Copy a wish list to a spreadsheet?

[Catlady]

I don't know where else to ask. I want to copy my wish list from a library site to a spreadsheet (I'm not using Libby). Is there a way to do it more efficiently than pasting 200+ titles one by one? Thanks.

[Aleron Ives]

Unless your library has an option to export the wishlist, no. You could probably write a script to scrape the contents of the page, but that would take longer than just copying the contents manually if you've never written a script like that before.

[Dazrin]

If you can use Libby, then there is an easy way to download all the information for a wish list (tag). If not, copy/paste is probably the fastest from Overdrive.

I really, really dislike Libby overall, and hate that it has been forced on me for many things, but this is a nice feature addition.

[slm]

It is always worth a try to just select the list on the website and hit the copy button then open Excel and hit paste.

Actually, slightly better is to paste the copied table into a program which can show you the structure (Word or Notepadd++), show hidden characters and find out what character is separating cells in a row. (If you are lucky, it won't just be a space). The paste into Excel and select that character as the cell separator.

[Catlady]

Thanks for the responses.

Originally Posted by Aleron Ives

Unless your library has an option to export the wishlist, no. You could probably write a script to scrape the contents of the page, but that would take longer than just copying the contents manually if you've never written a script like that before.

No, I don't see any such option. And a script? No clue!

Originally Posted by Dazrin

If you can use Libby, then there is an easy way to download all the information for a wish list (tag). If not, copy/paste is probably the fastest from Overdrive.

I really, really dislike Libby overall, and hate that it has been forced on me for many things, but this is a nice feature addition.

I don't want to go near Libby; I'm afraid it's going to mess up everything else that works for me now.

Originally Posted by slm

It is always worth a try to just select the list on the website and hit the copy button then open Excel and hit paste.

Actually, slightly better is to paste the copied table into a program which can show you the structure (Word or Notepadd++), show hidden characters and find out what character is separating cells in a row. (If you are lucky, it won't just be a space). The paste into Excel and select that character as the cell separator.

Copying and pasting page by page was what I started to do, but deleting all the extraneous stuff is time-consuming. But I guess that's what I'll be stuck doing!

[astrangerhere]

Originally Posted by Catlady

I don't know where else to ask. I want to copy my wish list from a library site to a spreadsheet (I'm not using Libby). Is there a way to do it more efficiently than pasting 200+ titles one by one? Thanks.

Honestly, my first thought would be to email a librarian. They might be able to view your list in a table or other format that you can't.

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by Catlady

I don't want to go near Libby; I'm afraid it's going to mess up everything else that works for me now.

When I opened Libby it didn't have any effect on my (preferred) Overdrive settings at all. For this particular task, I think Libby would be the best available tool. Then don't ever go back to it, at least until they finish killing off Overdrive. It sure seems like that's the way they are going.

Steps:
1) Go here: https://libbyapp.com/tags
2) Click on the "tag" that you want.
3) In the upper right corner, click Actions, then choose "Export Tag".
That will give you a choice on how to export it. The HTML or Spreadsheet options would be fairly simple here. If you don't do Excel, I'd use the HTML option.

You might need to create a new wish list tag to import the wish list into but they have instructions here: https://help.libbyapp.com/en-us/6024.htm

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

When I opened Libby it didn't have any effect on my (preferred) Overdrive settings at all. For this particular task, I think Libby would be the best available tool. Then don't ever go back to it, at least until they finish killing off Overdrive. It sure seems like that's the way they are going.

Steps:
1) Go here: https://libbyapp.com/tags
2) Click on the "tag" that you want.
3) In the upper right corner, click Actions, then choose "Export Tag".
That will give you a choice on how to export it. The HTML or Spreadsheet options would be fairly simple here. If you don't do Excel, I'd use the HTML option.

You might need to create a new wish list tag to import the wish list into but they have instructions here: https://help.libbyapp.com/en-us/6024.htm

Thanks; I'm still hesitant. Would that process combine wish lists from all my libraries? The only one I want to copy to a spreadsheet is the Metropolitan (Oklahoma) wish list, since my out-of-state card there can't be renewed and I want to be able to have the list once it expires.

I think I'm going to start out with copy-and-paste and see how it goes.

[Dazrin]

I don't have a library to check with. If you don't link the other library accounts to Libby, I would assume it would only get that one account. It shouldn't have access to anything else. If you do link multiple, then it would probably combine them.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

Honestly, my first thought would be to email a librarian. They might be able to view your list in a table or other format that you can't.

Never thought of that. It seems like an imposition, though, especially if it's something I can do with Libby but won't by my own choice.

[astrangerhere]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Never thought of that. It seems like an imposition, though, especially if it's something I can do with Libby but won't by my own choice.

I mean, they may direct you to Libby or they may be able to pull it out for you. I am a frequent flyer at 3 different local libraries and I just know some of my librarians would absolutely do this. Especially at the holidays to help generate gift lists.

[Renate]

You want to export as CSV.
That will go nicely into a spreadsheet.

I just updated my browser and it ate all my cookies. Since Libby doesn't really have its own login I have to re-add my library cards manually.