Editorial Policy

Editorial policy for reviews

Editorial Policy at Online Library is built around a simple standard: a review must add useful judgment. It should explain reader fit, strengths, limits, context, and related books. It should not pretend to be a personal diary of reading when it was produced with AI assistance. It should not invent quotations, sources, sales data, prices, availability, or personal experience.

Reviews may be drafted or structured with AI assistance. The purpose is broad, consistent coverage, not deception. Each review still has to offer real judgment, respect copyright limits, and avoid claims that cannot be supported. When a topic needs factual precision beyond general literary or editorial judgment, the claim should be checked before publication.

Copyright and excerpts

For copyrighted books, Online Library discusses ideas, structure, reader fit, and critical context without reproducing long passages. Short references may be appropriate in future editorial work, but the default rule is conservative: no copied excerpts from copyrighted works in reviews. Rights can vary by territory, translation, edition, and added material, so the site keeps excerpt use cautious.

Book cover images are handled separately from the underlying text. A public domain original can be reviewed, adapted, or reissued, but a modern edition cover may still carry its own rights. Online Library therefore uses cautious cover sourcing, including catalog images from sources such as Open Library when an appropriate source is available.

Commercial boundaries

Affiliate links may appear in future review commerce blocks. When they do, they must be clearly disclosed, use sponsored link attributes, and avoid claims that cannot be verified. A positive review cannot be purchased through a link relationship. See the affiliate disclosure for the reader-facing commerce policy.