[gandor62]

Hi all

Can someone advise me on a best method to do the following. Sorry for long post (and spelling errors) but I cant be clear in a few lines of what i'm trying to accomplish.

History first
I have a library of 300+ books and they are stored with Epub and Mobi formats. I was using Stanza on the iPhone but due to, I think being unable to create chapters or smaller chunks of the book,with Calibre (I don't know how to) it takes a couple of minutes to start reading any book on stanza. As I may read for a few minutes then have to do some work I go back in and have to wait a few minutes till it loads the book again and often have to turn off before I can read anything. I literally read in 5 minute blocks, So I purchased Iphonebookshelf (apparently it handles both formats, but didn't) as it automatically breaks the book up into manageable chunks having a fast start-up time. But with both the Mobi and Epub formats it will not download a book. (Yes i have been onto support for it on iphone bookshelf and Stanza, but no answers, got pointed back here for chapter/chunk help by Stanza)

So I have a need to temporarily drop the epub formats with calibre library but don't want to lose them as my wife's reader requires them and we will be upgrading readers in the future and I think the Epub format is going to be required.

1. So I think I need to back up the library
2. Delete all the Epub files
3. Back up the Folder with the Mobi Files
4. Then get all the Epub files back
5. have the Calibre library back to original condition with Epub and Mobi files

6. Maybe a way to break up the book for Epub and stanza in to smaller chunks.

I dont have time to use bulk metadata and remove a format and then convert them all again to the deleted format. I did do it once but lost some books for some reason.

Next of course I will buy another book then have to do it all again, we purchase or download (Pub Domain) up to 7 books a month, usually in Epub format. There are 5 reader devices (Kids actually read as well) in my household that all spin off Calibre library, so need a fast safe method.

I tried a while back and totally lost the library, I messed the metadata.db somehow with the back and forth coping of it and had to redo everything again. The 300+, setting up series, downloading metadata and missing covers takes a long time. So I'm asking what's the best method or solution here so I don't destroy my library again.