Universal import (from a TXT file) doesn't really import the correct ISBNs
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1Moloch
Hi,
probably this has been already reported and discussed, but some days ago I tried to use the Universal import feature http://www.librarything.com/import to speed up the adding of some 13 books to my library.
I wrote a simple TXT file with just the ISBN of each book (one per line) and uploaded it.
After several minutes, the books were added to my library... but all of them except one were different editions (different ISBNs) and not the ones I entered. I had to correct it all (ISBN, publication date, format) manually; all in all, I would have done faster searching and adding each book separately.
Is this a bug or this feature simply doesn't work properly?
I think my sources were
1. Amazon Italy
2. Italian National Library System
3. Overcat
but I'm not sure of nos. 2 and 3.
Thanks
probably this has been already reported and discussed, but some days ago I tried to use the Universal import feature http://www.librarything.com/import to speed up the adding of some 13 books to my library.
I wrote a simple TXT file with just the ISBN of each book (one per line) and uploaded it.
After several minutes, the books were added to my library... but all of them except one were different editions (different ISBNs) and not the ones I entered. I had to correct it all (ISBN, publication date, format) manually; all in all, I would have done faster searching and adding each book separately.
Is this a bug or this feature simply doesn't work properly?
I think my sources were
1. Amazon Italy
2. Italian National Library System
3. Overcat
but I'm not sure of nos. 2 and 3.
Thanks
2MarthaJeanne
LT imports the record the source sends back when searched. If the source has various ISBNs combined into a record, you end up with the first one.
If you want any checking done, you need to include details. The ISBN you entered, the details that came back, which source was actually used.
But the final answer is, LT is not responsible for what a source sends back when searched.
If you want any checking done, you need to include details. The ISBN you entered, the details that came back, which source was actually used.
But the final answer is, LT is not responsible for what a source sends back when searched.
3lorannen
As described in >2 MarthaJeanne: this is not a bug, just a feature working differently than you expected. LibraryThing uses copy-cataloging from our datasources to pull in records that match your ISBNs. I'm guessing the "wrong" ISBNs you saw in your library might have been ISBN-10s rather than 13s you entered? For books that have both, you should still end up with the same edition.
4Moloch
No, in my file there was a list of ISBN13s for the hardcover editions of the books, and the books I got added had different ISBN13s and they were all (minus one) the ebook editions instead of the hardcover.
I assumed that if you gave an ISBN to the import, you would have had THAT one (and not another) added to your library.
But that's ok, I already corrected the details manually, so if you say it isn't a bug to report, fine.
I'm guessing this feature is not much useful for me if it works this way then.
Thank you! :-)
I assumed that if you gave an ISBN to the import, you would have had THAT one (and not another) added to your library.
But that's ok, I already corrected the details manually, so if you say it isn't a bug to report, fine.
I'm guessing this feature is not much useful for me if it works this way then.
Thank you! :-)
