Book Request Section

subscraxme

This is about the Books request section.

Currently all Requests for books are in one single thread and the replies/updates are also in the same thread.  This creates some amount of ineffctiveness, as it is quite cumbersome to search within the thread

It is also not easy to list out which all book requests are still pending to be serviced as navigating b/w 75 odd pages of the big thread is not always convinient.

I feel the freehand method of posts is not the best way to address this section.

Suggestion:

I understand that there is some limitation/constraints which prevent a large number of open threads in the system.
Can we look at a system of each book request being in separate thread and which will get auto closed once somebody answers it/replies to it with the statement that the book has been uploaded ?


If this is not possible, can we look at a system wherein instead of creating separate posts for book requests, there is a form which accepts:
Book title ; Author ; Format ; Any comments; Status ;


We can also show the date of request and how many days it has been pending
We can optionally add other columns as and when it is required.


There should be a simple link or menu item in the title bar of the site which shows "Book Requests" which will show all pending book requests will go a long way in pruning the pending list and will also be hugely timesaving.


All these are just suggestions. The main objective being : how to make the pending book request list more manageable without it being one huge unwieldly thread from which it is difficult to glean out info about those which have been serviced /not serviced.

skywalker

A seperate section for book request .
New thread for each book / books series
This thread will be open for 15 days only.
If request is fulfilled before 15 days thread should be closed immediately.

Create a seperate thread for unfulfilled requests.
Move all such threads which are not fulfilled in 15 day's time to this unfulfilled requests thread.

A bit cumbersome for mod's but would be resulting into a clean book request zone.

Just loud thinking from me.... Would love to have mod's and other members on this topic.

Pedro_P

Hi... There are several observations that can be made at your suggestion, which, as such, is interesting, but presents some difficulties to implement it.
In principle, the suggested search methods, in particular the search through google (although with its limitations) allows the search within the threads, users can search within the thread of requests by writing in quotation marks the "title of the request thread "and the name of the author of the book they are looking for.
The threads that contain books in response to a request made by a user, in addition to the thank you, carry a message that indicates the year/ the request number/ the number of the response of the user who shared the book. In that way it is easier to recognize when a thread is shared as a result of a previous request and also to know who originated that request.
There are several problems with the creation of individual and separate request threads within the section, in principle the duplication of requests, the risk of increasing the number of duplicate threads is greater, this would also generate a reload of work to check that each thread If the application has been written correctly, it is easier to review those details within the request thread.
Users who request a book are instructed to first use the suggested search methods to search for the book they want, unfortunately many users post their requests regardless of that prior search.
For now it is not possible to make changes to the system, because that would mean changing the code itself and that is not something that can be done overnight, in addition the system has its own limitations that hinder the rapid implementation of some changes like the ones you suggested.
Certainly, trying to make the requests method better and more manageable for users is a good purpose, but the work and time of the Moderator must also be considered. Consolidating all requests in a single thread, facilitate the work of handling requests, avoiding the flooding the section with individual requests (duplicate and/or repetitive) and scattered and allows a better management of the section as a whole.
Ideally, all users should follow the rules and recommendations indicated at the beginning of the requests thread, fortunately the vast majority do take into account these indications.
Up to now, the method of consolidating all the requests in a single thread, has shown in practice, to have more advantages than disadvantages, both for the users and for the tasks of moderation of the section. Certainly, the disadvantages should not be ignored and rather try as much as possible to mitigate or eliminate them, however, if something, despite everything, works, it is best not to touch it.
Anyway, we will include some  additional indications that allow users a better and easy use of the request thread.

Thanks for sharing your ideas on this.