[https443]

Wow, I just realized Open Library covers like 80% of Goodreads as well: read/to-read lists, ratings, yearly reading goals. Seems like https://openlibrary.org itself would be a fine Goodreads alternative if you don't want to set up your own Bookwyrm instance.

[Semaphor]

What it sadly is missing is the data. My first try, I found 2 out of 3 books in a series missing, and the first book was missing data. It looks like ImportBot [0] adds them somehow, but it’s not clear how this is done and how it could be fixed as there’s no information on the user page. As much as I’d like an open solution, if I have to add every other book I read to the database first, that will make me stop using it quickly.

[0]: https://openlibrary.org/people/ImportBot

[mekarpeles]

Hi, can I ask what books were missing? The more examples we have, the more we can update our bots to make sure these books get either imported or fixed within our search engine.

I completely understand wanting to use a service that has the books you're looking for and would also completely understand if it's too much work to type up the examples. If you'd rather not do so publicly, happy to receive your email at <[e-mail]> and do what I can to help. Thank you!

[Semaphor]

Hey, sure: The Series is by Glynn Stewart, Scattered Stars: Evasion, Book 1 Evasion [0]

Here it already only has the printed version, not the main kindle version (his books are KDP, so sadly Amazon-exclusive). It’s also lacking the Series title (Scattered Stars: Evasion), only having the book title "Evasion".

Missing from the series are Discretion (Scattered Stars: Evasion Book 2) [1] and the new Absolution (Scattered Stars: Evasion Book 3) [2].

Looking through his other works, they all seem to only have the print version.

I’m also not sure if the ImportBot [3] is official, or just one huge contributor, but it could really do with some kind of information, including how something like this could be fixed, or if it can.

[0]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL26413643W/Evasion

[1]: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B57FV55Q

[2]: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C6YV8JDK

[3]: https://openlibrary.org/people/ImportBot

[rg111]

I have been using the Open Library app for almost a year now. I am very satisfied with it.

After GR removed the ability to add books manually by users and added stringent rules for them to be added to consideration by "librarians", I stopped using GR.

I read a lot of obscure books that often don't have ISBN or an webpage (!). I can't track them or add them! It was so unfair.

So, I moved to OpenLibrary and have been using it ever since.

[mekarpeles]

That's awesome. May I ask, for pre-ISBN books, do you typically look up books by title? What do you do with books when you find them? What is your primary use case / reason? Is it as a reference library (of things to read)? Keeping track of reading?

[rg111]

Yes, by title. And I often find out about them from friends, colleagues, and acquaintances. I also find out about a great deal of books from other books, either mentioned or cited/referred to.

I read some books cover to cover, and some are kept as references. Books are mainly on Math, Philosophy, and History. There are other topics, too.

I read in 4 languages and GR is very Anglo-centric. That's another issue.

I wanted to track my to-read and read for every book that I found.

I cannot do that with GR anymore.

(I am unsure to whether you are asking about my use case about the sites or the books. So I answered both.)

[mekarpeles]

very helpful, thank you. Good to learn international use case is working okay for you (I know we can improve). If you're not on our slack already, feel free to email me @ <[e-mail]> -- you're welcome to ask questions and weigh so we can continue to try to move in the right direction for you and others.