How do you maintain and backup your ebook library? - Page 2

latepaul · 06-07-2012, 06:35 AM

When I get a new ebook I strip the DRM if there is any and import it into Calibre. I also keep a separate copy of de-DRM'd files in a separate folder. Actually this is all books I've purchased some of which are DRM-free, but it's not stuff I got from PG or MR etc. My Calibre library and this deDRMd files folder are included in my general PC backup which copies to an external USB drive.

At any one time a fair proportion of my books will be on one or all of my devices.

I used to be a bit paranoid about putting formerly DRMd files into Dropbox (there were stories about Dropbox employees accessing users files a while back) as that could be construed as distribution. These days I will have a few but usually only the ones I'm currently reading or about to start. I'm considering putting my whole Calibre library on there but I need to read up on how best to do that.

What I generally lack is a proper off-site backup. I keep thinking I should either put more stuff in Dropbox (but not have it sync that folder to all PCs), or have a second USB drive and swap them over once a week (keep the other in a locked drawer at work), or some other solution.

K. Molen · 06-07-2012, 07:12 AM

I use SkyDrive the same way others here use Dropbox. Meaning, I keep my Calibre library in my SkyDrive folder, which is automatically uploaded to the cloud. I also run both Calibre and SkyDrive on two separate computers, so I always have two local copies of my library in addition to the cloud.

Oh, and I keep my entire library on my Kindle, so that's another copy.

In terms of maintenance for the books themselves, these are the steps I go through whenever I buy a new book:

1. Add it to Calibre, which automatically removes the DRM when necessary.

2. Change the cover when necessary. With backlist books there's often a lot of different covers out there, and I want each book in Calibre to have the same cover as my paper book did. And if I've never owned the title in the past, I just make sure it's a cover with good resolution and with no borders.

3. Make sure some metadata fields have the right info in them:
a) Title, Author, Series, Publisher, Language (self explanatory)
b) Published (when the title was originally published, not when the current edition was published)
c) Comments (just an overview of the book and nothing else, sometimes this is downloaded using Calibre, sometimes sourced from Amazon or Wikipedia)
d) Tags (I only use three tags: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Manuals & Reference)
e) Custom metadata: Store bought from, Price paid (self explanatory)

4. And finally, when necessary I convert the book to mobi

The only other thing I do is track when I start and finish books. I do this via two custom metadata fields.

ficbot · 06-07-2012, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

I have my Calibre library in my Dropbox so it backs up there automatically which maintains an off site backup.

This, plus a Time Machine backup onto an external hard drive.

Sweetpea · 06-07-2012, 08:54 AM

When I buy a book, I'll disinfect and extract it. I will then pour this book into my own form (one that I can easily transform into PDF, using LaTeX, as I can't stand the epub reader on my BBMini). This is my source copy. It is kept far, far away from Calibre as that will add extra stuff in it that I don't want. I want my source to be clean and untainted by any application (except notepad or equivalent application). This source is in pure HTML (single file), images and CSS.

Using my personal tools, I will then transform my source into epub, mobi and PDF. Those three formats will be entered in my Calibre library. Whenever I update a book (fixing typos), I'll update the source and re-create the three formats again. This will also be noted down in Calibre (by using a version). From Calibre, I'll put my books on my various devices.

My Calibre database is housing on an external HDD which is regularly synced with a copy that is housed in my server (on which my Calibre webserver is running). And I recently added all my epub books to my SkyDrive folder as well, as I recently acquired a Windows Phone.

Rich_D · 06-07-2012, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrNefario

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.

I've gotten burned on the "redownloadable" books before. I had lost a number of books purchased through the Palm bookstore. Since then I keep all my books in 3 locations: My nook, my laptop and my dropbox account.

elemenoP · 06-07-2012, 08:59 AM

Calibre and a Time Machine external drive. Also all my unread books are on my reader. I have thought about using an online backup but I'm more concerned about my photos and my work files (I'm freelance) than my ebooks. If something happened to both my laptop and my Time Machine, my ebooks would be the LEAST of my problems. Pretty much all of them could be re-downloaded from various sources, and if not, no big deal. Most of them were freebies anyway.

eP

AnemicOak · 06-07-2012, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich_D

I've gotten burned on the "redownloadable" books before.

I haven't gotten burned, but easily could have when CyberRead shut down (at least they warned people) and I know some people who lost stuff when Paperback Digital shut down with zero notice. Although books are "redownloadable" at most places I don't think any retailers make any actual guarantees that they will always be available (plus if they close up shop, any gurarantee is useless).

Kirtai · 06-07-2012, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich_D

I've gotten burned on the "redownloadable" books before. I had lost a number of books purchased through the Palm bookstore. Since then I keep all my books in 3 locations: My nook, my laptop and my dropbox account.

Same, though in my case it was though Alexandria Digital Literature.

Some of the stuff I lost are not available anywhere else

garrybuck · 06-07-2012, 11:20 AM

I have a Kindle, so Amazon ebooks stay on Amazon. All other ebooks go into a folder that syncs with SugarSync. Every evening the ebooks along with a few other important files are automatically backed up onto an external drive. That drive is disconnected during the day. Once a month all my data files are backed up onto 3 internal drives, the external drive is swapped out to a secret offsite location (the glove compartment of my car) and the older offsite disk is brought back into play. The two drives that get swapped to the car are encrypted.

Pomtroll · 06-07-2012, 11:42 AM

I have them in calibre & dropbox (just started this).

heySkippy · 06-07-2012, 12:32 PM

They get backed up with the rest of my hard drive (Time Machine/Time Capsule). I don't see ebook files as different from any other files.

Blossom · 06-07-2012, 01:49 PM

I keep everything in Calibre. I too have been burned by stores closing or no longer able to download the format because it's been discontinued. (Lit and mobi for example)

Books on my TBR list go into Dropbox once I spiff them up a bit and get them eReader ready. So I have several Calibre libraries. One for all the free books I get, another for Paid books I bought and a TBR Library for books I spiffed up and added to Dropbox. I prefer to keep original copies of the books just in case they need to be reconverted because of some problem I missed.

EowynCarter · 06-07-2012, 01:57 PM

One of the main reason I de-drm my books, so I don't need re-downloading.

Almost got burnt once, by adept going "Download number exceeded" on me. Luckily i finally found the file again.

HappyMartin · 06-07-2012, 01:59 PM

You'll have to ask Amazon. It's their problem as far as I am concerned.

Actually I have reread exactly 3 books since I bought my first e reader 5 years ago and all I did was repurchase them. Much cheaper and more time effeciant than all the back up hoops I would need to jump through. Cost me $15.

They are just books and there seems to be an inexhaustible supply of them. Be a bit like backing up sand grains. Why bother?

K. Molen · 06-07-2012, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HappyMartin

Much cheaper and more time effeciant than all the back up hoops I would need to jump through. Cost me $15.

A Dropbox or SkyDrive account makes it 100% automated and it costs you nothing, so I'd say that's an even more time efficient and cheaper option.

06-07-2012, 07:12 AM	#17
K. Molen Addict Posts: 284 Karma: 4478866 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Toronto, ON Device: Kindle 3, iPad 3, Nexus 10, Nexus 5	I use SkyDrive the same way others here use Dropbox. Meaning, I keep my Calibre library in my SkyDrive folder, which is automatically uploaded to the cloud. I also run both Calibre and SkyDrive on two separate computers, so I always have two local copies of my library in addition to the cloud. Oh, and I keep my entire library on my Kindle, so that's another copy. In terms of maintenance for the books themselves, these are the steps I go through whenever I buy a new book: 1. Add it to Calibre, which automatically removes the DRM when necessary. 2. Change the cover when necessary. With backlist books there's often a lot of different covers out there, and I want each book in Calibre to have the same cover as my paper book did. And if I've never owned the title in the past, I just make sure it's a cover with good resolution and with no borders. 3. Make sure some metadata fields have the right info in them: a) Title, Author, Series, Publisher, Language (self explanatory) b) Published (when the title was originally published, not when the current edition was published) c) Comments (just an overview of the book and nothing else, sometimes this is downloaded using Calibre, sometimes sourced from Amazon or Wikipedia) d) Tags (I only use three tags: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Manuals & Reference) e) Custom metadata: Store bought from, Price paid (self explanatory) 4. And finally, when necessary I convert the book to mobi The only other thing I do is track when I start and finish books. I do this via two custom metadata fields. Last edited by K. Molen; 06-08-2012 at 08:10 AM.

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06-07-2012, 06:35 AM	#16
latepaul Wizard Posts: 1,270 Karma: 10468300 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: a variety (mostly kindles and kobos)	When I get a new ebook I strip the DRM if there is any and import it into Calibre. I also keep a separate copy of de-DRM'd files in a separate folder. Actually this is all books I've purchased some of which are DRM-free, but it's not stuff I got from PG or MR etc. My Calibre library and this deDRMd files folder are included in my general PC backup which copies to an external USB drive. At any one time a fair proportion of my books will be on one or all of my devices. I used to be a bit paranoid about putting formerly DRMd files into Dropbox (there were stories about Dropbox employees accessing users files a while back) as that could be construed as distribution. These days I will have a few but usually only the ones I'm currently reading or about to start. I'm considering putting my whole Calibre library on there but I need to read up on how best to do that. What I generally lack is a proper off-site backup. I keep thinking I should either put more stuff in Dropbox (but not have it sync that folder to all PCs), or have a second USB drive and swap them over once a week (keep the other in a locked drawer at work), or some other solution.

06-07-2012, 08:54 AM	#19
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	When I buy a book, I'll disinfect and extract it. I will then pour this book into my own form (one that I can easily transform into PDF, using LaTeX, as I can't stand the epub reader on my BBMini). This is my source copy. It is kept far, far away from Calibre as that will add extra stuff in it that I don't want. I want my source to be clean and untainted by any application (except notepad or equivalent application). This source is in pure HTML (single file), images and CSS. Using my personal tools, I will then transform my source into epub, mobi and PDF. Those three formats will be entered in my Calibre library. Whenever I update a book (fixing typos), I'll update the source and re-create the three formats again. This will also be noted down in Calibre (by using a version). From Calibre, I'll put my books on my various devices. My Calibre database is housing on an external HDD which is regularly synced with a copy that is housed in my server (on which my Calibre webserver is running). And I recently added all my epub books to my SkyDrive folder as well, as I recently acquired a Windows Phone.

06-07-2012, 08:59 AM	#21
elemenoP Wizard Posts: 1,717 Karma: 3790058 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NYC Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony 650	Calibre and a Time Machine external drive. Also all my unread books are on my reader. I have thought about using an online backup but I'm more concerned about my photos and my work files (I'm freelance) than my ebooks. If something happened to both my laptop and my Time Machine, my ebooks would be the LEAST of my problems. Pretty much all of them could be re-downloaded from various sources, and if not, no big deal. Most of them were freebies anyway. eP

06-07-2012, 11:20 AM	#24
garrybuck Connoisseur Posts: 64 Karma: 69964 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle	I have a Kindle, so Amazon ebooks stay on Amazon. All other ebooks go into a folder that syncs with SugarSync. Every evening the ebooks along with a few other important files are automatically backed up onto an external drive. That drive is disconnected during the day. Once a month all my data files are backed up onto 3 internal drives, the external drive is swapped out to a secret offsite location (the glove compartment of my car) and the older offsite disk is brought back into play. The two drives that get swapped to the car are encrypted.

06-07-2012, 11:42 AM	#25
Pomtroll Guru Posts: 822 Karma: 1341819 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Minnesota USA Device: Sony 350, Sony T1, Kindle Touch, Kindle PW1	I have them in calibre & dropbox (just started this).

06-07-2012, 12:32 PM	#26
heySkippy Groupie Posts: 182 Karma: 1316076 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Florida Device: iPad	They get backed up with the rest of my hard drive (Time Machine/Time Capsule). I don't see ebook files as different from any other files.

06-07-2012, 01:49 PM	#27
Blossom Treasure Seeker Posts: 18,708 Karma: 26026435 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Kobo HD Glo, Kindles, Kindle Fires, Andriod Devices	I keep everything in Calibre. I too have been burned by stores closing or no longer able to download the format because it's been discontinued. (Lit and mobi for example) Books on my TBR list go into Dropbox once I spiff them up a bit and get them eReader ready. So I have several Calibre libraries. One for all the free books I get, another for Paid books I bought and a TBR Library for books I spiffed up and added to Dropbox. I prefer to keep original copies of the books just in case they need to be reconverted because of some problem I missed.

06-07-2012, 01:57 PM	#28
EowynCarter Wizard Posts: 4,337 Karma: 4000000 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Paris Device: Cybooks; Sony PRS-T1	One of the main reason I de-drm my books, so I don't need re-downloading. Almost got burnt once, by adept going "Download number exceeded" on me. Luckily i finally found the file again.

06-07-2012, 01:59 PM	#29
HappyMartin Martin Kristiansen Posts: 1,546 Karma: 8480958 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Johannesburg Device: Kindle International Ipad 2	You'll have to ask Amazon. It's their problem as far as I am concerned. Actually I have reread exactly 3 books since I bought my first e reader 5 years ago and all I did was repurchase them. Much cheaper and more time effeciant than all the back up hoops I would need to jump through. Cost me $15. They are just books and there seems to be an inexhaustible supply of them. Be a bit like backing up sand grains. Why bother?