Sunday 17 December 2017

Apps for Your Personal Library

Here are some apps to help sort/ catalog your home library, if you like to have an electronic version of what you have. Some of these are free and others you do have to pay under five dollars for. You have to have a look at each to see if you actually want to get the item – especially for those you purchase, look at the reviews to see if it will make you. It is going to be you that uses it. Have fun organizing and interacting. Happy readings!
If you know of any other apps that I missed looking up, post in the comments below. Or if there is another way for those who want to sort/ catalog online.

1. libib: This app allows you to organize your books (plus movies, music, etc.) via tags. The app is basically limitless size (up to 100,000 items). This app also includes tools for measuring how much you’ve read, as well as the options to review items in your library and to make those reviews public.
The app has scanning abilities, to make cataloging quick. You can import or export your libraries, so if you’re swapping apps or need to back up your valuable inventory, Libib is perfect for that. Libib libraries can also be made public so you can share your bookshelves to the world.
2. iBookshelf: It has a built-in borrowing status for every item, it lends itself well to tracking the current location/guardian of each book. There is a barcode scanning feature for easy use, and the fact that this app automatically calls up available info on each book by the ISBN you enter.
3. Libri: This is a very basic cataloging app, which allows you to input simple information about each item (author, title, publisher, year, ISBN, simple annotation). Its features are pretty limited, but that’s what makes it so easy to learn. I haven’t yet figured out a trick for tracking book lending in this app.
4. My Library: Can be similar to iBookshelf. You can input information via barcode scanning or ISBN, and it allows you to catalog all kinds of media (not just books). It also has built-in features for tracking borrowing/loans, allows you to rate items, features streamlined backup options, and can handle up to about 8,000 items at a time.
5. Book Crawler: This is another app that allows input via ISBN or barcode scanning, and it automatically generates associated information (including basics like title and author, but also Goodreads reviews) for each item. This app is specifically designed to export to Dropbox for easy backup.
6. Home Library: This app not only allows you to catalog and track the loan status for each item in your library, but it also allows you to send “polite reminders to friends who haven’t returned your books.” It also accommodates wishlists. It allows you to easily track the books that you’ve checked out from the library, and that it sends you reminders before they’re due (farewell, late fees).
7. iCollect Books Pro: Key features in this app include barcode scanning or manual UPC/ISBN entry, automatic cover art and bibliographic information (via Google spidering), genre sorting, tracking loans and borrowing, wishlists, and preorder cataloging.
8. Delicious Library Delicious Library allows you to catalog a large collection. It also gives you tailor-made recommendations based on your collection and items that you rate from other libraries. Another feature is the charts, which, shows you the value of your collection.
9. LibraryThing This is an app for the more casual collector. If you have a large collection, this app is not for you because there doesn’t seem to be a known limit for the number of books LibraryThing can store. However, if you have a small collection, then this simple app will work great for you! If you’re using LibraryThing, check out Tiny Cat, which is also made for small libraries and can be linked to your LibraryThing account.
10. Shelves This app stands out among the others in that your digital book collection is actually displayed on shelves! The app was developed by one man, and is now an open source project, so if coding is your thing you can really personalize this app and tailor-make it to fit your collections.
11. Book Crawler iTunes Book Crawler is the app for aesthetic lovers. Across reviews, users comment that this app has the most pleasing interface, so if that’s something that’s important to you and you’re a Mac or IOS user, then this app could be your perfect personal library match.
12. Goodreads A personal library app list would hardly be complete without the classic Goodreads. The app is highly rated, easy to use, and full of all the best features, like barcode scanning. Plus, Goodreads is the largest social network for bookworms!
13. Readerware: “The easiest, fastest way to catalog your library, nothing else comes close. Have a large collection? Readerware auto-catalog lets you feed in a list of ISBNs or barcode scans. Readerware then does the rest, building your database for you.”

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