Ebooks and podcast versions of published books, best practices?

Hi all,

I have ebook- and podcast-versions of regular books, namely the works of Cory Doctorow and a couple of Tor books currently being released for free (see http://www.tor.com/ for Crystal Rain as of 2008-Mar-28). How do I catalogue them?

== The "Amazon method" ==

Now I know that an ISBN refers to a specific edition of what we Thingamabrarians call a work. So, I'd be technically incorrect to look up the book (say Crystal Rain) on Amazon, add it and simply tag it "ebook".

== Manual entry for non-print formats ==

So, is the solution simply to add it manually? Is there any way I can make the ebook-specific publication data available for other users? Is there any way to see precisely how others have catalogued ebooks?

(I ran into the last problem when I added 37signals' ebook Getting Real.)

== One work over multiple podcast episodes ==

CD has read out a number of his works over a number of podcast episodes (see Overclocked if you like being introduced to authors by their short stories). Any suggestions on cataloguing these? (IMHO the podcast collection is an alternate edition of the same work.)

== Dork ==

Or am I being a dork and should I just do the Amazon route suggested above? *I'll* know the that the tag overrules any extra Amazon data.

== Groups ==

I am about to embark on a search for LT groups who catalog non-print formats, but in case I don't find them, please feel free to point to them!

== Update ==

I have X-posted queries to these groups, including two I didn't previously know existed:

AltPublishing: http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.php?topic=33150

Audiobooks: http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.php?topic=33149

Combiners!: http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.php?topic=33148

Ebook: http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.php?topic=4448 (read this for some thoughts on tagging ebooks)

Looking forward to any more thoughts or pointed questions :)

d@vid

Fortunately, most major publishers issue separate ISBNs for their ebooks, either one per format (Random House), or one for all ebooks (Simon and Schuster). I'll use the print edition for importing, but then edit the data, including ISBN, to fit.

Unfortunately, there are exceptions: Baen, most RPG publishers, Tor's giveaways… Generally, though, I'll keep the ISBN even if it's the one for the print edition. As far as I'm concerned, it's the same as any other misreused ISBN: it shouldn't have been done, but it's the only identifier I have for the book.

This is a very good question. I think it will continue to become more of an issue (not just for LT) until a standard industry solution is reached.

In the meantime, I use the Amazon method you mention, and just tag the book 'Kindle'. It's not right, I know, but I'm not aware of a better method.