[Ads-l] Incorrect dates displayed in Internet Archive scans

[Grant Barrett]

 This related story may interest you:
https://www.dkriesel.com/en/blog/2013/0802_xerox-workcentres_are_switching_written_numbers_when_scanning

"Scanners / copiers of the Xerox WorkCentre Line randomly alter written
numbers in pages that are scanned. This is not an OCR problem (as we
switched off OCR on purpose) [...] patches of the pixel data are randomly
replaced in a very subtle and dangerous way: The scanned images look
correct at first glance, even though numbers may actually be incorrect."

GB

On Oct 29, 2026 at 10:03:23, ADSGarson O'Toole <
00001aa1be50b751-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:

> Thanks for your responses, Rich and JL. I have hesitated to mention
> this topic because the environment is punitively litigious for
> databases such as the Internet Archive and Google Books. I agree with
> JL that this type of error is rare.
> Garson
>
> On Mon, Oct 26, 2026 at 4:31 PM Jonathan Lighter
> <00001aad181a2549-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
>
>
> I've seen this problem in Internet Archive as well, but only once or
>
> twice in thousands of instances.
>
>
> JL
>
>
> On Mon, Oct 26, 2026 at 1:52 PM Rich Lowenthal
>
> <000018596069864c-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
>
> >
>
> > The initial copyright date is also incorrect: "1910" rather than "1960."
>
> >
>
> > There are also leather-bound copies of the book available on the
>
> > Internet that cite the 1916 date. I would guess that the incorrect date
>
> > is the result of poor scanning and OCR work, as is the case of many
>
> > print-on-demand titles that come from India. The scanned copy also
>
> > differs from the first edition in that it lacks the "all rights
>
> > reserved" notice on the copyright page.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > ------ Original Message ------
>
> > From "ADSGarson O'Toole"
>
> > <00001aa1be50b751-dmarc-request at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>
> > To ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>
> > Date 10/26/2026 12:40:27 PM
>
> > Subject Incorrect dates displayed in Internet Archive scans
>
> >
>
> > >While searching in the Internet Archive I came across a novel with an
>
> > >incorrect publication date. It is common to find mistakes in the
>
> > >metadata of databases such as the Internet archive, Google Books,
>
> > >newspapers.com, etc. But this situation was different and more
>
> > >dangerous. The incorrect data appeared on a page scan of the book that
>
> > >was supposed to display the correct publication data.
>
> > >
>
> > >The novel "A Burnt-Out Case" by Graham Greene was first published in
>
> > >1960, but the publication date on the scan claimed that the book was
>
> > >published in 1916.
>
> > >
>
> > >Incorrect Date on Page Scan: 1916
>
> > >Actual First Publication Date: 1960
>
> > >Book Title: A Burnt-Out Case
>
> > >Author: Graham Greene
>
> > >Publisher: William Heinemann Ltd, London
>
> > >Book Source: Digital Library of India
>
> > >
> https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.150016/page/n3/mode/2up?q=1916
>
> > >
>
> > >[Begin excerpt]
>
> > >This English language edition first published 1916
>
> > >[End excerpt]
>
> > >
>
> > >I think (and hope) this problem is rare. Have others seen this
>
> > >problem? Can someone offer an explanation (on or off list)?
>
> > >Garson
>
> > >
>
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