Open Library search bar displays random books instead of error message for non-existent titles

[SkywalkerSupreme]

Problem

Below is a screenshot of the conducted test.

Reproducing the bug

1. Go to the Open Library website.
2. Navigate to the search bar.
3. Enter a non-existent title, such as "a12b3c4z", in the search bar.
4. Observe the search results displaying random books instead of an error message indicating that the title was not found.

◦ Expect behavior: When searching for a non-existent title, the system should display an error message indicating that the title was not found.
◦ Actual behavior: The system displays random books.

Context

I’m a software engineering student and while conducting tests on the Open Library search bar, I discovered a flaw in how the system handles non-existent titles. When searching for a non-existent title, such as "a12b3c4z" instead of returning an error message indicating that the title was not found, the system presented a list of random books, such as "Retórica" by Aristotle and "The Hunger Games." This indicates a failure in identifying and handling non-existent titles by the system.

I think this issue can lead to confusion and frustration among users, as they may expect accurate feedback when searching for specific titles.

Notes from this Issue's Lead

No response