Tracking your ebook purchases/downloads

JanuaryF · 12-10-2009, 12:29 PM

Hi all,

I was wondering what you all do to track your ebook purchases? With the whole download-only thing, I'm a bit paranoid of losing the books, and forgetting where I bought them from. There are a million ebook stores now, and keeping track of where I bought and downloaded which ebook is going to be too much for my brain to retain.

I realize the answer here is "backup", but are you doing anything to track your purchases with tags or notes or spreadsheets?

Thanks!
January

rcuadro · 12-10-2009, 12:37 PM

I dont really track my purchases since all the books I get are from Amazon though I guess then that my method of tracking is Amazon itself.
For the books that I get from other sources I use Calibre and just add a tag with the name of the place that I got them from (Feedbooks is an example)
Then I can use Calibre to filter the books with the tags I am looking for.

Abecedary · 12-10-2009, 12:51 PM

I'm not quite sure I understand your question. As far as "tracking" where I purchased which book from, I get an email receipt for every online purchase I make. I just file all the ebook receipts away in a mail folder called "ebooks". If I ever want to see where I purchased something from or how much I paid, I just do a search on that mail folder.

Otherwise, I just have a directory on my computer with all my ebooks in it. That's the "backup" of the ones on my reader. If you're extra paranoid, get a small thumb drive (not like ebooks take up a lot of space) and keep a backup on there, too.

pdurrant · 12-10-2009, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JanuaryF

I was wondering what you all do to track your ebook purchases? With the whole download-only thing, I'm a bit paranoid of losing the books, and forgetting where I bought them from.

Email receipts.

I also have a folder with de-DRMed backups of all my ebooks, but for tracking where I got them? Email receipts.

I just don't understand people who delete their emails, or don't keep copies of sent emails.

Direct Ebooks · 12-10-2009, 01:13 PM

Hi JanuaryF.

I dont know if this helps, but some sites including our own offer a bookshelf function. This means that your eBooks will remain in your account at our store for a min of 12mths. You have the option of downloading them up to 4 times which may alleviate some of your stress!

I honestly feel and hope that with Cloud computing, eBooks will be available anywhere, anytime for ever.

Moejoe · 12-10-2009, 01:16 PM

My old methodology was thus:

Buy > strip DRM > place into Calibre > apply tags

now it's:

Buy (or download) only if there's no DRM > place into Calibre > apply tags

MickeyC · 12-10-2009, 02:02 PM

To track my own eBooks, I developed a database in Microsoft Access. I log in each book that I buy, or want to buy. Then I have a report that shows each book I've read and what's in both my unread library and on my wish list. Anyway, I posted copy of it on MobileRead (minus my own eBook entries) and it is available as a free download. If you're interested, check it out here https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...light=database

ficbot · 12-10-2009, 02:07 PM

I only buy from Fictionwise, and I download everything into Calibre.

JanuaryF · 12-10-2009, 02:29 PM

Thanks for the replies! I'm an email-keeper, so I'm thinking email receipt is the way to go. I love the database idea, and tagging in Calibre as well. I guess I'll see what works for me when I start amassing the ebook purchases!

Thanks again,
January

Rob G. · 12-10-2009, 05:11 PM

For my music purchases, I've been using a spreadsheet. Since I buy from many different places, this keeps it all centralized and I can note where and when I backed something up. (I have a folder of numbered DVDs with all my purchased mp3s backed up.) I'll be doing the same with eBooks.

MickeyC · 12-10-2009, 05:18 PM

I designed the main report in the database to switch the print to green after I've read a book. It's black if it's in my library but not read yet and red if it's on my wish list.

One of the things I find myself doing, is opening the report as I'm getting towards the end of a book and reviewing the books in my library to decide which one to read next.

pking36330 · 12-10-2009, 07:26 PM

I wonder if Goodreads would consider adding a field so users could add their purchase source?

JanuaryF · 12-10-2009, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pking36330

I wonder if Goodreads would consider adding a field so users could add their purchase source?

What a coincidence. I ask the question, and GoodReads launches a new feature "Catalog books you own" which lets you enter where you bought the book. Think I'll be using that nifty feature!

Jan

arshield · 12-10-2009, 10:22 PM

I use dropbox to save all of my ebooks and work files. I have a paid account so I have every version of every file I have ever had in dropbox. So even if I accidently delete a file, I can restore it.

Terisa de morgan · 12-11-2009, 01:51 AM

In my case:
1.- I keep the e-mails
2.- I print the e-mails as receipts according to store/month
3.- I write down at my access where I've bought the book.

A bit paranoid but...

12-10-2009, 12:29 PM	#1
JanuaryF Connoisseur Posts: 54 Karma: 38 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Waterloo, Canada Device: Sony PRS-505 (Red)	Tracking your ebook purchases/downloads Hi all, I was wondering what you all do to track your ebook purchases? With the whole download-only thing, I'm a bit paranoid of losing the books, and forgetting where I bought them from. There are a million ebook stores now, and keeping track of where I bought and downloaded which ebook is going to be too much for my brain to retain. I realize the answer here is "backup", but are you doing anything to track your purchases with tags or notes or spreadsheets? Thanks! January

12-10-2009, 10:22 PM	#14
arshield Enthusiast Posts: 33 Karma: 64 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: Kindle	dropbox I use dropbox to save all of my ebooks and work files. I have a paid account so I have every version of every file I have ever had in dropbox. So even if I accidently delete a file, I can restore it.

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12-10-2009, 12:37 PM	#2
rcuadro Wizard Posts: 1,686 Karma: 874275 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Device: Kindle DX	I dont really track my purchases since all the books I get are from Amazon though I guess then that my method of tracking is Amazon itself. For the books that I get from other sources I use Calibre and just add a tag with the name of the place that I got them from (Feedbooks is an example) Then I can use Calibre to filter the books with the tags I am looking for.

12-10-2009, 12:51 PM	#3
Abecedary Exwyzeeologist Posts: 535 Karma: 3261 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: :PRS-505::iPod touch:	I'm not quite sure I understand your question. As far as "tracking" where I purchased which book from, I get an email receipt for every online purchase I make. I just file all the ebook receipts away in a mail folder called "ebooks". If I ever want to see where I purchased something from or how much I paid, I just do a search on that mail folder. Otherwise, I just have a directory on my computer with all my ebooks in it. That's the "backup" of the ones on my reader. If you're extra paranoid, get a small thumb drive (not like ebooks take up a lot of space) and keep a backup on there, too.

12-10-2009, 01:13 PM	#5
Direct Ebooks Hibernian eBook Warrior Posts: 184 Karma: 1264 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Cork, Ireland Device: Sony Reader	Hi JanuaryF. I dont know if this helps, but some sites including our own offer a bookshelf function. This means that your eBooks will remain in your account at our store for a min of 12mths. You have the option of downloading them up to 4 times which may alleviate some of your stress! I honestly feel and hope that with Cloud computing, eBooks will be available anywhere, anytime for ever.

12-10-2009, 01:16 PM	#6
Moejoe Banned Posts: 5,100 Karma: 72193 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: South of the Border Device: Coffin	My old methodology was thus: Buy > strip DRM > place into Calibre > apply tags now it's: Buy (or download) only if there's no DRM > place into Calibre > apply tags

12-10-2009, 02:02 PM	#7
MickeyC Grand Sorcerer Posts: 16,731 Karma: 12185114 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Florida Device: iPhone 6 plus, Sony T1, iPad 3	To track my own eBooks, I developed a database in Microsoft Access. I log in each book that I buy, or want to buy. Then I have a report that shows each book I've read and what's in both my unread library and on my wish list. Anyway, I posted copy of it on MobileRead (minus my own eBook entries) and it is available as a free download. If you're interested, check it out here https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...light=database

12-10-2009, 02:07 PM	#8
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	I only buy from Fictionwise, and I download everything into Calibre.

12-10-2009, 02:29 PM	#9
JanuaryF Connoisseur Posts: 54 Karma: 38 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Waterloo, Canada Device: Sony PRS-505 (Red)	Thanks for the replies! I'm an email-keeper, so I'm thinking email receipt is the way to go. I love the database idea, and tagging in Calibre as well. I guess I'll see what works for me when I start amassing the ebook purchases! Thanks again, January

12-10-2009, 05:11 PM	#10
Rob G. Enthusiast Posts: 37 Karma: 160 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Kindle DX	For my music purchases, I've been using a spreadsheet. Since I buy from many different places, this keeps it all centralized and I can note where and when I backed something up. (I have a folder of numbered DVDs with all my purchased mp3s backed up.) I'll be doing the same with eBooks.

12-10-2009, 05:18 PM	#11
MickeyC Grand Sorcerer Posts: 16,731 Karma: 12185114 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Florida Device: iPhone 6 plus, Sony T1, iPad 3	I designed the main report in the database to switch the print to green after I've read a book. It's black if it's in my library but not read yet and red if it's on my wish list. One of the things I find myself doing, is opening the report as I'm getting towards the end of a book and reviewing the books in my library to decide which one to read next.

12-10-2009, 07:26 PM	#12
pking36330 FT Parent PT Reader Posts: 322 Karma: 187838 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: South Alabama Device: Shocked by how much I've read on an iPod Touch received as a gift!	I wonder if Goodreads would consider adding a field so users could add their purchase source?

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12-11-2009, 01:51 AM	#15
Terisa de morgan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,686 Karma: 12595249 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Device: Kobo Clara/Aura One/Forma,XiaoMI 5, iPad, Huawei MediaPad, YotaPhone 2	In my case: 1.- I keep the e-mails 2.- I print the e-mails as receipts according to store/month 3.- I write down at my access where I've bought the book. A bit paranoid but...