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The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution
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Policies & Practices > Pre-release vs. Released covers

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Craig | 9 comments Is there an policy regarding the use of pre-release covers? Specifically, when a cover is advertised but it ends up not being the cover that the book ends up being published with.

According to the Librarian manual, "changing the cover of an existing edition is a violation of Goodreads policy". But which cover is the starting point?

Case in point, this book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

This was the originally circulated cover:
https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1396885...

This was the cover I shelved:
https://d1ldy8a769gy68.cloudfront.net...

Looking at my shelved copy today, I now see an updated current cover.

Can I create an alternate cover edition with the cover I had shelved? Or since that cover was not actually "published", does that violate another policy of creating/shelving an edition is that is not an existing book?


message 2: by Monique (new)

Monique (kadiya) | 1097 comments The cover on the edition you shelved should not have been changed. It looks like an automatic import updated the cover on several editions. Could you please link to the edition on your shelves?


message 4: by Monique (new)

Monique (kadiya) | 1097 comments I've reverted the change. It will probably take a while for the change to be seen though.


Craig | 9 comments Thanks!


message 6: by J. Darien (new)

J. Darien (volus) | 56 comments I would lean towards saying that a placeholder cover image that was changed prior to publication would not qualify as an edition for GR purposes, but my opinion is hardly an official stance.


message 7: by Monique (new)

Monique (kadiya) | 1097 comments It depends. A cover released with an ARC does count as a cover for Goodreads purposes. It is clear that ARCs are out there (The book has been rated and reviewed by someone other than the author.).

I didn't pay enough attention though to the release date, so what I did may in fact have been the wrong move. I'll investigate further.


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