User:Fixer/Public/Instructions

This page contains the Frequently Asked questions about submitting the ISBNs from the Fixer/Public page.

What is the process for submitting Fixer's ISBNs ?

• Check if the ISBN is within the scope of the ISFDB project -- see ISFDB:Policy#Contents/Project Scope Policy for details
• Check if the ISBN already exists in the ISFDB database:
  • If the ISBN exists and Fixer's data doesn't include additional information, you are done
  • If the ISBN exists and Fixer's data includes additional information, create an Edit Publication submission with the additional data.
  • If the ISBN doesn't exist:
    • If the ISFDB database contains another edition of the same book with the same title and the same author credit, create a Clone Publication submission
    • Otherwise create a New Publication submission
• Identify the publisher name and confirm it using Amazon's Look Inside and/or other sources
  • Search for the publisher name in the ISFDB database and adjust it for your record if needed
• Check the spelling of the author name and adjust accordingly
• Does the book belong to a publication series? If yes, add it to the record.
• Does the story/novel belong to a title series? If yes, add it to the record or (in the case of chapbooks, collections and anthologies) follow-up and add it to the story after approval.
• Is that the first publication of this specific book?
  • If it is, then use the date as shown in source
  • If it is not and we do not have the earlier edition, add that one first.
• Do we have another edition of this book?
  • If yes, do the dates of the title(s) need adjustment? If so, submit that before submitting the request for the book.
• Is this an e-book? Don't forget to add the ASIN to the record.
• Does Amazon/other sources show a cover artits? Add it if so.
• Is this a collection/chapbook/omnibus/anthology? Make sure that you add the content either when you submit (when we do not have it in the DB) or that you follow up on approval and import it.

Should I use AddPub, ClonePub or NewPub

• If we have at least one publication for that title already:
  • For novels - use AddPub or ClonePub. ClonePub is preferred if this new record uses the same cover or interiorart or excerpts at the end as one that we have.
  • For chapbooks, collections, omnibus and anthologies, always use ClonePub. If the original is empty, try to fill the content before cloning, wait for it to be approved and then clone.
  • For magazines, use AddPub or NewPub and remember to come back to import the content.

I have multiple publications for the same title in my list. Should I submit all of them at the same time?

It is best to submit one, wait for approval and then clone the record. Submit the one with the earliest publication date first.

My list has only 1 publication but I see 3 in Amazon that we do not have. Should I add them all?

This is up to you but if you decide to add them, see the previous question.

Should I add external identifiers (OCLC, LCCN, DNB and so on)

If you would like to, go ahead and do it.

I have other questions about Fixer-created records

You can ask questions on Fixer's Talk page. The robot maintainer will try to answer them.