Cataloguing/Library Software?

Enterprise_1701C · 25 July 2017 at 9:15AM

I am trying to find a free (windows 10) database for all my books/CDs/DVDs/vinyl. I have had a look at DataCrow but it does not seem to find the covers I have (OK, I'm fussy) and is rather cumbersome with no scanner, and had a look at Libra that seems to find nothing I have on their servers.

What I am after is one that will scan and with the widest possible sources as my collection covers quite a few years.

Am happy to have the collections on different programs but really want to form them all at the same time because I prefer to work my way through all of it at the same time IYSWIM. It will take a lot of doing and needs to be done when I am in the zone.

Does anyone have any suggestions please?

And I know I am being mean and restrictive saying free, but I refuse to put my card through for anything like that, it leaves it open to abuse.

Thank you in advance

Kyle_A · 25 July 2017 at 5:25PM

What kind of information are you wanting in this database? Just the names, covers, or actual music as well? What do you have currently? Do you have an electronic "list" of these items already?

forgotmyname · 25 July 2017 at 5:36PM

Putitng your card through what is open to abuse?

Used my cards online all the time and no issues.

I have had a call saying your card maybe compromised, that was a card that i had never used. And someone was trying to open a shop account with it.

How could someone have gotten my unused card number and name etc to open a shop account? Or maybe they only put a random card number and name and it turned out the number was mine?

Nothing ever taken so it couldnt have been a good scam.

Enterprise_1701C · 25 July 2017 at 6:55PM

Kyle_A wrote: »

What kind of information are you wanting in this database? Just the names, covers, or actual music as well? What do you have currently? Do you have an electronic "list" of these items already?

Basically names and covers, and possibly list of contents. I do have an electronic "list" of the items, but it is on three old android apps that I cannot transfer, nor can I transfer the data.

I am reluctant to put my card on something like google play because it is too easy to click a link and end up paying for it. Call me paranoid if you want, but I have always sworn not to put my card details on Play or ITunes, it is too easy to click on something, or for the grandkids to.

bouicca21 · 25 July 2017 at 7:07PM

Try library thing.

https://www.librarything.com/

Enterprise_1701C · 26 July 2017 at 8:33AM

bouicca21 wrote: »

Try library thing.

https://www.librarything.com/

Thank you, looks interesting but I have a lot more than 200 items to enter :eek:

CardinalWolsey · 26 July 2017 at 9:01AM

Goodreads is good for books, and - if you were able to pull that data off your android apps - could import your existing lists as well.

A number of years ago I actually wrote to Amazon, suggesting they release a handheld scanner with memory, so you could go and scan every book, CD, DVD etc that you already own, and manage a library within Amazon. That would have given them great insight in to cross-sell opportunities, whilst allowing users to centralise this information. Back in the day I would have been happy to have spent £30-£40 on such a scanner. Not even a reply did I receive... (One of my gripes is remembering what I've already read, regardless of whether I own the book, so that I don't go buying it a second, third or fourth time!).

Enterprise_1701C · 26 July 2017 at 9:17AM

OMG CardinalWolsey, I would be in heaven if I had that.

I am going to have to work on trying to pull the information off the old android, it might take a bit of doing but I know it is there, just getting to it.

bouicca21 · 26 July 2017 at 9:43AM

To get past the 200 limit on librarything costs $10 a year or $25 lifetime. I signed up to the $25 rate, though before the £ tanked. I also bought their barcode reader which made life way easier. The system for entering details also saved me hours of time as it checks against a database and can produce all the information required automatically. Plus all is stored online.

You could of course design a database yourself, fairly simply, using MARC format, but it will take you ages to input all the information.

fenlander_uk · 26 July 2017 at 9:46AM

Although it's mainly known as an organiser for ebooks, I think you should take a look at Calibre, which is also quite capable of cataloguing the paper variety. The 'Add books' option lets you add books by title or ISBN: you can enter a list of ISBNs and it will look up details and covers for each. You can add user-defined fields, e.g. for a 'read' flag.

Of course, this is only for books. On the same basis, i.e. designed for electronic media, but usable with physical media, I use EMDB ('Ernie's Movie Database'). Less automated, but also less complicated and more controllable than Kodi. (You can change the name if you donate...)

Enterprise_1701C · 26 July 2017 at 3:41PM

I run Calibre, will have to work out if I could run two of them at once.

Cataloguing/Library Software?

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