Tips or ideas for managing multiple versions of books

vbob · 02-19-2026, 05:25 PM

I've been using Calibre for my casual reading for some time, and realize it's a much deeper and more useful tool than I have taken advantage of so far. Now in retirement, I find myself juggling multiple versions of technical documents, where I almost always want to study the most recent, but would like to have the others only slightly hidden. Does Calibre offer a mechanism for keeping older document versions near at hand but not on main 'shelves' much as a paper library would use the 'stacks'?

DNSB · 02-19-2026, 05:42 PM

You can have a book data folder inside the book folder in the library to store old versions and basically anything you want. To access it, right click on a book, hover on edit metadata and then click on Manage data files.

BetterRed · 02-19-2026, 06:57 PM

You can also access a book's 'data' folder directly via the Open book folder tool:

Click image for larger version

Name: calibre - open book folder.jpg
Views: 11
Size: 24.2 KB
ID: 221139

If the folder doesn't already exist it will be created.

BR

02-19-2026, 05:25 PM	#1
vbob Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2026 Device: Kindle	Tips or ideas for managing multiple versions of books I've been using Calibre for my casual reading for some time, and realize it's a much deeper and more useful tool than I have taken advantage of so far. Now in retirement, I find myself juggling multiple versions of technical documents, where I almost always want to study the most recent, but would like to have the others only slightly hidden. Does Calibre offer a mechanism for keeping older document versions near at hand but not on main 'shelves' much as a paper library would use the 'stacks'?

02-19-2026, 06:57 PM	#3
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 22,382 Karma: 31000056 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	You can also access a book's 'data' folder directly via the Open book folder tool: If the folder doesn't already exist it will be created. BR

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Managing multiple libraries of books with calibre	lukeoftheaura	Calibre	1	07-07-2018 06:50 AM
Managing multiples users and devices, ideas?	nickdma	Library Management	20	07-07-2016 05:47 AM
Managing books in multiple series?	Shianelle	Library Management	16	01-12-2016 10:27 AM
A good way to deal with translated books (multiple language versions)?	Joanna	Library Management	3	07-02-2012 07:03 PM
Managing books on multiple kindles	stargazir	Amazon Kindle	19	02-15-2011 10:22 PM

02-19-2026, 05:42 PM	#2
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 50,457 Karma: 178402706 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Libra Colour, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	You can have a book data folder inside the book folder in the library to store old versions and basically anything you want. To access it, right click on a book, hover on edit metadata and then click on Manage data files.

Advert