Choosing between different versions in "Add Books"

Hello, here is my 3rd Q re adding books:
When I am looking to add a title in the "Add Books" page, and I receive several results that match my book, how can I choose the one that has the most members/ is the most used? I can't find where that is listed in the "?" pull-down info page.

The "?" just gives you additional information from that particular source; it's not drawn from LT data.

Assuming that all the results match your edition, I'd choose the one that has the most accurate information. It doesn't really make any difference how many members have it; all the editions end up on the same Work page.

And if it doesn't end up in the main work, it can be combined.

You will usually get much better data if you use library sources than if you use Amazon. Try Overcat as your first source. Also, Amazon entries often leave out the ISBN, which makes combining more difficult.

Aaah, so nice to get advice from the wise ones! Thanks for those tips which I will put to use. Adding books can certainly get complicated. Glad to get answers, thanks.

When pulling from a data source, if you want to get closer to your copy, you can provide additional detail when using the "Add Books" search feature. (I think this is the same for Tiny Cat but apologies if it is different).

"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland", Doubleday

This will search for the title in quotes. The comma says to search for the next value in another field. In this case it may be the "publication" field. You can also do so with authors or artists. It depends on what is available on the data source you have selected.

On common titles there are often too many choices and not always as much detail as would let you make a choice. This is an issue for the iOS/Android app add books feature as well.

James

>5 Keeline: yes , thanks James- I have been trying to make the search as precise as possible, certainly it helps. but I agree, there is a lot of trial and error in selecting the best match.

As you may have noticed, if you are viewing an entry and click on the green "add to my library" button, it does a title search against your selected data source. This is itself does not help your situation.

It is possible to install a plugin (TamperMonkey on Chrome) and a script in that ("LT Copy Book"). When this is done, clicking on the green button on a book detail page will cause many of the fields to be copied into a blank manual add book form. I grant that this is not for everyone but it is a way to get a copy of a record you found on LT into your catalog for editing. For details, visit the "Hacking LibraryThing" group.

James

>7 Keeline: ah thank you, keeline! that is a new horizon for me, something for the future

>3 MarthaJeanne: How do I find Overcat as a resource. I went to the "Search Where? list on the Add Books page and Overcat was not listed.

If I click on 'Add from 4,967 sources' at the bottom of the Add Books page, I get a pop up. The top section is 'Most Popular', and Overcat is right there. 'Search elsewhere' at the top of the page brings up the same pop up.

'Search where' is the list of sources you have already chosen, so if you haven't listed it, it won't be there.