Delicious Library is your best bet for this if you have a mac. It even uses the built-in or external iSight camera to read the barcode (you just hold the barcode in front of the camera and DL does the rest). The ISBN lookup is done through Amazon and it downloads cover-art (if available) and builds up a virtual library for you.

The time you spend installing the software, classifying and entering the titles, could be better spent reading or re-reading half a dozen of your books. Just a rough division into fiction, then non-fiction sections such as computing, history, politics, biography etc ought to be sufficient….

Or if this is too much get a librarian girlfriend.

If you are not aware if it, you might like to have a look at Freepint. The blurb goes:

“Joining FreePint is free at and connects information practitioners around the world with resources, events and answers to their tricky research and information questions at the FreePint Bar, our free online forum: . ” Go to http://www.freepint.com

personally I don’t get a lot from it but then I’m definitely not a geek. From my browsing, your sort of question would get responses from a global geeky information-user professional audience and you would probably get ongoing value from the regular newsletters and articles.

Anyhoo, have a look fwiw and let us know how you get on.

cheers

Never mind, there’s a black man in the White House. Nothings impossible!

One factor though, the ISBN numbers for a lot of books here do not always seem to correspond with those in the repositories accessed by the programme, that may be because some are printed in Australia

So… how long have you been suffering Obessive Compulsive Disorder?

See http://www.dse.co.nz/dse.shop/4976830602511db22740c0a87f3b068e/Product/View/XH1709

http://isbntools.com/

I think “these folks” is a bit of a generalisation. I’ve seen plenty who think we spend more than we need to on libraries, and that we run them inefficiently. I have even seen those who think libraries would be better run as charitable organisations, and should get out of the business of competing with Video Ezy. I don’t recall anybody suggesting that we privatise libraries, or that we get Video Ezy to run them. I certainly don’t recall anybody thinking they were “evil”.

Perhaps you accidentally left your brain in “the Standard” mode before you came and commented here? That kind of comment goes down really well over there – assertions with absolutely no evidence, and that don’t even pass the sniff test, but that are great for straw man debates and demonising your opposition.

Features allow you to
1. use a scanner (although I have not got around to this).
2. enter or scan ISBN number and software searches libraries and book stores around the world for detail e.g. Library of Congress, Amazon, European libraries etc
3. keeping track of books you lend to friends
4. minimal data entry (older NZ books are an issue as here is no record of them in many libraries – sometimes Library of Australia has them)
5. loads and displays cover art plus notes on book plus music on CD
Lots of other features

Program is written and supported from The Netherlands and support is excellent. They answer your queries which is a good start. No issues with language because they are in The Netherlands.

Software is continually updated. My last update for Book Collector was downloaded this week and Music Collector has a major update avaulable although I have to pay $25 to get it (first time this has occurred) and I have not done so yet. No doubt a new purchase will get this new version.

I think both cost US$49.95 bu check the site – 90 day free trial is available.

Just donate all your books to the local library – after a month they will all be catalogued in their system. Then you can search their database online and take out what ever book you need whenever you need it. Plus, think of all the space you’ll save in your house!