a published author, I am always happy when I can help someone feel superior about their use of language. As someone who writes in four languages (but has only published books in three), I am always aware of my limitations.

>15 Ifland: If your cover disappeared "out of the blue," you'll want to make sure you are using a non-Amazon cover and that you actually have a cover selected. The cover shown when you are on the add books page does NOT translate over to your record when created.

When you click on Change Cover, you can select from the options available. Or you can find the URL of the Amazon Cover you want, drop the URL in the waiting box and it scrapes that picture over to Librarything.

If Amazon has the wrong cover and you can't find one on the internet you want, you can take a photo of that cover and upload it or use the Librarything App to automatically attach the photo you take of the book.

>16 Ifland: I believe the spamming the poster is referring to is you dropping a "You should check out my book posts" in multiple threads. That's considered spam here and gets quickly flagged away. You should really check out this link:
https://www.librarything.com/about/authors -- to see how authors use Librarything effectively.

>5 Corinne2020: I used LT many years ago and then switched to GR simply because it was easier to use. I, actually, used to like LT better before, but now, coming back, it was quite a shock. I have no stake in GR, I just have a hard time figuring LT out.

>14 Ifland: >18 Ifland: It sounds like a glitch to me. The best place to report those is in "Bug Collectors" http://www.librarything.com/ngroups/897/Bug-Collectors since that group is actively watched by staff.

As for the wrong ISBN - LibraryThing recalculates all ISBN-13 to ISBN-10. Was that it maybe?

Anyway, your book is on your author page http://www.librarything.com/author/iflandalta And it does have both a user uploaded cover and an Amazon cover.

>23 Ifland: Oh, you may be right about the glitch, and yes, I am now almost sure that that was ISBN-10. Good point! Thank you!
(This message was for Nicole)

>25 Nicole_VanK: Yes, eventually I did manage to do it. But now I have another book whose cover I need to change.

>22 gilroy: OK, this is helpful. Now I understand why the cover changed. I'll see what I can do about that. I did find the Amazon cover and tried to put the URL in one of the boxes, and it didn't work, but maybe I did it wrong.

As for the spam, I did post messages in a group for women writers and/or about female characters--I am a woman and my novel is about a woman. A couple of people specifically asked for recommendations of novels that were in the same category. I thought it was appropriate, also given the fact that I listed the novel as a giveaway. I invited people to enter the giveaway. Btw, how does one announce a giveaway on this site?

>28 Ifland:

In the group Member Giveaways

>28 Ifland: All information regarding book give-aways on Librarything itself is listed in the link I gave you.

If you are holding an off site book give away, you can post in Hobnob With Authors, the Writers Rag and Grab Bag, or on your personal profile. That's it.

Here is the help page on changing covers: https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/HelpThing:Work/Covers. The box you want to paste the url in is the one below "or grab one from the web".

>30 gilroy: OK, thanks. I took a closer look at the link. I am starting to understand this platform better.

>20 Ifland: No matter who originally wrote it, if it is a shortened version of the description that is on Amazon, it is clear that it is part of the general publicity material. Anybody noticing that could remove the member description.

>16 Ifland: I did not say that this was spamming. I said that you were spamming in other threads. From the Terms of Service:
LibraryThing is not an advertising medium. Egregious commercial solicitation is forbidden.
No matter how great your novel, this does apply to authors. (See Tips and Guidelines for Authors.)

>16 Ifland:

In addition to what >33 MarthaJeanne: said, read the How Authors Can Use LibraryThing section, which states "Do not post messages in Talk advertising your book". https://www.librarything.com/about/authors

(I don't understand why you say "I am new". You've been a member since 2009!

>23 Ifland: Hello. I mostly added my comment to send some love to LT because your comments were pretty harsh :D but I do agree the learning curve is hard here. But, once you get going and especially if your goal is accurate cataloging, without begging volunteers and being held to their cataloging rules (title, cover, what is allowed etc...) this place is ideal.

Good luck finding the right fit.

>34 lilithcat: yes, I have been a member since 2009, but I stopped using this about 10 years ago--frankly, I don't remember when, but many years ago. So I forgot or things have changed.

>35 Corinne2020: Thank you.

>15 Ifland: All right, I hear you. You were having a very rough, pull-your-hair-out, frustrating go of it with the technology—I get that. I'm sorry for jumping down your throat so fast.

Good luck w/the new novel. An older work of yours, Death-in-a-Box, looks intriguing. Take care.

>13 MarthaJeanne: Is the user notified and given a chance to correct a "mistake" or does the review disappear without them knowing?

>39 Corinne2020: A flagged review is only hidden. A description that's removed -- no warning is given, because it's part of the Common Knowledge region and anyone can edit it.

>40 gilroy: Thanks. I understand that clearly now. :D

To amplify a bit on gilroy #40, there are two types of flags, red and blue. Red is for spam or plagiarism, and enough red flags will cause a review to be hidden by default. Blue flags, for "not a review", have basically no effect - if a user chooses to sort reviews by thumbs a blue flag will count as minus a thumb, but there's no effect when searching by date and the text remains fully visible under all sorts.

>42 lorax: ty! i appreciate the extra details.

>38 absurdeist: Thank you. (I am answering belatedly because I haven't checked this in a few days).