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Topic: Help finding picture of book covers to update bookshelf

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mom2mitchellshayna avatar
Subject: Help finding picture of book covers to update bookshelf
Date Posted: 10/5/2007 8:41 PM ET
Member Since: 5/3/2007
Posts: 945
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Does anyone have any suggestions for finding these images?  I have tried using google images for the ISBN and the book title, but often I find the book with no image.

Any suggestions?

Lisa

Generic Profile avatar
Date Posted: 10/5/2007 8:47 PM ET
Member Since: 10/3/2006
Posts: 638
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I've used Amazon, Half.com, and http://www.alibirs.com/

royaltech avatar
Member of the Month medalBook Cover Image Approver medalBook Data Coordinator medalFriend of PBS-Gold medal
Date Posted: 10/5/2007 9:07 PM ET
Member Since: 11/14/2005
Posts: 6,421
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There is no full-proof easy, way to find images, other than scanning them and that often isn't easy and usually takes some practice before you learn to get it right.

In the 3rd & 4th posts of the topic below, there is a list of sites that are good for having images and descriptions for books in the 3rd, and some more in the 4th. They are good likely sources depending on the books as to which sites are better:

Want to help with Data & Images? Find help here

Betz68 avatar
Date Posted: 10/5/2007 10:07 PM ET
Member Since: 8/2/2006
Posts: 725
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Try searching google images with the name of the book and the author. I find a lot that way.

SouthernOracle avatar
Date Posted: 10/6/2007 8:26 PM ET
Member Since: 10/5/2007
Posts: 7
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If the book is on your shelf, how about taking a digital pic of the cover and using editing software for sizing, etc.?

aerikaj avatar
Date Posted: 10/6/2007 9:21 PM ET
Member Since: 2/17/2006
Posts: 469
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I know how you feel. I just posted a few books and needed two book pics. One I was able to find on Amazon, the other I had to scan myself.

royaltech avatar
Member of the Month medalBook Cover Image Approver medalBook Data Coordinator medalFriend of PBS-Gold medal
Date Posted: 10/6/2007 9:55 PM ET
Member Since: 11/14/2005
Posts: 6,421
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Jennifer, taking photos of book covers is a very tricky and usually difficult thing for someone to do that is not experienced it shooting objects. The cover usually ends up distorted or with a big glare on it, neither of which will be accepted to be uploaded. Scanning covers does however work very well, and does not require much knowledge of your software other than learning how to straighten the image, and crop the image, most of the time. You will need to know  a little about sizing it, but that's picked up fairly easily.

Sianeka avatar
Sianeka - ,
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Date Posted: 10/7/2007 2:22 AM ET
Member Since: 2/8/2007
Posts: 6,630
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Does anyone know when we will be able to post book cover images again?  I usually submit lots of missing images, but I got a PM from someone on the site who told me that there was some sort of publicity, a Yahoo article or something, and that they are now swamped and running behind on uploading the images.  They asked I not submit any more until something is posted in the Forums....

...but I don't know which Forum topic area where this will be posted.  And I don't have an ETA as to when to start looking for the ok to post images again.

aerikaj avatar
Date Posted: 10/7/2007 10:44 AM ET
Member Since: 2/17/2006
Posts: 469
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Oops. I didn't know that when I uploaded the two covers yesterday. I wonder if I'll have to do them again later.

royaltech avatar
Member of the Month medalBook Cover Image Approver medalBook Data Coordinator medalFriend of PBS-Gold medal
Date Posted: 10/7/2007 2:33 PM ET
Member Since: 11/14/2005
Posts: 6,421
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We assume Robert will let us know when the issue with the server is fixed, I believe they are changing some things to handle the increased load we have gotten due to the increased publicity. We have gotten some really good highlights in the past couple weeks. CNN News, Yahoo, a major syndicated Money column that has hit a LOT of major newspapers,

We are getting slammed with new members and new books. Consequently they had to do some fast fixing with the servers. The problem with the images is a side product of this issue. I would imagine we image approvers will get first notice and we will try to post to as many topics where it has been questioned as we can.

Please just hold on to your images for now.We did a test with four images last night, uploaded & approved them, but they did not appear, so we have decided to ask everybody to just wait until we get word that they feel comportable with the changes they are making.

Again, I remind people when you upload images try to keep your copies. Burn them off onto a CD for the possible accidental wiping of the server, and the need to upload those images again. CDs are great for such things. Especially a couple rewritables!

Thanks, everybody, and we will let you know as soon as we know anything!  Sherry, for the rest of the Image Correction Team

Patouie avatar
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Date Posted: 10/7/2007 7:24 PM ET
Member Since: 8/26/2006
Posts: 9,542
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Sherry is our guru on image posting.  If we keep watching for her posts -- and she's really good about posting all over the place -- we'll all know when to start submitting images again.

 

I am still scanning cover pics (or finding them on-line) and labelling them, keeping them in a folder in my pictures file until I can send them in, so I'm still able to lift my sword against the blue "no cover" demon, even during this hiatus.

fibrogal avatar
Date Posted: 10/7/2007 9:19 PM ET
Member Since: 2/12/2007
Posts: 831
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Sherry, one thing that I have done as a hedge against images I scan getting lost--I upload them onto Amazon, too.  Not only are the images saved, but if they get lost, I might not have to upload them again myself!

royaltech avatar
Member of the Month medalBook Cover Image Approver medalBook Data Coordinator medalFriend of PBS-Gold medal
Date Posted: 10/7/2007 10:02 PM ET
Member Since: 11/14/2005
Posts: 6,421
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Be careful of them, Linda, I had someone recently complain that they resized hers after she uploaded them to her books. She was NOT happy :)