[OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] ***SPAM*** Importing from ISBN

[Janet Schrader]

ISBNs are definitely not unique. Years ago I had an example of one ISBN that brought up nearly 60 different titles in OCLC. These were all some publisher's adaptations of classics such as Anne of Green Gables and Moby Dick. I used to joke that publishers had to buy ISBNs and this publisher bought ONE!

Using ISBNs as barcodes is also a bad idea if you have two copies of the same book. It works for bookstore inventories but not so well for libraries.


Janet

Janet Schrader
C/W MARS Inc.
Supervisor of Bibliiographic Services
67 Millbrook Street, Suite 201
Worcester, MA 01606
tel: 508-755-3323 ext. 25
fax: 508-757-7801
jschrader at cwmars.org



-----Original Message-----
From: open-ils-general-bounces at list.georgialibraries.org [mailto:open-ils-general-bounces at list.georgialibraries.org] On Behalf Of Aaron Zsembery
Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2012 1:35 PM
To: Evergreen Discussion Group
Subject: Re: [OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] ***SPAM*** Importing from ISBN

On Tuesday, October 16, 2012 at 1:18:10 PM "Cassondra Vick" <Cassondra.Vick at kentonlibrary.org> wrote:
> According to my research, ISBNs are unique.
> http://www.isbn.org/standards/home/isbn/us/major.asp
In an ideal world, yes. In the real world? It happens, see: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/975488-isbn-duplication www.amazonsellercommunity.com/forums/message.jspa?messageID=2531583 and many others

Aaron Z
Jr. Systems Administrator

Pioneer Library System
2557 State Rt. 21
Canandaigua, New York  14424
Phone: (585) 394-8260