1. Do you use multiple libraries or/and virtual libraries? 2. How do you use multiple libraries or/and virtual libraries?
Multiple libraries
2 physical libraries with several virtual libraries inside : One for eBooks (is my main and the reference for others), the second for Comics and Mangas. A third 3 for non-French eBooks (because I'm), but rarely used (storage/archive).
Sometimes, I create a 4th physical libraries, for books coming from multiple sources and on which I will have to do a lot of sorting work, editing metadata, or even completely rework the ePubs. This physical libraries is temporary and the books will be added in the main libraries once the work is finished. But it takes a lot of books for such a method to be used (like Perry Rhodan's complete serie... 373 books in France)
Virtual libraries
In my main library, the books are structured around 2 axes
- Authors with several books
- Authors with only one book
and
- Books that I am interested in and would like to read
- Books that I am not interested in and that I keep for archival purposes
This makes 4 main category/virtual libraries, in addition :
3 utilities, metadata not checked, not in one of the 4 main category and books to be rework.
And with a little trick, I created 2 virtual libraries that when I plug in my e-redear, Calibre check the books on it and list me at a glance the books added or deleted them.
3. What are the strengths and weaknesses of using multiple libraries or virtual libraries?- It really takes a lot of books in a physical library to see a slowdown when loading it. A lot, a lot of pounds for a barely noticeable slowdown if you don't pay attention.
- VL to PL (Physical Libraries) really easy. But if you had books belonging to several VLs, be careful to duplicate the books.
- For PL to VL, it depends on the care with which you created and maintained the PL. Theoretically the biggest risk is to lose Custom Collums, but Calibre detects this and asks you if you wanted to add Custom Collums not present. No, the real problem will be the duplicates, fortunately the "Find Duplicate" plugin is a precious friend in this case.
- For a while, I had 2 physical libraries, but the bigger they get, the more glaring the defects of such a system became. Merging was difficult, but now a main physical libraries with several virtual inside is the best possible solution
.
Multiple physical libraries
Strengths- A very clear separation between several very different categories of books.
Weaknesses- Book duplicated between several libraries. If you changed in one, you would have to copy in the other.
- Uncommon metadata. If you changed it in one, you had to do the same in the others.
- Switching from one physical library to another is slower than between 2 virtual libraries.
- Metadata management is becoming a living hell. Really.
- (the worst) You cannot search in several separate physical libraries simultaneously.
Virtual libraries
Strengths- Everything you were told.
- Instant switching between 2 virtual libraries.
- Metadata standardization greatly facilitated.
- Once you understood how to do it, you could create incredibly complex virtual libraries.
Weaknesses- The way to create Virtual libraries can be difficult to understand at first time
You marked as an advantage for Multiple physical libraries, the ability to choose and display several different columns depending on the libraries. Maybe. But in this case I present to you
View Manager, a plugin that allows you to save, sort and modify the order of the displayed columns. And even to sort your libraries if necessary.
EDIT : S***, thank for the necropost, harriska2
