How do you keep track of what e-books you've already read?

TadW · 02-15-2007, 04:48 AM

If you buy a p-book, it's easy to remember the books you've already read - the book in your bookshelf will always remind you. But how do you deal with e-books?

The more e-books I read, the harder I find it to remember and track the books I've read in the past. This is particularly annoying when I try to find the sequence to a book but cannot remember its title nor its author.

VillageReader · 02-15-2007, 05:58 AM

I keep a tabbed spreadsheet that tracks what I've read. Between e-books, p-books and audiobooks I'd never keep it straight otherwise.

yvanleterrible · 02-15-2007, 08:33 AM

I usually try an author with his most popular works and if I like him or her, I read everything he or she writes. Sometimes it is more difficult because I have a title in French or one in English and for the same work they are completely different.

Of course the best way to remember is to savor what I read, to stop and reflect if the work requires it. I did at some point take written notes but mental ones are better. Now I mark pages on the reader. If I come across a book with Marks, it's been read.

An other way is to format for the reader only if you plan to read the book. That way if you see in your collection a book that was fomated for the reader, (you know 16pt text!) chances are you read or tried to read it. Some books are boring or offensive to intelligence.

And best of all... a reading plan. Mine is ready for the next 3 months. Right now I'm reading Asimov's 14 foundation series.

NatCh · 02-15-2007, 09:10 AM

Huh. I hadn't thought about this. I guess I've just always kinda 'known' what I've read, the same way I always kinda 'know' where I parked the car, I guess. I'll probably start losing both of those before too long, so I guess I should start thinking about some sort of system.

yvanleterrible · 02-15-2007, 10:55 AM

Once, I've read a book for 50 pages, according to title, only to find I had read it in French. It took me that long to recognize it! Ok! I had read it long ago but I can't understand how they let some translators take such liberties with a story... Now add this to the balance and it gets way complicated. I have to cross search all titles in both languages. I love WIKI !

Steven Lyle Jordan · 02-15-2007, 01:50 PM

I set up 2 folders on my PC: Unread e-books; and read e-books. I move the unread books a few at a time onto my PPC, and once finished, move them to the read folder on the PC, to conserve PPC storage space.

Bob Russell · 02-15-2007, 02:03 PM

I have been keeping a list recently. I tend to enjoy following book series in order like Vince Flynn's Mitch Rapp books, so if I'm on book 4, I know I read books 1-3! ;-)

But my memory is so bad that it probably doesn't matter much if I read a book before or not. I just think to myself that I'm getting really good at predicting the plot!

raevyn1 · 02-15-2007, 02:04 PM

For p-books, I use Readerware. For e-books, I use a large directory folder with subfolders labeled by author name for organization. Unread e-books are kept in a separate folder labeled 1st Reads. Once read the e-book is placed under the author subfolder. It's not very elegant, but it works for me and keeps from buying books I already have. On my iLiad, I use a SD card on which I have unread books by title, but once read the books are placed in a folder labeled "Read". Haven't found a good way to organize my Sony Reader yet.

Jadon · 02-15-2007, 06:05 PM

I use a simple list, which is how I can say I've read 214 works in the fourteen months since I got my ETI-2, about half of them standalone shorts, the rest mostly novels, plus a dozen or so nonfiction books. Besides what I have read, the list also notes what series I'm following, so I can pick up the next work when I see it.

One thing I note is that I read far more short works in e-form than I would in p-form. I rarely bought collections or anthologies, and I let my magazine subscriptions lapse years ago, but I'll take a chance on a short for free.

Azayzel · 02-15-2007, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

Huh. I hadn't thought about this. I guess I've just always kinda 'known' what I've read, the same way I always kinda 'know' where I parked the car, I guess. I'll probably start losing both of those before too long, so I guess I should start thinking about some sort of system.

Yeah, but if your mind is that far gone then you'll really enjoy that "new" book you just found and it wouldn't matter. lol j/k

NatCh · 02-16-2007, 12:03 AM

That'd be great, Azayzel, then I could have a really small library!

volwrath · 02-16-2007, 08:38 AM

I use listpro. Then i can see what I have read and when I read it

yvanleterrible · 02-16-2007, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

That'd be great, Azayzel, then I could have a really small library!

When you get to read the same book over and over and over... You'll have a guaranteed reservation for 'Padded Cell Hotel'

NatCh · 02-16-2007, 09:46 AM

Sounds comfortable too, yvanleterrible! And life is crazy enough for us right now that it actually sounds restful ... should that worry me?

wallcraft · 02-16-2007, 10:41 AM

I use the web-based librarything to keep track of my p-books (for e-books I put the author and title in the filename and keep a copy on my PC). Librarything would work for e-books, and you can even associate a p-book cover with the listing. Since it allows multiple tags per book, you can also store both p-books and e-books.

02-15-2007, 04:48 AM	#1
TadW Uebermensch Posts: 2,583 Karma: 1094606 Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Italy Device: Kindle	How do you keep track of what e-books you've already read? If you buy a p-book, it's easy to remember the books you've already read - the book in your bookshelf will always remind you. But how do you deal with e-books? The more e-books I read, the harder I find it to remember and track the books I've read in the past. This is particularly annoying when I try to find the sequence to a book but cannot remember its title nor its author.

02-15-2007, 02:04 PM	#8
raevyn1 Connoisseur Posts: 56 Karma: 148 Join Date: Jul 2006 Device: iLiad, Sony Reader, Treo 755p, Palm T\|X	For p-books, I use Readerware. For e-books, I use a large directory folder with subfolders labeled by author name for organization. Unread e-books are kept in a separate folder labeled 1st Reads. Once read the e-book is placed under the author subfolder. It's not very elegant, but it works for me and keeps from buying books I already have. On my iLiad, I use a SD card on which I have unread books by title, but once read the books are placed in a folder labeled "Read". Haven't found a good way to organize my Sony Reader yet. Last edited by raevyn1; 02-15-2007 at 02:47 PM.

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02-15-2007, 05:58 AM	#2
VillageReader Evangelist Posts: 430 Karma: 2718 Join Date: May 2006 Device: Iliad	I keep a tabbed spreadsheet that tracks what I've read. Between e-books, p-books and audiobooks I'd never keep it straight otherwise.

02-15-2007, 08:33 AM	#3
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	I usually try an author with his most popular works and if I like him or her, I read everything he or she writes. Sometimes it is more difficult because I have a title in French or one in English and for the same work they are completely different. Of course the best way to remember is to savor what I read, to stop and reflect if the work requires it. I did at some point take written notes but mental ones are better. Now I mark pages on the reader. If I come across a book with Marks, it's been read. An other way is to format for the reader only if you plan to read the book. That way if you see in your collection a book that was fomated for the reader, (you know 16pt text!) chances are you read or tried to read it. Some books are boring or offensive to intelligence. And best of all... a reading plan. Mine is ready for the next 3 months. Right now I'm reading Asimov's 14 foundation series.

02-15-2007, 09:10 AM	#4
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Huh. I hadn't thought about this. I guess I've just always kinda 'known' what I've read, the same way I always kinda 'know' where I parked the car, I guess. I'll probably start losing both of those before too long, so I guess I should start thinking about some sort of system.

02-15-2007, 10:55 AM	#5
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	Once, I've read a book for 50 pages, according to title, only to find I had read it in French. It took me that long to recognize it! Ok! I had read it long ago but I can't understand how they let some translators take such liberties with a story... Now add this to the balance and it gets way complicated. I have to cross search all titles in both languages. I love WIKI !

02-15-2007, 01:50 PM	#6
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	I set up 2 folders on my PC: Unread e-books; and read e-books. I move the unread books a few at a time onto my PPC, and once finished, move them to the read folder on the PC, to conserve PPC storage space.

02-15-2007, 02:03 PM	#7
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	I have been keeping a list recently. I tend to enjoy following book series in order like Vince Flynn's Mitch Rapp books, so if I'm on book 4, I know I read books 1-3! ;-) But my memory is so bad that it probably doesn't matter much if I read a book before or not. I just think to myself that I'm getting really good at predicting the plot!

02-15-2007, 06:05 PM	#9
Jadon Hermit Posts: 192 Karma: 9425 Join Date: Oct 2006 Device: Kindle Keyboard, Kobo Glo	I use a simple list, which is how I can say I've read 214 works in the fourteen months since I got my ETI-2, about half of them standalone shorts, the rest mostly novels, plus a dozen or so nonfiction books. Besides what I have read, the list also notes what series I'm following, so I can pick up the next work when I see it. One thing I note is that I read far more short works in e-form than I would in p-form. I rarely bought collections or anthologies, and I let my magazine subscriptions lapse years ago, but I'll take a chance on a short for free.

02-16-2007, 12:03 AM	#11
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	That'd be great, Azayzel, then I could have a really small library!

02-16-2007, 08:38 AM	#12
volwrath Guru Posts: 713 Karma: 1001739 Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Nashville, TN Device: SGS3/PW2/Nexus72	I use listpro. Then i can see what I have read and when I read it

02-16-2007, 09:46 AM	#14
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Sounds comfortable too, yvanleterrible! And life is crazy enough for us right now that it actually sounds restful ... should that worry me?

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02-16-2007, 10:41 AM	#15
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,975 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	I use the web-based librarything to keep track of my p-books (for e-books I put the author and title in the filename and keep a copy on my PC). Librarything would work for e-books, and you can even associate a p-book cover with the listing. Since it allows multiple tags per book, you can also store both p-books and e-books.