Editing Open Library | Open Library
Source: https://openlibrary.org/help/faq/editing
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:21
Editing Open Library | Open Library
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Last edited by
AgentSapphire
January 6, 2026 |
History
Edit
Editing Open Library
How do I add a book?
Which types of books can I add to Open Library?
Can I edit any page on Open Library?
How do I edit a book record?
Which language should I use when adding metadata?
What is the difference between a "work" and an "edition"?
How do I add series information to a work?
Which date should I use as the "publication date" and how should it be formatted?
How should I add derived works, collections, or other special cases?
How do I add an author?
How do I format a new author name? Why isn't it last name first?
What are author identifiers used for?
How can I add author identifiers so my reading stats are more accurate?
What if the author doesn’t have a Wikidata entry yet?
How long does it take for reading stats to reflect updates to author identifiers?
How do I add a picture to Open Library?
Can I see a list of all the stuff I've edited anywhere?
I found duplicate authors. Can they be merged?
I found duplicate edition or work records. Can they be merged?
I have found an edition that is associated with the wrong work. Can I correct this?
What does "History" mean in the context of Open Library?
How can I build a curated collection page?
What is a web book?
Troubleshooting
Back to main FAQ page
How do I add a book?
Click on the "Add A Book" link under the More menu of every Open Library page and follow the instructions. Add a little information or a lot; you can always come back and enhance the book record you've created later. There is a note in your editing history any time you edit something, which makes a handy reference for you to find any pages you've had a hand in either creating or revising.
Top
Which types of books can I add to Open Library?
The following are considered valid “books” in the context of Open Library. Each format should be considered a distinct edition.
Print formats:
Hardcovers
Trade Paperbacks
Mass Market Paperbacks
Spiral-Bound
Board Books
Pamphlets
Coloring Books
Workbooks
Bound Sheet Music
Theatre programs if containing significant editorial content or relevant photography. Programs composed only of ads should not be included.
Catalogs if containing significant editorial content. Catalogs containing product lists only should not be included. Catalogs with ISBN may be included.
Textbooks
Reference books
Boxed sets should be treated as omnibus edition if they have an ISBN specific to the set. Volumes should be added individually with their respective ISBNs. Volumes sold together without set-specific ISBN should only be added as individual volumes, not as a set.
Pictorials
Bound government reports
Comic books
Periodicals with ISBNs
Audiobooks:
Cassettes
CDs
Memory cards
Digital audio
Please do not add recordings of plays or radio broadcasts unless they include the full text of the written work.
Electronic formats:
Electronic resources regardless of device or media
The following should not be added to the Open Library database:
Wholesaler multipacks, dumpbins, prepacks, retail displays
Toys, games, cards
Video of any format (If accompaniment to a valid book, please include as comment in edition notes. Do not create a separate record.)
Audio recordings of theatrical, TV, or radio performances
Recorded music (If accompaniment to a valid book, please include as comment in edition notes. Do not create a separate record.)
Stationary, office supplies
Calendars, journals, blank books (unless significant editorial or visual content) - exception for scanned items that exist on archive.org. They can be good resources for visual design.
Loose pages
Video games
Brochures
Annual reports
Posters
Stand-alone software with the exception of ebooks (If accompaniment to a valid book, please include as comment in notes for that edition. Do not create a separate record.)
Textiles
individual articles
The presence of an ISBN does not indicate the item is a valid book.
Top
Can I edit any page on Open Library?
Yes, that's the idea. You're certainly welcome to edit any record you see (author, edition, book), and we encourage you to! There, however, are some pages that we prefer to restrict editing on, such as the site's home page or someone else's profile page. The basic rule is, if you see an edit button on a page, you can edit it!
Top
How do I edit a book record?
Simply head for the page you'd like to edit and click on the "Edit" button on the right-hand corner of every book page. There you'll see a way to add specific information about a particular edition of that book (publisher info, pagination,
identifiers
from other systems).
It looks like you're offline.
Donate
♥
English (en)
العربية (ar)
Čeština (cs)
Deutsch (de)
English (en)
Español (es)
Français (fr)
हिंदी (hi)
Hrvatski (hr)
Italiano (it)
Português (pt)
Română (ro)
Sardu (sc)
తెలుగు (te)
Українська (uk)
中文 (zh)
Last edited by
AgentSapphire
January 6, 2026 |
History
Edit
Editing Open Library
How do I add a book?
Which types of books can I add to Open Library?
Can I edit any page on Open Library?
How do I edit a book record?
Which language should I use when adding metadata?
What is the difference between a "work" and an "edition"?
How do I add series information to a work?
Which date should I use as the "publication date" and how should it be formatted?
How should I add derived works, collections, or other special cases?
How do I add an author?
How do I format a new author name? Why isn't it last name first?
What are author identifiers used for?
How can I add author identifiers so my reading stats are more accurate?
What if the author doesn’t have a Wikidata entry yet?
How long does it take for reading stats to reflect updates to author identifiers?
How do I add a picture to Open Library?
Can I see a list of all the stuff I've edited anywhere?
I found duplicate authors. Can they be merged?
I found duplicate edition or work records. Can they be merged?
I have found an edition that is associated with the wrong work. Can I correct this?
What does "History" mean in the context of Open Library?
How can I build a curated collection page?
What is a web book?
Troubleshooting
Back to main FAQ page
How do I add a book?
Click on the "Add A Book" link under the More menu of every Open Library page and follow the instructions. Add a little information or a lot; you can always come back and enhance the book record you've created later. There is a note in your editing history any time you edit something, which makes a handy reference for you to find any pages you've had a hand in either creating or revising.
Top
Which types of books can I add to Open Library?
The following are considered valid “books” in the context of Open Library. Each format should be considered a distinct edition.
Print formats:
Hardcovers
Trade Paperbacks
Mass Market Paperbacks
Spiral-Bound
Board Books
Pamphlets
Coloring Books
Workbooks
Bound Sheet Music
Theatre programs if containing significant editorial content or relevant photography. Programs composed only of ads should not be included.
Catalogs if containing significant editorial content. Catalogs containing product lists only should not be included. Catalogs with ISBN may be included.
Textbooks
Reference books
Boxed sets should be treated as omnibus edition if they have an ISBN specific to the set. Volumes should be added individually with their respective ISBNs. Volumes sold together without set-specific ISBN should only be added as individual volumes, not as a set.
Pictorials
Bound government reports
Comic books
Periodicals with ISBNs
Audiobooks:
Cassettes
CDs
Memory cards
Digital audio
Please do not add recordings of plays or radio broadcasts unless they include the full text of the written work.
Electronic formats:
Electronic resources regardless of device or media
The following should not be added to the Open Library database:
Wholesaler multipacks, dumpbins, prepacks, retail displays
Toys, games, cards
Video of any format (If accompaniment to a valid book, please include as comment in edition notes. Do not create a separate record.)
Audio recordings of theatrical, TV, or radio performances
Recorded music (If accompaniment to a valid book, please include as comment in edition notes. Do not create a separate record.)
Stationary, office supplies
Calendars, journals, blank books (unless significant editorial or visual content) - exception for scanned items that exist on archive.org. They can be good resources for visual design.
Loose pages
Video games
Brochures
Annual reports
Posters
Stand-alone software with the exception of ebooks (If accompaniment to a valid book, please include as comment in notes for that edition. Do not create a separate record.)
Textiles
individual articles
The presence of an ISBN does not indicate the item is a valid book.
Top
Can I edit any page on Open Library?
Yes, that's the idea. You're certainly welcome to edit any record you see (author, edition, book), and we encourage you to! There, however, are some pages that we prefer to restrict editing on, such as the site's home page or someone else's profile page. The basic rule is, if you see an edit button on a page, you can edit it!
Top
How do I edit a book record?
Simply head for the page you'd like to edit and click on the "Edit" button on the right-hand corner of every book page. There you'll see a way to add specific information about a particular edition of that book (publisher info, pagination,
identifiers
from other systems).