How do you maintain and backup your ebook library?

Lynx-lynx · 06-06-2012, 11:38 PM

I'm curious .... how do you maintain your elibrary and back it up / copy it?

After downloading my ebooks I then add them to Calibre, and change the format to EPUB where necessary. I gather metadata if needed, and add tags etc.

Every now and again I highlight all books in the library and choose the Save to Disk option - and copy all the books onto a 16GB usb stick.

That way, not only have I got a copy of all my ebooks (and metadata), I can download to any other computer should I lose the hard drive on the lap top they currently sit on (which has happened to me before).

But how does everyone else do it?

AlbertaCowboy · 06-06-2012, 11:52 PM

First I disinfect my ebooks.
My next step is to add them to Calibre, where I make sure that the tags all fit into my ridiculously exacting standards of how I sort my books. I also check the web to make sure I have the best cover. Then I'll usually do a epub to epub convert to get my spacing and justification the way I like it.
After that, I'll usually do a complete backup of my library onto my work computer, my flash drive and on an external hard drive every month or so depending on how many books I've bought that month. I'll usually do a DVD write with my library every couple of months as well.
I also have an "emergency" stash on an SD card that goes with my reader just in case I need to do a hard reset on vacation (again) and don't have access to a computer.
Sounds like a lot, but doesn't take long to do.

AndrewH · 06-07-2012, 12:07 AM

Add them to Calibre which cleans them in the process, download metadata, tags, and covers as necessary. Then I use RoboCopy to copy my Calibre library to Dropbox, to another hard drive on my computer, to a USB stick, and to the other computer in the house.

AnemicOak · 06-07-2012, 12:12 AM

I have my Calibre library in my Dropbox so it backs up there automatically which maintains an off site backup (and so I can access it from Calibre on my work computer too which means another backup is at work). I also keep a copy of everything on a USB stick and occasionally also backup also to a removable hard drive.

Giggleton · 06-07-2012, 01:43 AM

I just keep all my books open in my bittorrent software.

Belfaborac · 06-07-2012, 01:56 AM

Books are added to the Calibre library, which is stored on two internal hard drives (laptop and desktop), one external hard drive and a USB stick and is backed up semi-regularly (i.e. when I remember). More than safe enough I think.

avantman42 · 06-07-2012, 02:01 AM

All my books get added to Calibre, which has DRM removal plugins installed. My Calibre library gets copied to my server with rsync every day (I wrote a PHP script to let me access my library via a web browser), and it's in Dropbox.

About once a week, I use rdiff-backup to backup my home directory (including my e-books) to an external hard drive. Occasionally, I put an encrypted copy of my backup onto my work computer or my mum's computer.

Edward M. Grant · 06-07-2012, 02:25 AM

I download them all to Kindle for PC on my laptop, and then rsync them to the RAID drive on my server. However, that doesn't help with the DRM-ed books when Kindle for PC barfs and refuses to start up so I have to reinstall it.

DrNefario · 06-07-2012, 02:42 AM

If they're redownloadable I don't bother. If not I have a copy on my netbook in Calibre and a copy, usually of the original download, in Dropbox.

EowynCarter · 06-07-2012, 02:47 AM

I have made my own application it un-dr the books, copy the file where I said.

I have most of my books on my own cloud folder. And all of them on my reader.

Lynx-lynx · 06-07-2012, 04:27 AM

Wow - thank you everyone, you've given me some ideas re not just storage but other ways to use Drop Box etc.

Thanks again!!!

Lynx-lynx · 06-07-2012, 04:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giggleton

I just keep all my books open in my bittorrent software.

Giggleton are you not worried that you may lose access in some way to bittorrent?

I suppose I'm asking is bittorrent stable, secure and considered 'legal' for lack of a better way of expressing it?

(Yeah, I'm pretty uninformed re bittorrent)

applesauce · 06-07-2012, 05:18 AM

I have all the books in calibre except for ones from amazon. I am yet to work out how to add those to calibre. Once I do that I will open a dropbox account and upload there. For now I have them backed up on a 8gig usb stick. Tho that is messy as I have copies for my kindle my husbands android and my daughters kobo. I am reluctant to wipe any version incase one messes up when converting.

I will work this out but for the moment game of thrones calls and I want to start the second book

applesauce

kleinste · 06-07-2012, 05:25 AM

I keep my whole library on the Kindle itself. Other copies exist (in .mobi and .epub) of all of my books on Calibre, my external hard drive, and DropBox.

mbovenka · 06-07-2012, 05:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by applesauce

I have all the books in calibre except for ones from amazon. I am yet to work out how to add those to calibre.

Just import them off your Kindle into Calibre. That will work even if you don't remove DRM; Calibre will handle them just fine, as long as you don't want to convert them (I think it will even update metadata in the file, but I'm not sure about that).

If you want to remove DRM also, get acquainted with Apprentice Alf

06-06-2012, 11:38 PM	#1
Lynx-lynx Treachery of images ... Posts: 4,113 Karma: 92523791 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Australia Device: Sony 650, Kobo Glo, H2O, Aura One, Forma, Libra 2, Libra Colour	How do you maintain and backup your ebook library? I'm curious .... how do you maintain your elibrary and back it up / copy it? After downloading my ebooks I then add them to Calibre, and change the format to EPUB where necessary. I gather metadata if needed, and add tags etc. Every now and again I highlight all books in the library and choose the Save to Disk option - and copy all the books onto a 16GB usb stick. That way, not only have I got a copy of all my ebooks (and metadata), I can download to any other computer should I lose the hard drive on the lap top they currently sit on (which has happened to me before). But how does everyone else do it?

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06-06-2012, 11:52 PM	#2
AlbertaCowboy Guru Posts: 819 Karma: 171672846 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Alberta, Canada Device: PRS-350, PRS-650, iPhone 6, NVIDIA Shield K1	First I disinfect my ebooks. My next step is to add them to Calibre, where I make sure that the tags all fit into my ridiculously exacting standards of how I sort my books. I also check the web to make sure I have the best cover. Then I'll usually do a epub to epub convert to get my spacing and justification the way I like it. After that, I'll usually do a complete backup of my library onto my work computer, my flash drive and on an external hard drive every month or so depending on how many books I've bought that month. I'll usually do a DVD write with my library every couple of months as well. I also have an "emergency" stash on an SD card that goes with my reader just in case I need to do a hard reset on vacation (again) and don't have access to a computer. Sounds like a lot, but doesn't take long to do.

06-07-2012, 12:07 AM	#3
AndrewH Fanatic Posts: 553 Karma: 1234566 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver, WA Device: Sony PRS-T1, & Kobo Mini	Add them to Calibre which cleans them in the process, download metadata, tags, and covers as necessary. Then I use RoboCopy to copy my Calibre library to Dropbox, to another hard drive on my computer, to a USB stick, and to the other computer in the house.

06-07-2012, 12:12 AM	#4
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	I have my Calibre library in my Dropbox so it backs up there automatically which maintains an off site backup (and so I can access it from Calibre on my work computer too which means another backup is at work). I also keep a copy of everything on a USB stick and occasionally also backup also to a removable hard drive.

06-07-2012, 01:43 AM	#5
Giggleton Banned Posts: 1,687 Karma: 4368191 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Oregon Device: Kindle3	I just keep all my books open in my bittorrent software.

06-07-2012, 01:56 AM	#6
Belfaborac Wizard Posts: 1,498 Karma: 5199835 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Norway Device: Sony PRS-505, PRS-950	Books are added to the Calibre library, which is stored on two internal hard drives (laptop and desktop), one external hard drive and a USB stick and is backed up semi-regularly (i.e. when I remember). More than safe enough I think.

06-07-2012, 02:01 AM	#7
avantman42 Wizard Posts: 1,090 Karma: 6058305 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: UK Device: Kindle Paperwhite	All my books get added to Calibre, which has DRM removal plugins installed. My Calibre library gets copied to my server with rsync every day (I wrote a PHP script to let me access my library via a web browser), and it's in Dropbox. About once a week, I use rdiff-backup to backup my home directory (including my e-books) to an external hard drive. Occasionally, I put an encrypted copy of my backup onto my work computer or my mum's computer.

06-07-2012, 02:25 AM	#8
Edward M. Grant Zealot Posts: 129 Karma: 3000000 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Canada Device: Kindle Keyboard, Asus Transformer	I download them all to Kindle for PC on my laptop, and then rsync them to the RAID drive on my server. However, that doesn't help with the DRM-ed books when Kindle for PC barfs and refuses to start up so I have to reinstall it.

06-07-2012, 02:42 AM	#9
DrNefario Wizard Posts: 2,188 Karma: 12000000 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: UK Device: Kindle, Kobo Touch, Nook SimpleTouch	If they're redownloadable I don't bother. If not I have a copy on my netbook in Calibre and a copy, usually of the original download, in Dropbox.

06-07-2012, 02:47 AM	#10
EowynCarter Wizard Posts: 4,337 Karma: 4000000 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Paris Device: Cybooks; Sony PRS-T1	I have made my own application it un-dr the books, copy the file where I said. I have most of my books on my own cloud folder. And all of them on my reader.

06-07-2012, 04:27 AM	#11
Lynx-lynx Treachery of images ... Posts: 4,113 Karma: 92523791 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Australia Device: Sony 650, Kobo Glo, H2O, Aura One, Forma, Libra 2, Libra Colour	Wow - thank you everyone, you've given me some ideas re not just storage but other ways to use Drop Box etc. Thanks again!!!

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06-07-2012, 05:18 AM	#13
applesauce Addict Posts: 387 Karma: 3553492 Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Perth Western Australia Device: kindle oasis	I have all the books in calibre except for ones from amazon. I am yet to work out how to add those to calibre. Once I do that I will open a dropbox account and upload there. For now I have them backed up on a 8gig usb stick. Tho that is messy as I have copies for my kindle my husbands android and my daughters kobo. I am reluctant to wipe any version incase one messes up when converting. I will work this out but for the moment game of thrones calls and I want to start the second book applesauce

06-07-2012, 05:25 AM	#14
kleinste Nameless Being	I keep my whole library on the Kindle itself. Other copies exist (in .mobi and .epub) of all of my books on Calibre, my external hard drive, and DropBox.