The book industry is converting its primary product identifier, the ISBN, from a 10-digit number to a 13-digit number.  Everything on the backend of our web site and warehouse management system is tied to this unique identifier.  So you can imagine we were not exited to hear the news that this change was coming.

Last Friday we converted our entire system over to the new 13-digit number.  I am happy to report the conversion process went well, with only a few minor glitches.  From our members perspective nothing has changed.  They can ever continue to search using the 10-digit ISBN number if they wish.

Before, as a member, when you would find a book you wished to rent and clicked on the “Add To List” button, it would add it to your list and take you to your “My List” page.  Now when you click on the “Add To List” button, it will add the book to your list without ever leaving the page.  The “Add To List” button will change to a “Added To List” button and that’s it.  You can add as many books from a given page as you want and you never leave the page.

In addition to this new functionality, if the book is already on your list, in an existing order, or you have previously rented or rated the book, the system will return a brief message.  Again, without ever leaving the page you’re on.