Managing a book collection

[chaley]

Originally Posted by paulfiera

I think that's what I'm looking for. I've only used calibre for about a month and I'm still learning it. There are so many options and tweaks...

How could I implement

• a column for my reading queue
• a similar column for my wife's reading queue - she also has her own reader

Create two custom columns, one for you and one for your wife. The kind of the column will depend on your plans. Use a tags-like column if you intend to have more than one value in the column (I don't). Use a text column or a 'text with a fixed set of values' column (the latter is what I call an enumeration column) if the column is to contain one value per book.

The advantage of the enumeration column is that the possible values are in a drop-down box, making it much easier to enter values. The disadvantage is that the set if values is fixed. You can change it at any time, but that process is harder than simply typing a new value.

Note: you will not get the organization right today. What you want and need will come clear only after time and experience. Do something today, and don't be afraid to change your mind.

[paulfiera]

A daunting task

I guess I won't get bored the next couple of weeks.

I guess I'll start by merging the 2 libraries and take it from there.

Many thanks everybody for your input.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I presently have three libraries and am considering a fourth. My big library contains all the "normal" books. I have a custom column that shows which books are unread using the star rating format. One star means the book is unread and I want to read it eventually. Two stars also means unread but it's at the top of my to read list.

I keep my comics in a separate library because it uses different columns, all custom, than the "normal" book library.

I have a library set up for my sheet music/songbooks but haven't decided how I'm going to set up the columns yet. It will be a while before I need to worry about it.

I'm considering putting all the tech articles I've saved into calibre. That would eliminate the need for duplicate copies since many can apply to multiple classifications. It would also be easier to search through the articles.

With proper tagging, calibre can house all my books and documents in one library but since certain broad genres require different columns, keeping separate libraries will reduce the onscreen clutter and the need to scroll horizonally.

[Sabardeyn]

Lady Fitzgerald,

I would be interested in the custom columns you've created (comics or any other genre), if you don't mind sharing? I'm starting to customize a bit and wondering what others have implemented.

(Currently searching the forums for applicable threads, but you know how searching is sometimes finding the perfect keyword.)

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by Sabardeyn

Lady Fitzgerald,

I would be interested in the custom columns you've created (comics or any other genre), if you don't mind sharing? I'm starting to customize a bit and wondering what others have implemented.

(Currently searching the forums for applicable threads, but you know how searching is sometimes finding the perfect keyword.)

Sorry to take so long to reply; I was out of town and didn't get in until reeeealy late last night.

My main library (the one I keep regular books, like novels, in) has four custom columns: Sub-series, Unread, On JBL, and Format (the default columns I use are Title, Author, Series and Date; I keep date off screen).

Sub-series is for series (like DragonLance, Pern Series, Complete Chronicles of Thomas Covenent, etc.) that have series within a series.

I found it easier to view if I had a column that showed if a book was unread and was blank when read so I set up a column titled Unread and used the star rating system. I use one star for unread books I want to get to eventually and two stars for unread books on my immediate to-read list. Although I haven't done so yet, I will use three stars for books in a series I'm currently reading.

I use On JBL to show which books I have loaded on my JetBook Lite. I also use the star rating system for this; one star to show a book is loaded on my JBL.

I set up Format just for excrement and merriment. I keep it off screen and scroll to the right if I want to view it.


My comic book library has two custom columns; Series and Unread (the only default column I use is the Title column). The only comics I have are paperback style collections and Digest books like the Archie Comics Digests. Since the titles of the series comics include the number of the book, the Title column is self sorting. I made a custom Series column using text only since I didn't need the numbering of the default Series column. I wanted to name the custom series column "Series" bit calibre doesn't like us to name custom columns with the same names as default columns so I faked calibre out by putting an empty space in front of the word Series. The name of the column is a tad off center onscreen but it's barely noticeable.

The Unread column is set up the same as the one in my main library.


I haven't done anything with my Songbook/sheet music collection yet since I haven't figured out how to deal with it yet. I've got other irons on the fire so it will keep for now.

Same for my tech articles. I'll probably just use the title column to list the name of the article and make saved searches based on tags to sort according to topic since many of the articles can be organized under multiple topics.

[Sabardeyn]

Lady,

Don't worry about the delay, I didn't notice. (I'm quite erratic in my internet usage.) Thanks for the answers - that is exactly what I wanted. So far I've only created:

Illustrator: For the cover artist, interior artist, cartographer or mangaka (manga artist). It's used depending on the situation.

Version: I cannot stand the typos! So I'm editing, updating and keeping a personal version number. Yeah, it's fairly rare that I edit, but at least this way I know not to overwrite my version with a lesser quality "edition".

Universe & Subseries: I've found that many authors create multiple story lines within the same setting. So I use Universe for the setting name. Subseries is used in exactly the same way as your own.

I've considered some others, but found after a bit of thought that a Tag would be better. It probably helps that I use various online databases and/or social metadata stuff to kind of decide on tag terms and usage ahead of time. (For instance, one site for manga used gender specific terms/phrases which were better without the gender: Strong Female Leading Character -> Strong Lead Character.)

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by Sabardeyn

Lady,

Don't worry about the delay, I didn't notice. (I'm quite erratic in my internet usage.) Thanks for the answers - that is exactly what I wanted. So far I've only created:

Illustrator: For the cover artist, interior artist, cartographer or mangaka (manga artist). It's used depending on the situation.

Version: I cannot stand the typos! So I'm editing, updating and keeping a personal version number. Yeah, it's fairly rare that I edit, but at least this way I know not to overwrite my version with a lesser quality "edition".

Universe & Subseries: I've found that many authors create multiple story lines within the same setting. So I use Universe for the setting name. Subseries is used in exactly the same way as your own.

I've considered some others, but found after a bit of thought that a Tag would be better. It probably helps that I use various online databases and/or social metadata stuff to kind of decide on tag terms and usage ahead of time. (For instance, one site for manga used gender specific terms/phrases which were better without the gender: Strong Female Leading Character -> Strong Lead Character.)

I lump illustrator with Author(s) but I also add the word "Illustrator" in parentheses. I do the same with editor. That way, I don't have an extra column or two eating up screen real estate.

Btw, I forgot to mention, I do most of my searching, etc. in both my custom columns and my default columns in the tag browser. I keep it on screen all the time along with the details panel (I have a 22" widescreen monitor). The two columns I almost never use I hide behind the details panel and just scroll over on the rare occasions I need to see them.