Sonny Software

Is there any way to get Bookends to automatically download book covers from Amazon?

Downloading PDFs of journal articles would also be great but I suspect a great deal more work.

Thanks, Mark

Hi, you can do both now.

In the Online Search window, select Amazon and check on Display Image in the lower right hand corner. If you import a reference, the image (if any) will be saved and made an attachment. If you already have the reference and just want the cover art, drag the image to the list view window and it will be downloaded and attached to the reference. Note that the size you indicate for the image (large, medium, and small) will be honored when downloading.

Downloading and attaching pdfs from PubMed is entirely automated now (although it doesn't work in all cases, depending on how the publisher deals with access to pdfs). Just use the Refs -> Get PDF option, or check the "download pdf" checkbox in the Online Search window before you import the reference from PubMed.

Jon
Sonny Software

This is really cool but not entirely what I am looking for.

I have many downloaded references that do not have cover art associated with them. I was looking for a way to tell Bookends to go through a list of books and automatically download and attach cover art to each book without my intervention.

The Pubmed thing is great. Can I do this with other databases (I don't use Pubmed)?

Thanks again for the very quick response, Mark

No, you would have to perform the search and drag and drop the cover art yourself.

Automated PDF downloading is limited to articles listed on PubMed.

Jon
Sonny Software

I can't really see the value of downloading and or displaying book or journal covers. I certainly don't want to see Bookends bloat into some monster like EndNote, increasingly adding all manner of less and less useful features.

Out of curiosity, why do you want to see book/journal covers in Bookends?

S

Svatopluk wrote:I can't really see the value of downloading and or displaying book or journal covers. I certainly don't want to see Bookends bloat into some monster like EndNote, increasingly adding all manner of less and less useful features.

Out of curiosity, why do you want to see book/journal covers in Bookends?

S

I like cover art to add some aesthetically pleasing eye candy to my database, but it has a practical function too. When I teach I make frequent mention to books. Having the cover art works well for showing the book on a projector, or being able to quickly add the jpg to my keynote slide.

I would like the automatic cover art as well, but Jon already knows that. The problem is that the best web search for books is LOC as it contains the most info on the book. So essentially to have the cover art, I'm having to do 2 searches when I enter a new book. Having an option in the Preferences that said, "find and attach cover art for all books and edited books from amazon" would take care of this. And for those uninterested, they would just leave the box unchecked.

mchapman, like you I'd love a PDF downloading capability for other disciplines. Unfortunately pudmed is the only one with its act together. The best hope for something like this is Google Scholar — but GS does not have an API system in place. Whenever a subject like this comes up, I always suggest that you email GS to make your request for an API known. That way Jon can tap into GS from Bookends.

I encourage BE users to make this request scholar-support ---at--- google.com

I agree with danzac.

I use book covers a lot in my teaching to show students which book I am talking about. In addition, I often remember the books in my library by what they look like. Having a visual reminder in BE would be very helpful.

I will email Google scholar and encourage a relevant API.

What I had in mind with downloadable PDFs was something just like medline. Perhaps some way of doing this with databases I can search from within BE. As per usual I have little idea of how much work this would involve.