Collapse Library Categories to compact the library

MikeWF · 05-11-2026, 05:57 AM

I currently use different libraries to keep the main library as small as possible to facilitate searching, scrolling etc. (e.g. copy books to library "Read" and delete after copy).

However, I would prefer to keep one main library by collapsing the "Series" and possibly "Author". For example:
I have most of M. Connellys Bosch and Haller series. If I could collapse them to one line my on-screen library would be more manageable.

Searching should still show all matches whether a series is collapsed or not.

theducks · 05-11-2026, 01:19 PM

??? The length of the main grid does not normally affect speed of transfers or key fields as they are already indexed as part of the DB operation.

Anything in the Tag Browser. Those should almost be instant (vidieo render time) as the DB is mostly in RAM at that point.

Learn to use VL's (virtual Libraries). These are indexed windows into the whole. Another advantage is the Tag Browser now respects the VL contents and only shows those relevant to what you see (the full VL as show no the status line.) I have 4 VL's To Read, Have Read, TBE (to be touched up/edited Metadat CLEANED of fluff.) and Formats none or poor (I track my Audio only, Buying wish list, (scanned) books with errors that were poorly fixed)
MainLib is the full (normal) View
To make MINE work. I have a T/F column to indicate that the book now passes Calibre Debug to my standard. I have a date column for the last (book) edit. I have a Date column for Finished (2 special dates: EPUB SPLIT and abandoned). All this keeps track of what has been read, What is ready to read (cleaned), What to buy the next shopping binge.
The VL Have Read and a saved search can quickly show books with the 1999 date (my abandoned flag date) to quickly show authors/series that I might want to avoid.

Note: This is all STOCK CALIBRE. Plugins can expand the possibilities.
The only things that consume time is Full text (the books contents) searching and conversions copying the book elsewhere.

Sirtel · Yesterday, 01:16 AM

It is not possible to collapse rows in the library view of the main window.

05-11-2026, 05:57 AM	#1
MikeWF Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2021 Device: Kindle Scribe & Paperwhite	Collapse Library Categories to compact the library I currently use different libraries to keep the main library as small as possible to facilitate searching, scrolling etc. (e.g. copy books to library "Read" and delete after copy). However, I would prefer to keep one main library by collapsing the "Series" and possibly "Author". For example: I have most of M. Connellys Bosch and Haller series. If I could collapse them to one line my on-screen library would be more manageable. Searching should still show all matches whether a series is collapsed or not.

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05-11-2026, 01:19 PM	#2
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,749 Karma: 64144480 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	??? The length of the main grid does not normally affect speed of transfers or key fields as they are already indexed as part of the DB operation. Anything in the Tag Browser. Those should almost be instant (vidieo render time) as the DB is mostly in RAM at that point. Learn to use VL's (virtual Libraries). These are indexed windows into the whole. Another advantage is the Tag Browser now respects the VL contents and only shows those relevant to what you see (the full VL as show no the status line.) I have 4 VL's To Read, Have Read, TBE (to be touched up/edited Metadat CLEANED of fluff.) and Formats none or poor (I track my Audio only, Buying wish list, (scanned) books with errors that were poorly fixed) MainLib is the full (normal) View To make MINE work. I have a T/F column to indicate that the book now passes Calibre Debug to my standard. I have a date column for the last (book) edit. I have a Date column for Finished (2 special dates: EPUB SPLIT and abandoned). All this keeps track of what has been read, What is ready to read (cleaned), What to buy the next shopping binge. The VL Have Read and a saved search can quickly show books with the 1999 date (my abandoned flag date) to quickly show authors/series that I might want to avoid. Note: This is all STOCK CALIBRE. Plugins can expand the possibilities. The only things that consume time is Full text (the books contents) searching and conversions copying the book elsewhere.

Yesterday, 01:16 AM	#3
Sirtel Grand Sorcerer Posts: 15,092 Karma: 247565725 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Estonia Device: Kobo Sage & Libra 2	It is not possible to collapse rows in the library view of the main window.

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