Library help please!

Madwitch · 02-23-2018, 04:22 PM

Not sure if this is the right place to post so Admin please move if necessary.
I've got about 2000 books in my library but the metadata is all over the place. Some books are duplicated - one version will have the author name in the book title and the next version the author name where it should be. Some books are listed by author's first name, some by the last. Is there an easy way to sort this mess out? Thanks in anticipation!

Turtle91 · 02-23-2018, 06:53 PM

Yes!!

Turtle91 · 02-23-2018, 06:59 PM

lolz...sorry, I couldn't resist!

Most people use Calibre to perform their ebook library functions. It's a great tool to fix all the stuff you are talking about. By default, however, Calibre keeps all that metadata within its own program/database. If you want to fix the metadata in the ebook file itself then you'll need to take an extra step after you have corrected all the errors...you will need to either "polish ebook" or "save to disk". Either of those Calibre functions will save the info back into your file.

Cheers!

Madwitch · 02-24-2018, 04:27 AM

Lol:

I asked for that!! I know I can change the information in each book but with probably about 1000 to change before I can see what duplicates I've got etc I just wondered if there is an easy way to do this and if so how!!

JSWolf · 02-24-2018, 04:30 AM

Where did these eBooks with the messy metadata come from?

BetterRed · 02-24-2018, 05:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Madwitch

[ . . . ] I've got about 2000 books in my library but the metadata is all over the place. [ . . . ]

If your library is a calibre library then this thread belongs in the Calibre->Library Management sub-forum. You can ask for it to be moved by clicking the '!' button to the right of the 'Karma' button in the left sidebar.

There are many threads in that sub-forum that provide tips and tricks to get the metadata into order.

BR

Turtle91 · 02-24-2018, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Madwitch

Lol:

I asked for that!! I know I can change the information in each book but with probably about 1000 to change before I can see what duplicates I've got etc I just wondered if there is an easy way to do this and if so how!!

I can't say for sure that the method I've used over the last several years to catalog my few thousand books is the "easiest", but I'll describe it.

1) For all my pBooks I used Book Collector. It has a really nice ability to scan the ISBN of the book and then get all the metadata from their own database. The database is user updated - which is good and bad - sometimes the data is incorrect. I just disabled the auto-sync after the initial upload so it wouldn't replace the corrections I made to my personal library.

2) Several years ago I made the decision to never buy pBooks again (and even mostly stick to it - except for school books

) because I ran out of wall space in my house! Now every time I get a new eBook it is the simplest thing to add it to Calibre. (Free download here). To add a new book, simply drag and drop the eBook file into the main window. You can add batches of books with the built-in "Add books" as well as drag-n-drop. Calibre can also download metadata from many different sites online. It also has a widely supported plug-in community that does some great stuff like finding duplicates, fixing metadata, and so on. However, you WILL have to do some work yourself... the automated functions are only as good as the information you give it.

3) IMO Book Collector doesn't support eBooks nearly as well as Calibre supports pBooks, so I imported my Book Collector database into Calibre and use Calibre exclusively. However, I did this several years ago, and Book Collector might have updated their support for eBooks since then...??

I would definitely check out the Calibre forum as BR mentioned!

Good Luck!

JSWolf · 02-25-2018, 01:31 PM

Book Collector costs and Calibre does not. But I'd rather donate t Calabre's development than pay for a program that does not work nearly as well.

Turtle91 · 02-26-2018, 10:43 AM

You are correct that Book Collector costs...but Calibre doesn't have a "scan the ISBN off the back of the pBook" feature...and I seriously doubt Kovid is planning on taking it there....sooooo, I was willing to pay the very modest fee to scan and organize the over 2000 pBooks I had. Book Collector also has some very nice/useful features that made it well worth the minor cost, especially if you had a mostly pBook library. When my eBook library got large enough I decided to switch to Calibre because, at the time, it had better pBook support than Book Collector supported eBooks (as I mentioned). I haven't used Book Collecter for several years now so I don't know if they have changed their methods.

Have you used Book Collector? Or is your opinion based solely on the fact that they charge money for their product so they can pay their developers and stay in business?? I personally don't mind paying a fair price for a product that has the features I want/need.

02-23-2018, 04:22 PM	#1
Madwitch Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2018 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Library help please! Not sure if this is the right place to post so Admin please move if necessary. I've got about 2000 books in my library but the metadata is all over the place. Some books are duplicated - one version will have the author name in the book title and the next version the author name where it should be. Some books are listed by author's first name, some by the last. Is there an easy way to sort this mess out? Thanks in anticipation!

02-24-2018, 04:27 AM	#4
Madwitch Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2018 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Library help please! Lol: I asked for that!! I know I can change the information in each book but with probably about 1000 to change before I can see what duplicates I've got etc I just wondered if there is an easy way to do this and if so how!!

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02-23-2018, 06:53 PM	#2
Turtle91 A Hairy Wizard Posts: 3,094 Karma: 18727053 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Charleston, SC today Device: iPhone 11/X/6/iPad 1,2,Air & Air Pro/Surface Pro/Kindle PW & Fire	Yes!!

02-23-2018, 06:59 PM	#3
Turtle91 A Hairy Wizard Posts: 3,094 Karma: 18727053 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Charleston, SC today Device: iPhone 11/X/6/iPad 1,2,Air & Air Pro/Surface Pro/Kindle PW & Fire	lolz...sorry, I couldn't resist! Most people use Calibre to perform their ebook library functions. It's a great tool to fix all the stuff you are talking about. By default, however, Calibre keeps all that metadata within its own program/database. If you want to fix the metadata in the ebook file itself then you'll need to take an extra step after you have corrected all the errors...you will need to either "polish ebook" or "save to disk". Either of those Calibre functions will save the info back into your file. Cheers!

02-24-2018, 04:30 AM	#5
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,966 Karma: 128903250 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Where did these eBooks with the messy metadata come from?

02-25-2018, 01:31 PM	#8
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,966 Karma: 128903250 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Book Collector costs and Calibre does not. But I'd rather donate t Calabre's development than pay for a program that does not work nearly as well.

02-26-2018, 10:43 AM	#9
Turtle91 A Hairy Wizard Posts: 3,094 Karma: 18727053 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Charleston, SC today Device: iPhone 11/X/6/iPad 1,2,Air & Air Pro/Surface Pro/Kindle PW & Fire	You are correct that Book Collector costs...but Calibre doesn't have a "scan the ISBN off the back of the pBook" feature...and I seriously doubt Kovid is planning on taking it there....sooooo, I was willing to pay the very modest fee to scan and organize the over 2000 pBooks I had. Book Collector also has some very nice/useful features that made it well worth the minor cost, especially if you had a mostly pBook library. When my eBook library got large enough I decided to switch to Calibre because, at the time, it had better pBook support than Book Collector supported eBooks (as I mentioned). I haven't used Book Collecter for several years now so I don't know if they have changed their methods. Have you used Book Collector? Or is your opinion based solely on the fact that they charge money for their product so they can pay their developers and stay in business?? I personally don't mind paying a fair price for a product that has the features I want/need.

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