How do you 'manage' your books - Page 2

Paperbackstash · 11-28-2020, 03:18 PM

I keep all my ebooks on my main e-reader, which is right now my Oasis 3. I did the same when I read mainly on the paperwhites, but I don't go to add all new books to them at this point. The exception is color books - like comics, cookbooks - I keep those on the Fire Tablets. I use Calibre with "libraries" on my computer, but do not load every book from the program.

pwalker8 · 11-28-2020, 04:39 PM

I have all my ebooks in Calibre, plus in CC on my various iDevices. Plus I side load a lot on my Kobo reader. I do most of my reading on my iPad pro and have the books in my to be read in Marvin.

zakman · 11-28-2020, 04:44 PM

Download them from whichever source, add to Calibre, convert to AWZ3 and sideload to Kindle. Have around a couple hundred loaded at any given time.

jhowell · 11-28-2020, 06:16 PM

I find my Kindle’s interface for finding books to read to be unusable for me. It is slow and clunky. I use calibre to keep track of books I have read and want to read.

These days I mostly read library books. I borrow a book, have it sent to my Kindle, read it, and return it when I’m done. So I often only have one book on my device.

It helps that I am rarely out of WiFi range so accessing library books and my smaller collection of purchased books is quick and easy.

barryem · 11-28-2020, 07:10 PM

I keep my books in folders named for the author, last name first. Those folders are in a folder called books.

In the past couple of years I've also been keeping my books in a folder called books on Dropbox. I do most of my reading on my phone and this makes them handy. I haven't moved all my books to Dropbox. Just the ones I've bought since I started doing that and the ones I've felt I might read in the near future.

Barry

MarjaE · 11-28-2020, 08:06 PM

Still figuring this out.

1. Download.

2. Eventually pre-process any pdf files.

3. Eventually import into Calibre.

3A. I use columns for distributor, publisher, and processing, to keep track of the sources and how I've processed pdf files.

3B. I use another column for status to keep track of which books to export to which devices. I use columns for genre, and projects, to help form Kindle collections.

3C. I use separate columns for tags, categories, and notes. Since each publisher uses their own set of tags, I usually wipe tags or move them to categories. I use my own tags to list the main topics, themes, or types of stories, and notes for specific topics of interest, as well as issues which may come up if I write a review. And a column for bookmarks to list important page numbers.

4. Move the original onto my archives disk, organized by distributor, and then either library for public-domain internet archive books, or topic, or author, depending. I use a red tag for files I've imported and a gray tag for ones I've skipped, e.g. because they are extra formats, or because they were freebies and I've lost interest in that author.

theducks · 11-28-2020, 08:42 PM

Calibre has ALL my books (and that is backed up onto 2 other systems)

My readers only have a selection of TBR and those I am reading ( I have numerous 'I'm Reading ' books (moody reader here

).

Completed (or abandoned) are logged into the Calibre Library, then I remove them from the device.

pdurrant · 11-29-2020, 03:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barryem

I keep my books in folders named for the author, last name first. Those folders are in a folder called books.

In the past couple of years I've also been keeping my books in a folder called books on Dropbox. I do most of my reading on my phone and this makes them handy. I haven't moved all my books to Dropbox. Just the ones I've bought since I started doing that and the ones I've felt I might read in the near future.

Barry

I used to organise my books like that. I'm so glad I switched to calibre.

bookaho!ic · 11-29-2020, 04:45 AM

i have to say i love Calibre it has made it so easy for me. I also archive purchased books from kobo so that if i do bother to connect up the reader (usually for an upgrade) it doesnt download kepubs.

i download put in ade put in calibre then archive that way i know its in the cloud but as its not in my books but in archived books on kobo i have downloaded

hildea · 11-29-2020, 05:00 AM

Principles for my library management:

Laziness -- I want to do as little as possible before I can read
Robustness -- I don't want to risk any of my books getting lost if a bookshop goes belly up (been there, done that) or bookshop algorithms decide to do something weird and inscrutable and steal books I've paid for (I've read about too many cases of that happening)
Flexibility -- I want to get books from lots of different sources, and see them all in the same library

I buy books from several sources, and also get some from legal free sources, like the free library here. I download them all to my PC, import them into Calibre, change format if necessary, edit the tags to ones I like (they usually come with too many and too specific tags to my taste), and from there export them to my ereader. When importing to Calibre, the books are automatically cleaned of DRM and backed up to the cloud. I have a bit over 700 books in my library right now.

I like rereading, so I keep all my books on the reader. I also have Calibre Companion on my phone, and use it to download favourites there, so I won't be without something to read if I'm caught waiting somewhere without my ereader.

I try to keep the Read: Yes/No tag in Calibre updated, and keep it empty for books I've started to read, but abandoned. I try to only buy books I'm planning to read fairly soon, so I won't have a too huge pile of TBR, but haven't quite managed it. I know I have books I've bought, wanted to read, and then forgotten -- especially when I get a bunch of books in one go, like Humble Bundle.

I sometimes use Calibre Companion on my phone to search for something to read, because the library on the ereader isn't updated with metadata. When my current ereader gives up the ghost, I'll try to find one that can run CC.

I used Goodreads for a while, to log books I've read and books I wanted to read, but the recommendations weren't good enough to make it worth the hassle. I've tried out the new Storygraph. I like it a lot better than Goodreads, but not enough to keep it updated so far. I've been thinking about putting all the books I buy there -- the recommendations seem good, and they have a function where you can enter what kind of book you're in the mood for, and it can recommend something from the books you already own but haven't read. Huh, I see they now have an app -- maybe I should check it out.

pdurrant · 11-29-2020, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hildea

I know I have books I've bought, wanted to read, and then forgotten -- especially when I get a bunch of books in one go, like Humble Bundle.

I've found that using a virtual library that only shows unread books, in combination with calibre's "Pick a Random Book" function is a great way to choose my next book to read. It ensures that forgotten gems get found. Eventually.

JSWolf · 11-29-2020, 06:22 AM

Calibre just makes organizing my eBooks so much easier. I can do so much more then some self-made directory tree. Plus, it's so much easier to see what I have and in what format(s).

crossi · 11-29-2020, 11:49 PM

I download to kindle for PC, from there I send a cleaned file to Calibre and sideload to my kindle. My kindle books are sorted by category which I create on my kindle. Most of my categories are author names. Unread books I leave uncategorized until I finish them so they all show up at the end of my categorized books. I would sort by author except stupidly the home page that way does not just have a list of author names that you need to click on to see the titles but it lists all the titles that you own. Way too many pages on the home screen. Right now I have ~1200 books in 11 pages of categories. That's manageable.

church mouse · 11-30-2020, 01:40 AM

Since Covid restrictions began in March, I have been trying a different method of book management. All books are managed in Calibre (no change there), but the only book I have on my reader is the one I am reading (I only ever read one book at a time).

When I am ready for my next read, I just connect over the net to my Calibre server and download my next read. The advantages are I do not have to worry about organising books on the reader (in whatever manner the reader will allow), and the book will always be the latest version held in my Calibre library.

Of course, it does mean I have lots of unused memory on my reader. Also, I will probably have a slightly different plan as and when spending a period of days away from home becomes a likelihood again (perhaps download a sufficiency of "next reads" in advance just in case of internet/server failure?).

LucyOne · 11-30-2020, 02:06 PM

New books get loaded and processed into Calibre, i.e. metadata, larger covers, conversion, polishing, page count, reading list, marked as unread/read. From there, I distribute them to my various readers as necessary.

I have all my books organized in Calibre in different libraries. These are also copied on my two InkPads 3 which have a micro SD card large enough for all the books. I sometimes like to look something up in books I've read, that's why I prefer to have all my books available on my e-readers.

I had switched the built-in 8 GB micro SD card in my Kobo Clara HD for a 32 GB one, but it was too slow with all the books on it, so I switched it back. Now I only keep a selection of books I want to read in the near future on my Kobo.
Same with my Pocketbook Touch HD3 which also only has an internal storage card. I'd love to have a 6-inch device with a micro SD card slot again, in order to be able to carry all my books with me wherever I go. 6-inch devices are easier to carry around than 7.8-inch devices. The latest Pocketbook Touch Lux 5 has uneven lighting, though, so I'm not switching to that.

I also have a Kindle Paperwhite which I mostly use for books from Amazon, so I don't often connect it to Calibre to load other content on it. As long as there isn't a Paperwhite with warm LEDs I won't be using it much anyway.

11-29-2020, 05:00 AM	#25
hildea Wizard Posts: 1,315 Karma: 67561852 Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Norway Device: PocketBook Touch Lux (had Onyx Boox Poke 3 and BeBook Neo earlier)	Principles for my library management: Laziness -- I want to do as little as possible before I can read Robustness -- I don't want to risk any of my books getting lost if a bookshop goes belly up (been there, done that) or bookshop algorithms decide to do something weird and inscrutable and steal books I've paid for (I've read about too many cases of that happening) Flexibility -- I want to get books from lots of different sources, and see them all in the same library I buy books from several sources, and also get some from legal free sources, like the free library here. I download them all to my PC, import them into Calibre, change format if necessary, edit the tags to ones I like (they usually come with too many and too specific tags to my taste), and from there export them to my ereader. When importing to Calibre, the books are automatically cleaned of DRM and backed up to the cloud. I have a bit over 700 books in my library right now. I like rereading, so I keep all my books on the reader. I also have Calibre Companion on my phone, and use it to download favourites there, so I won't be without something to read if I'm caught waiting somewhere without my ereader. I try to keep the Read: Yes/No tag in Calibre updated, and keep it empty for books I've started to read, but abandoned. I try to only buy books I'm planning to read fairly soon, so I won't have a too huge pile of TBR, but haven't quite managed it. I know I have books I've bought, wanted to read, and then forgotten -- especially when I get a bunch of books in one go, like Humble Bundle. I sometimes use Calibre Companion on my phone to search for something to read, because the library on the ereader isn't updated with metadata. When my current ereader gives up the ghost, I'll try to find one that can run CC. I used Goodreads for a while, to log books I've read and books I wanted to read, but the recommendations weren't good enough to make it worth the hassle. I've tried out the new Storygraph. I like it a lot better than Goodreads, but not enough to keep it updated so far. I've been thinking about putting all the books I buy there -- the recommendations seem good, and they have a function where you can enter what kind of book you're in the mood for, and it can recommend something from the books you already own but haven't read. Huh, I see they now have an app -- maybe I should check it out.

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11-28-2020, 03:18 PM	#16
Paperbackstash Wizard Posts: 1,656 Karma: 20102554 Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Central Florida Device: Oasis 3, PW 3 & 5, Fire HD 8 & 10	I keep all my ebooks on my main e-reader, which is right now my Oasis 3. I did the same when I read mainly on the paperwhites, but I don't go to add all new books to them at this point. The exception is color books - like comics, cookbooks - I keep those on the Fire Tablets. I use Calibre with "libraries" on my computer, but do not load every book from the program.

11-28-2020, 04:39 PM	#17
pwalker8 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,196 Karma: 70314280 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Atlanta, GA Device: iPad Pro, iPad mini, Kobo Aura, Amazon paperwhite, Sony PRS-T2	I have all my ebooks in Calibre, plus in CC on my various iDevices. Plus I side load a lot on my Kobo reader. I do most of my reading on my iPad pro and have the books in my to be read in Marvin.

11-28-2020, 04:44 PM	#18
zakman Enthusiast Posts: 35 Karma: 2119794 Join Date: Jan 2016 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2019	Download them from whichever source, add to Calibre, convert to AWZ3 and sideload to Kindle. Have around a couple hundred loaded at any given time.

11-28-2020, 06:16 PM	#19
jhowell Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,078 Karma: 91577715 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Charlottesville, VA Device: Kindles	I find my Kindle’s interface for finding books to read to be unusable for me. It is slow and clunky. I use calibre to keep track of books I have read and want to read. These days I mostly read library books. I borrow a book, have it sent to my Kindle, read it, and return it when I’m done. So I often only have one book on my device. It helps that I am rarely out of WiFi range so accessing library books and my smaller collection of purchased books is quick and easy.

11-28-2020, 07:10 PM	#20
barryem Wizard Posts: 2,459 Karma: 68781975 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Arkansas Device: Paperwhite 4	I keep my books in folders named for the author, last name first. Those folders are in a folder called books. In the past couple of years I've also been keeping my books in a folder called books on Dropbox. I do most of my reading on my phone and this makes them handy. I haven't moved all my books to Dropbox. Just the ones I've bought since I started doing that and the ones I've felt I might read in the near future. Barry

11-28-2020, 08:06 PM	#21
MarjaE Guru Posts: 937 Karma: 53902736 Join Date: Jun 2015 Device: multiple	Still figuring this out. 1. Download. 2. Eventually pre-process any pdf files. 3. Eventually import into Calibre. 3A. I use columns for distributor, publisher, and processing, to keep track of the sources and how I've processed pdf files. 3B. I use another column for status to keep track of which books to export to which devices. I use columns for genre, and projects, to help form Kindle collections. 3C. I use separate columns for tags, categories, and notes. Since each publisher uses their own set of tags, I usually wipe tags or move them to categories. I use my own tags to list the main topics, themes, or types of stories, and notes for specific topics of interest, as well as issues which may come up if I write a review. And a column for bookmarks to list important page numbers. 4. Move the original onto my archives disk, organized by distributor, and then either library for public-domain internet archive books, or topic, or author, depending. I use a red tag for files I've imported and a gray tag for ones I've skipped, e.g. because they are extra formats, or because they were freebies and I've lost interest in that author.

11-28-2020, 08:42 PM	#22
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,079 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Calibre has ALL my books (and that is backed up onto 2 other systems) My readers only have a selection of TBR and those I am reading ( I have numerous 'I'm Reading ' books (moody reader here ). Completed (or abandoned) are logged into the Calibre Library, then I remove them from the device.

11-29-2020, 04:45 AM	#24
bookaho!ic Evangelist Posts: 466 Karma: 5575734 Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: UK Device: kobo Aura H20 2nd Ed	i have to say i love Calibre it has made it so easy for me. I also archive purchased books from kobo so that if i do bother to connect up the reader (usually for an upgrade) it doesnt download kepubs. i download put in ade put in calibre then archive that way i know its in the cloud but as its not in my books but in archived books on kobo i have downloaded

11-29-2020, 06:22 AM	#27
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,796 Karma: 146391129 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Calibre just makes organizing my eBooks so much easier. I can do so much more then some self-made directory tree. Plus, it's so much easier to see what I have and in what format(s).

11-29-2020, 11:49 PM	#28
crossi Guru Posts: 997 Karma: 12000001 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Seattle Wahington U.S. Device: kindle	I download to kindle for PC, from there I send a cleaned file to Calibre and sideload to my kindle. My kindle books are sorted by category which I create on my kindle. Most of my categories are author names. Unread books I leave uncategorized until I finish them so they all show up at the end of my categorized books. I would sort by author except stupidly the home page that way does not just have a list of author names that you need to click on to see the titles but it lists all the titles that you own. Way too many pages on the home screen. Right now I have ~1200 books in 11 pages of categories. That's manageable.

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11-30-2020, 01:40 AM	#29
church mouse Evangelist Posts: 485 Karma: 5277078 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: UK Device: Kobo Clara HD, Boox Poke 2, PocketBook Verse Pro (634)	Since Covid restrictions began in March, I have been trying a different method of book management. All books are managed in Calibre (no change there), but the only book I have on my reader is the one I am reading (I only ever read one book at a time). When I am ready for my next read, I just connect over the net to my Calibre server and download my next read. The advantages are I do not have to worry about organising books on the reader (in whatever manner the reader will allow), and the book will always be the latest version held in my Calibre library. Of course, it does mean I have lots of unused memory on my reader. Also, I will probably have a slightly different plan as and when spending a period of days away from home becomes a likelihood again (perhaps download a sufficiency of "next reads" in advance just in case of internet/server failure?).

11-30-2020, 02:06 PM	#30
LucyOne Librocubicularist Posts: 617 Karma: 11908623 Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Germany Device: PocketBook InkPad 3 & Touch HD 3, Kobo Clara HD, Kindle Paperwhite 5	New books get loaded and processed into Calibre, i.e. metadata, larger covers, conversion, polishing, page count, reading list, marked as unread/read. From there, I distribute them to my various readers as necessary. I have all my books organized in Calibre in different libraries. These are also copied on my two InkPads 3 which have a micro SD card large enough for all the books. I sometimes like to look something up in books I've read, that's why I prefer to have all my books available on my e-readers. I had switched the built-in 8 GB micro SD card in my Kobo Clara HD for a 32 GB one, but it was too slow with all the books on it, so I switched it back. Now I only keep a selection of books I want to read in the near future on my Kobo. Same with my Pocketbook Touch HD3 which also only has an internal storage card. I'd love to have a 6-inch device with a micro SD card slot again, in order to be able to carry all my books with me wherever I go. 6-inch devices are easier to carry around than 7.8-inch devices. The latest Pocketbook Touch Lux 5 has uneven lighting, though, so I'm not switching to that. I also have a Kindle Paperwhite which I mostly use for books from Amazon, so I don't often connect it to Calibre to load other content on it. As long as there isn't a Paperwhite with warm LEDs I won't be using it much anyway.