Manage libraries for more than one person

macnab69 · 01-25-2013, 08:47 AM

I want to manage my library and a friend's library. He has no PC. There are some authors that we both read, and of course some that only one of us read.

Disk space is not a problem. So separate libraries is not a problem. Or I could have 1 library with tags to show who reads what.

The problem is when we get some new books that we both read. Separate libraries means adding them twice. Adding them to one of the libraries and using "Send to library" is a problem to find the correct books after you have set them up with the correct genre tags and the like.

What is the best way to handle such a situation. Assume the worst - that 2 more friends ask me to manage their libraries.

itimpi · 01-25-2013, 09:16 AM

I would suggest that you start by using a single library with tags. A single library tends to be easier to manage. It would be easy enough later to split this into multiple libraries if you decided you would prefer that.

jjansen · 01-26-2013, 12:04 AM

I store books in my library for my mother, my husband and myself. We all live together and anything slightly technical is my responsibility. I created a user column for each of us. Each column basically has 3 values - has the book been read by that individual, is it of any interest to that person Yes or No (all my romances are a NO for my husband for example). I also created a search criteria for each one of us. When I want to load books on my mother's reader I set the search to her name. This way I only see the books that she has not read but has an interest in. Each time I add a book I update this column for each of us. To keep it easy if the book is of interest and hasn't been read I just leave the column blank and fill it in with Read or Not Interested if appropriate.

I keep my tags for genre's. I find that the user column has worked really well for us for quite a few years. Both my husband and my mum keep a sticky note with their ereader and write down the book title and author when they start reading. Every so often I take their yellow sticky and update Calibre and delete the books from their ereaders and add a few new ones. It works for us.

macnab69 · 01-26-2013, 12:26 AM

I'm surprised calibre doesn't come with a standard tag for genre.

I like to keep the date each book was placed on the ereader, so I'll have a column per person for that.

Then I'll have a column per person with a numerical value (rather than stars, which is blank for 0)
0 = Ignore
1 - 5 = Rating (of author, not book)

That way using a search I can exclude the 0s for that person (and read, if wanted.)

This particular friend cannot remember the names of authors, so he has a little notebook where he can write a little note to remind him about the book for future searches of that author. So I'll have to have a column for his comments.

He's especially pleased to have an ereader because he has cataracts, and with a large font he can actually read books again.

calvin-c · 01-26-2013, 12:14 PM

Check out some of the threads about genres-there's nothing like a standard set of genres so I understand why Calibre doesn't come with one. Or did you mean a pre-defined column for genre? I suspect the Tag field started off that way but then got generalized.

DoctorOhh · 01-26-2013, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calvin-c

Quote:

Originally Posted by macnab69

I'm surprised calibre doesn't come with a standard tag for genre.

Check out some of the threads about genres-there's nothing like a standard set of genres so I understand why Calibre doesn't come with one. Or did you mean a pre-defined column for genre? I suspect the Tag field started off that way but then got generalized.

The tag field by default is where all of the genre tags you download are placed.

The tag field is only as generalized as you allow it to be. I have 10,000 books and only 240 tags. Before I download tags for new books I remove the tags from the books then I download all of my tags via the GoodReads Metadata download plugin. This plugin allows you to map the GoodReads genres to whichever tags you wish. The plugin comes with around 60 genres mapped. I shared my current mapping (around 225 genres and sub genres mapped) with folks in this post. You can modify the tag mapping as you see fit via the configuration of the plugin.

I use the following Metadata Source Plugins to download metadata and covers.

Goodreads
Barnes & Noble
Fantasic Fiction
Amazon

I only have the Goodreads plugin set to download Tags. Limiting the auto download of tags to this one plugin keeps my Tag column consistent and concise.

macnab69 · 01-26-2013, 11:04 PM

I use Tag for Genres, my own, I have simple needs. Seeing as I have more than one person doing Rating, I have to use a Text column of numbers 0 to 5, because that is the only way to get it into the Tag Browser.

With the growing popularity of ereaders more and more people will be using calibre with multiple users in one database of books. What would be nice is the ability to put custom ratings and yes/no columns, in the Tag Browser.

Or maybe even a User facility, where you can select between users, each with their own set of columns. That would be the ultimate solution.

DoctorOhh · 01-27-2013, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macnab69

Or maybe even a User facility, where you can select between users, each with their own set of columns. That would be the ultimate solution.

I think something along this line is the long range plan.

macnab69 · 01-27-2013, 12:35 AM

Short-term would be nice!!

Dopedangel · 01-27-2013, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macnab69

Short-term would be nice!!

Its already available just use the view manager plugin to set up views for different users.

macnab69 · 01-27-2013, 10:07 PM

Found it. Using it. Works great. Especially in conjunction with a Saved View.

01-25-2013, 08:47 AM	#1
macnab69 Member Posts: 21 Karma: 1048 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kindle for Windows	Manage libraries for more than one person I want to manage my library and a friend's library. He has no PC. There are some authors that we both read, and of course some that only one of us read. Disk space is not a problem. So separate libraries is not a problem. Or I could have 1 library with tags to show who reads what. The problem is when we get some new books that we both read. Separate libraries means adding them twice. Adding them to one of the libraries and using "Send to library" is a problem to find the correct books after you have set them up with the correct genre tags and the like. What is the best way to handle such a situation. Assume the worst - that 2 more friends ask me to manage their libraries.

01-25-2013, 09:16 AM	#2
itimpi Wizard Posts: 3,593 Karma: 549131 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS-950, iphone/ipad (stanza/iBooks/QuickReader)	I would suggest that you start by using a single library with tags. A single library tends to be easier to manage. It would be easy enough later to split this into multiple libraries if you decided you would prefer that. __________________ Calibre2opds: Calibre library as a web site - the popular alternative to the Calibre Content Server CLOUD SERVICES: Dropbox: Use this link to sign up for a free Dropbox account and both of us get an extra 500MB free space. Megacloud: Use this link to sign up for a free MegaCloud account and both of us get an extra 500MB free space. Copy.com: Use this link to sign up for a free Copy.com account and both of us get an extra 5GB free space.

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01-26-2013, 12:04 AM	#3
jjansen J Posts: 139 Karma: 20 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Canada Device: SONY PRS 505/300, iRex DR800SG, Nook	I store books in my library for my mother, my husband and myself. We all live together and anything slightly technical is my responsibility. I created a user column for each of us. Each column basically has 3 values - has the book been read by that individual, is it of any interest to that person Yes or No (all my romances are a NO for my husband for example). I also created a search criteria for each one of us. When I want to load books on my mother's reader I set the search to her name. This way I only see the books that she has not read but has an interest in. Each time I add a book I update this column for each of us. To keep it easy if the book is of interest and hasn't been read I just leave the column blank and fill it in with Read or Not Interested if appropriate. I keep my tags for genre's. I find that the user column has worked really well for us for quite a few years. Both my husband and my mum keep a sticky note with their ereader and write down the book title and author when they start reading. Every so often I take their yellow sticky and update Calibre and delete the books from their ereaders and add a few new ones. It works for us.

01-26-2013, 12:26 AM	#4
macnab69 Member Posts: 21 Karma: 1048 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kindle for Windows	I'm surprised calibre doesn't come with a standard tag for genre. I like to keep the date each book was placed on the ereader, so I'll have a column per person for that. Then I'll have a column per person with a numerical value (rather than stars, which is blank for 0) 0 = Ignore 1 - 5 = Rating (of author, not book) That way using a search I can exclude the 0s for that person (and read, if wanted.) This particular friend cannot remember the names of authors, so he has a little notebook where he can write a little note to remind him about the book for future searches of that author. So I'll have to have a column for his comments. He's especially pleased to have an ereader because he has cataracts, and with a large font he can actually read books again.

01-26-2013, 12:14 PM	#5
calvin-c Fanatic Posts: 533 Karma: 1014020 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: Palm Treo	Check out some of the threads about genres-there's nothing like a standard set of genres so I understand why Calibre doesn't come with one. Or did you mean a pre-defined column for genre? I suspect the Tag field started off that way but then got generalized.

01-26-2013, 11:04 PM	#7
macnab69 Member Posts: 21 Karma: 1048 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kindle for Windows	I use Tag for Genres, my own, I have simple needs. Seeing as I have more than one person doing Rating, I have to use a Text column of numbers 0 to 5, because that is the only way to get it into the Tag Browser. With the growing popularity of ereaders more and more people will be using calibre with multiple users in one database of books. What would be nice is the ability to put custom ratings and yes/no columns, in the Tag Browser. Or maybe even a User facility, where you can select between users, each with their own set of columns. That would be the ultimate solution.

01-27-2013, 12:35 AM	#9
macnab69 Member Posts: 21 Karma: 1048 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kindle for Windows	Short-term would be nice!!

01-27-2013, 10:07 PM	#11
macnab69 Member Posts: 21 Karma: 1048 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kindle for Windows	Found it. Using it. Works great. Especially in conjunction with a Saved View.


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