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Hello, 

I am new to this site and cannot figure out how to browse through a book I placed on my bookshelf.  Can someone please help me in explaining how to do this?  Thanks!

Hi kitkatzmom,

It looks like the book you added to your shelf is not indexed yet, which is why you cannot browse it on EYB. You can browse through the recipes of any of the 5800+ books we do have indexed by clicking on a book title and paging though the listing of recipes. Keep in mind we do not have full recipes (amounts & instructions) here on EYB, but the title, ingredients, and categories can be viewed for the recipes in indexed books.

Also, any recipe from an indexed book where we have found a legitmate reproduction of it elsewhere online, we link to the full version. So you can view the full recipe by clicking "recipe online". Any recipe with an online like can be individually added to your EYB Bookshelf regardless of whether or not you own the book, by clicking the blue "+Bookshelf" button. I recommend taking a look at the index for Yotam Ottolenghi's Jerusalem as an example.

Thanks for the reply Christine!

OK, so I DO own this cookbook, but it is packed away and in storage at the moment.  I had HOPED I could gain access to it thru this site, but you are saying that is NOT a function this site provides.  Is this correct?

and if I ask for it to be indexed, is that something that this site does upon request?  & if so, how long does that process take?

thanks again for the info!

Trisha

Indexing takes a priority approach: new books, books owned by many members.. and it can take some time for a book or magazine to go from "indexing now" to "indexed" . EYB presently has around 686 books being indexed as I write this.. many of these may be being done by members indexing their own books, which is an option if the book you'd like indexed doesn't cut the EYB criteria for priority.  But even when indexed, you would still need to refer to your copy of the book for the full ingredient list and recipe instructions, unless the recipe is also linked as an on line recipe...The site is an excellent "adjunct" to your personal bookshelf (or packing box), NOT a replacement for it.

I have done a little research & see that The Los Angeles Times California Cookbook (which is the cookbook we've been specifically referring to in this thread) is actually available online (altho I am not sure if it is the ENTIRE cookbook or just a "sampling" of recipes from it - I haven't been able to peruse it thoroughly yet)

In WHICH CASE, would this site automatically link to that online resource?  or are there special steps to be taken to get there?

Forgive me all these questions, but as I said, Im new to your site and a LITTLE computer-challenged, in that I do not know how all this stuff works, in general or what would be impossible or just merely difficult to do (or EZ, for that matter! lol)

Thanks again,

Trisha

Took me ages to work the site out too when I joined from Oz years ago..!!  If/when EYB decide to add it to their index list, then online recipes are searched for and added. Or if you offer to index it yourself, then you can also add any online recipes that identify the  book as the source.. And no, its not an automatic thing: some poor soul has the job of searching online for each book that is indexed. But the LA Times web site is a good place for you to go whilst you're waiting to unpack those boxes!

thanks for your insights, debkellie!  & yeah, Im in something of a transition phase so I don't know how long I will be "parted" from my belongings  :'(   but it will be like CHRISTMAS when I DO get to have them near again.

I just saw this site & thot it would allow me to at least use THAT cookcook in the interim... but it looks like I can ANYway, thanks to the LA Times!  :)  Altho I am still rather old-fashioned & still enjoy thumbing through ACTUAL pages of books!  :)

Thanks for your time - hope you are enjoying your eve  :)

Trisha

One more thing to keep in mind -- in terms of priority, our indexing chart depends on two factors -- the number of members who own a book, PLUS the number of index requests it receives. So any book you add to your EYB Bookshelf, you should also click on "request index." You will then see two options "Request Eat Your Books to Index this book" or "I would like to Index this book myself." As debkellie said, the indexing process takes time and is done manually, but adding a book and requesting it be indexed does help move it up in priority.

If/when this LA Times book gets indexed, it does look like a lot of the recipes will be available online which is great. Our pro-indexers add links to some books and the rest I do. It's actually quite interesting -- almost a bit like detective work sometimes trying to find where the legitimate recipe reproductions are located!

And I do agree with you Trisha that it is so enjoyable to page through physical cookbooks. EYB doesn't replace our cookbooks, but rather is a tool to help get more use out of them. My favorite way to use this site is to help me find recipes in my cookbooks when I have specific ingredients to use up -- I need a recipe for later in the day before something or other goes bad and I don't have time to page through 300+ books to find one. EYB also saves me from making my same old go-to recipes over and over again -- I try so many more new recipes now that I can search my collection more effectively.