Family server

ApophisKay · 08-10-2025, 06:11 PM

Howdy howdy,

I'm trying to tell if Calibre Web Server is the right tool for me. I want to have a platform that I can easily access/share my audio and e-books with myself/family. Sortof do this through Amazon, but there are a lot of free (legal) books out there that you can't access through Amazon/Audible. Here are is what I would like done. I have a domain name, web hosting, and cloud storage.

1a) A place where the spouse/kids can go and get the library feel of selecting a book, much like the GUI in the full version of CWS, but web based. Be able to assign users.
1b) Would like to make some content NSFW and none child friendly... so would like to have a admin account and user account, but easily be able to limit what the user can see. I don't mind if the gardening book or woodworking book is opened by all, but some of the romance novels might be a bit steamy.
1c) We all have different devices. I tend to keep everything epub.
2) Web based, always on and I and my partner travel a lot and it would be nice to be able to access our library via internet, I don't want to leave a laptop/desktop running, I do have a domain name, web hosting, and cloud storage.
3) My web hosting site does not have unlimited storage, ebooks are small, but the audio is a space monster. Is it possible for CWS to securely access/link to a remote folder/site/space. Both web hosting and remote space have really good UL/DL speeds.

So.. web based, easy to navigate, user groups, remote storage from hosted website.

theducks · 08-10-2025, 07:27 PM

The content server has optional user accounts and individual restrictions for each.

Why not try it? Whether it starts automatically, is a user setting,
Preferences: sharing over the net and explore all the tabs.

Personally, If you have child unfriendly content, I would make it a completely separate LIBRARY, (the user account allows for multiple Libraries as well as VL) jus to really prevent accidental access.

technomom · 08-11-2025, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ApophisKay

Howdy howdy,

2) Web based, always on and I and my partner travel a lot and it would be nice to be able to access our library via internet, I don't want to leave a laptop/desktop running, I do have a domain name, web hosting, and cloud storage.

I've used Calibre for many years. I haven't seen a way to do this. I'd be interested in it, too, if it's possible.

Moonbase59 · 08-11-2025, 08:01 AM

I’ve been using a personal Jellyfin server for that purpose since many years. It also supports accounts, ebooks and even online reading (via browser or the Jellyfin client). You can also have an OPDS server, to select and download books to your reader.

I mainly used Jellyfin because I had it already and was totally not sure if opening a Calibre server to the web would be safe enough in any way, and also because I’m lazy. It’s just so great being able to access all your movies, series, music and books through one and the same platform.

Note the ebook features on Jellyfin, as compared to Calibre, are relatively rudimentary. (Enough for my family, though.)

Screenshots show access via a browser, reading an EPUB book on the desktop and on a phone using the Jellyfin online reader.

08-10-2025, 06:11 PM	#1
ApophisKay Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2025 Device: Kindle	Family server Howdy howdy, I'm trying to tell if Calibre Web Server is the right tool for me. I want to have a platform that I can easily access/share my audio and e-books with myself/family. Sortof do this through Amazon, but there are a lot of free (legal) books out there that you can't access through Amazon/Audible. Here are is what I would like done. I have a domain name, web hosting, and cloud storage. 1a) A place where the spouse/kids can go and get the library feel of selecting a book, much like the GUI in the full version of CWS, but web based. Be able to assign users. 1b) Would like to make some content NSFW and none child friendly... so would like to have a admin account and user account, but easily be able to limit what the user can see. I don't mind if the gardening book or woodworking book is opened by all, but some of the romance novels might be a bit steamy. 1c) We all have different devices. I tend to keep everything epub. 2) Web based, always on and I and my partner travel a lot and it would be nice to be able to access our library via internet, I don't want to leave a laptop/desktop running, I do have a domain name, web hosting, and cloud storage. 3) My web hosting site does not have unlimited storage, ebooks are small, but the audio is a space monster. Is it possible for CWS to securely access/link to a remote folder/site/space. Both web hosting and remote space have really good UL/DL speeds. So.. web based, easy to navigate, user groups, remote storage from hosted website.

08-11-2025, 08:01 AM	#4
Moonbase59 Addict Posts: 234 Karma: 1000244 Join Date: Oct 2021 Location: Germany Device: Tolino Vision 5, Tolino Tab 8", Pocketbook Era (16GB)	I’ve been using a personal Jellyfin server for that purpose since many years. It also supports accounts, ebooks and even online reading (via browser or the Jellyfin client). You can also have an OPDS server, to select and download books to your reader. I mainly used Jellyfin because I had it already and was totally not sure if opening a Calibre server to the web would be safe enough in any way, and also because I’m lazy. It’s just so great being able to access all your movies, series, music and books through one and the same platform. Note the ebook features on Jellyfin, as compared to Calibre, are relatively rudimentary. (Enough for my family, though.) Screenshots show access via a browser, reading an EPUB book on the desktop and on a phone using the Jellyfin online reader. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Moonbase59; 08-11-2025 at 08:31 AM.

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08-10-2025, 07:27 PM	#2
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,267 Karma: 61916422 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	The content server has optional user accounts and individual restrictions for each. Why not try it? Whether it starts automatically, is a user setting, Preferences: sharing over the net and explore all the tabs. Personally, If you have child unfriendly content, I would make it a completely separate LIBRARY, (the user account allows for multiple Libraries as well as VL) jus to really prevent accidental access.

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