diff --git a/cmd/serve/api.go b/cmd/serve/api.go
index df8ce9f..e2c892a 100644
--- a/cmd/serve/api.go
+++ b/cmd/serve/api.go
@@ -2,8 +2,10 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"io/fs"
+	"log"
 	"net/http"
 
 	"git.yetaga.in/alazyreader/library/media"
@@ -30,6 +32,7 @@ func (h path) ServeHTTP(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 }
 
 func writeJSONerror(w http.ResponseWriter, err string, status int) {
+	log.Println(err)
 	writeJSON(w, struct{ Status, Reason string }{Status: "error", Reason: err}, status)
 }
 
@@ -97,50 +100,26 @@ func getBooks(l Library, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 }
 
 func addBook(l Library, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
-	if r.Body == nil {
-		writeJSONerror(w, "no body provided", http.StatusBadRequest)
+	book, err := ReadBody[media.Book](r.Body)
+	if err != nil {
+		writeJSONerror(w, err.Error(), http.StatusBadRequest)
 		return
 	}
-	defer r.Body.Close()
-	b, err := io.ReadAll(r.Body)
-	if err != nil {
-		writeJSONerror(w, "error reading body", http.StatusBadRequest)
-		return
-	}
-	book := &media.Book{}
-	err = json.Unmarshal(b, book)
-	if err != nil {
-		writeJSONerror(w, "error parsing body", http.StatusBadRequest)
-		return
-	}
-	err = l.AddBook(r.Context(), book)
-	if err != nil {
-		writeJSONerror(w, "error parsing body", http.StatusBadRequest)
+	if err = l.AddBook(r.Context(), book); err != nil {
+		writeJSONerror(w, err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
 		return
 	}
 	w.WriteHeader(http.StatusAccepted)
 }
 
 func deleteBook(l Library, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
-	if r.Body == nil {
-		writeJSONerror(w, "no body provided", http.StatusBadRequest)
+	book, err := ReadBody[media.Book](r.Body)
+	if err != nil {
+		writeJSONerror(w, err.Error(), http.StatusBadRequest)
 		return
 	}
-	defer r.Body.Close()
-	b, err := io.ReadAll(r.Body)
-	if err != nil {
-		writeJSONerror(w, "error reading body", http.StatusBadRequest)
-		return
-	}
-	book := &media.Book{}
-	err = json.Unmarshal(b, book)
-	if err != nil {
-		writeJSONerror(w, "error parsing body", http.StatusBadRequest)
-		return
-	}
-	err = l.DeleteBook(r.Context(), book)
-	if err != nil {
-		writeJSONerror(w, "error deleting book", http.StatusInternalServerError)
+	if err = l.DeleteBook(r.Context(), book); err != nil {
+		writeJSONerror(w, err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
 		return
 	}
 	w.WriteHeader(http.StatusAccepted)
@@ -165,12 +144,12 @@ func getWhoAmI(ts *tailscale.LocalClient, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request
 }
 
 func lookupBook(query Query, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
-	isbn := r.FormValue("isbn")
-	if len(isbn) != 10 && len(isbn) != 13 {
-		writeJSONerror(w, "invalid isbn", http.StatusBadRequest)
+	req, err := ReadBody[media.Book](r.Body)
+	if err != nil {
+		writeJSONerror(w, err.Error(), http.StatusBadRequest)
 		return
 	}
-	book, err := query.GetByISBN(isbn)
+	book, err := query.GetByISBN(req.ISBN13)
 	if err != nil {
 		writeJSONerror(w, err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
 		return
@@ -181,3 +160,20 @@ func lookupBook(query Query, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 func static(f fs.FS) http.Handler {
 	return http.FileServer(http.FS(f))
 }
+
+func ReadBody[T any](r io.ReadCloser) (*T, error) {
+	t := new(T)
+	if r == nil {
+		return t, fmt.Errorf("no body provided")
+	}
+	defer r.Close()
+	b, err := io.ReadAll(r)
+	if err != nil {
+		return t, fmt.Errorf("error reading body: %w", err)
+	}
+	err = json.Unmarshal(b, t)
+	if err != nil {
+		return t, fmt.Errorf("error reading body: %w", err)
+	}
+	return t, nil
+}
diff --git a/cmd/serve/main.go b/cmd/serve/main.go
index dd20ff1..adb6471 100644
--- a/cmd/serve/main.go
+++ b/cmd/serve/main.go
@@ -45,50 +45,44 @@ func main() {
 	must.Do(envconfig.Process("library", &c))
 
 	var lib Library
-	var err error
 	if c.DBType == "memory" {
 		lib = &database.Memory{}
 	} else if c.DBType == "sql" {
-		var latest, run int
-		lib, latest, run, err = setupSQL(c)
+		sqllib, latest, run, err := setupSQL(c)
 		if err != nil {
-			log.Fatalf("err starting sql connection: %v", err)
+			log.Fatalf("sql connection err: %v", err)
 		}
 		log.Printf("latest migration: %d; migrations run: %d", latest, run)
+		lib = sqllib
 	}
 	discogsCache := must.Get(database.NewDiscogsCache(
 		c.DiscogsToken, time.Hour*24, c.DiscogsUser, c.DiscogsPersist, c.DiscogsCacheFile,
 	))
-
 	queryProvider := &query.GoogleBooks{}
-
 	staticRoot := must.Get(frontend.Root())
 
 	servers := make(chan (*http.Server), 3)
 	errGroup := errgroup.Group{}
 	errGroup.Go(func() error {
-		return start(servers)(
-			publicServer(8080, &Router{
-				static:  staticRoot,
-				lib:     lib,
-				rcol:    discogsCache,
-				isAdmin: false,
-			}))
+		return start(servers)(publicServer(8080, &Router{
+			static:  staticRoot,
+			lib:     lib,
+			rcol:    discogsCache,
+			isAdmin: false,
+		}))
 	})
 	errGroup.Go(func() error {
-		return start(servers)(
-			tailscaleListener("library-admin", &Router{
-				static:  staticRoot,
-				lib:     lib,
-				rcol:    discogsCache,
-				query:   queryProvider,
-				isAdmin: true,
-			}))
+		return start(servers)(tailscaleListener("library-admin", &Router{
+			static:  staticRoot,
+			lib:     lib,
+			rcol:    discogsCache,
+			query:   queryProvider,
+			isAdmin: true,
+		}))
 	})
 	errGroup.Go(func() error {
 		return shutdown(servers)
 	})
-
 	log.Println(errGroup.Wait())
 }
 
@@ -172,6 +166,5 @@ func tailscaleListener(hostname string, handler *Router) (*http.Server, net.List
 		return nil, nil, err
 	}
 	log.Printf("management server: http://%s/", hostname)
-	server := &http.Server{Handler: handler}
-	return server, ln, nil
+	return &http.Server{Handler: handler}, ln, nil
 }
diff --git a/frontend/files/app.js b/frontend/files/app.js
index 8e2a59b..e3b4431 100644
--- a/frontend/files/app.js
+++ b/frontend/files/app.js
@@ -51,6 +51,62 @@ function init() {
 
 function renderAddBookView() {
   document.getElementById("current").innerHTML = AddBookTemplate();
+  document.getElementById("lookup").addEventListener("click", (e) => {
+    e.preventDefault();
+    if (document.getElementById("isbn-13").value.length === 13) {
+      getPossibleBooks(document.getElementById("isbn-13").value);
+    } else {
+      console.log("no isbn");
+    }
+  });
+  document.getElementById("save").addEventListener("click", (e) => {
+    e.preventDefault();
+    fetch("/api/books", {
+      method: "POST",
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
+      body: JSON.stringify({
+        title: document.getElementById("title").value,
+        authors: document.getElementById("authors").value.split(";"),
+        sortAuthor: document.getElementById("sortAuthor").value,
+        "isbn-10": document.getElementById("isbn-10").value,
+        "isbn-13": document.getElementById("isbn-13").value,
+        publisher: document.getElementById("publisher").value,
+        format: document.getElementById("format").value,
+        genre: document.getElementById("genre").value,
+        series: document.getElementById("series").value,
+        volume: document.getElementById("volume").value,
+        year: document.getElementById("year").value,
+        coverURL: document.getElementById("coverURL").value,
+      }),
+    });
+    renderAddBookView();
+    init();
+  });
+}
+
+function getPossibleBooks(isbn) {
+  fetch("/api/query", {
+    method: "POST",
+    headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
+    body: JSON.stringify({ "isbn-13": isbn }),
+  })
+    .then((response) => response.json())
+    .then((json) => {
+      Object.keys(json).forEach((key) => {
+        var elem = document.getElementById(key);
+        if (elem !== null) {
+          elem.value = json[key];
+        }
+      });
+    });
+}
+
+function saveBook(book) {
+  fetch("/api/books", {
+    method: "POST",
+    headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
+    body: JSON.stringify(book),
+  });
 }
 
 function renderTable(books, sortField) {
@@ -94,7 +150,8 @@ function renderTable(books, sortField) {
   Array.from(bookElement.querySelectorAll("tbody tr th[data-sort-by]")).forEach(
     (row) => {
       row.addEventListener("click", function (e) {
-        renderTable(books, e.target.dataset.sortBy); // only add callback when there's a sortBy attribute
+        // only add callback when there's a sortBy attribute
+        renderTable(books, e.target.dataset.sortBy);
       });
     }
   );
@@ -170,9 +227,7 @@ function BookTemplate({
   "isbn-10": isbn10,
   authors,
   coverURL,
-  description,
   format,
-  notes,
   publisher,
   series,
   signed,
@@ -235,28 +290,33 @@ function TableTemplate(books) {
 
 function AddBookTemplate() {
   return `<div class="addBookView">
-    <form>${[
-      { name: "ISBN10", type: "text" },
-      { name: "ISBN13", type: "text" },
-      { name: "Title", type: "text" },
-      { name: "Authors", type: "text" },
-      { name: "SortAuthor", type: "text" },
-      { name: "Format", type: "text" },
-      { name: "Genre", type: "text" },
-      { name: "Publisher", type: "text" },
-      { name: "Series", type: "text" },
-      { name: "Volume", type: "text" },
-      { name: "Year", type: "text" },
-      { name: "Signed", type: "checkbox" },
-      // { name: "Description", type: "text" },
-      // { name: "Notes", type: "text" },
-      { name: "CoverURL", type: "text" },
-      { name: "Childrens", type: "checkbox" },
-    ].reduce((acc, field) => {
-      return acc.concat(
-        `<label>${field.name} <input type="${field.type}" name="${field.name.toLowerCase}"/></label><br/>`
-      );
-    }, "")}
-    </form>
+    <div id="newBookForm">
+      ${[
+        { name: "Title", id: "title", type: "text" },
+        { name: "Authors", id: "authors", type: "text" },
+        { name: "SortAuthor", id: "sortAuthor", type: "text" },
+        { name: "ISBN10", id: "isbn-10", type: "text" },
+        { name: "ISBN13", id: "isbn-13", type: "text" },
+        { name: "Publisher", id: "publisher", type: "text" },
+        { name: "Format", id: "format", type: "text" },
+        { name: "Genre", id: "genre", type: "text" },
+        { name: "Series", id: "series", type: "text" },
+        { name: "Volume", id: "volume", type: "text" },
+        { name: "Year", id: "year", type: "text" },
+        { name: "CoverURL", id: "coverURL", type: "text" },
+        { name: "Signed", id: "signed", type: "checkbox" },
+        { name: "Childrens", id: "childrens", type: "checkbox" },
+      ].reduce((acc, field) => {
+        return acc.concat(
+          `<label>${field.name} <input
+              type="${field.type}"
+              name="${field.name.toLowerCase()}"
+              id="${field.id}"
+            /></label><br/>`
+        );
+      }, "")}
+      <input id="lookup" type="submit" value="look up">
+      <input id="save" type="submit" value="save">
+    </div>
   </div>`;
 }
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index f5e0b56..fffbf1c 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ go 1.21
 toolchain go1.21.5
 
 require (
+	git.yetaga.in/alazyreader/go-openlibrary v0.0.1
 	github.com/gdamore/tcell/v2 v2.7.0
 	github.com/go-sql-driver/mysql v1.7.1
 	github.com/irlndts/go-discogs v0.3.6
@@ -15,7 +16,6 @@ require (
 
 require (
 	filippo.io/edwards25519 v1.0.0 // indirect
-	git.yetaga.in/alazyreader/go-openlibrary v0.0.1 // indirect
 	github.com/akutz/memconn v0.1.0 // indirect
 	github.com/alexbrainman/sspi v0.0.0-20231016080023-1a75b4708caa // indirect
 	github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go-v2 v1.21.0 // indirect
diff --git a/query/googlebooks.go b/query/googlebooks.go
index 7479b7f..4825eca 100644
--- a/query/googlebooks.go
+++ b/query/googlebooks.go
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ type volumeInfo struct {
 	PageCount           int                  `json:"pageCount"`
 	PrintType           string               `json:"printType"`
 	Categories          []string             `json:"categories"`
-	AverageRating       int                  `json:"averageRating"`
+	AverageRating       float64              `json:"averageRating"`
 	RatingsCount        int                  `json:"ratingsCount"`
 	MaturityRating      string               `json:"maturityRating"`
 	AllowAnonLogging    bool                 `json:"allowAnonLogging"`