Why Book Corners won't sync contributions back to OpenStreetMap

This article explains the technical and procedural challenges that prevent Book Corners, a platform for mapping public bookcases, from automatically syncing user-submitted libraries back to OpenStreetMap (OSM). The author initially planned a cautious workflow with user consent, admin review, and duplicate checks, but discovered that OSM's import guidelines and automated edits code of conduct impose strict requirements, including a dedicated import account, a public import plan, community forum proposals, local community notifications, and ongoing maintenance. Additionally, licensing issues require explicit consent for OSM-compatible data release. The article highlights the complexity of contributing to OSM beyond simple API calls, emphasizing the need for thorough documentation and community engagement.