organizing books
 

How do you organize your quilting books? I tend to buy them with my Joanns coupon if I don't need anything else. I tend to forget what I have. I would like to be able to create a list of them and then search by subject or keyword. Has anyone used an iphone app for that? Any ideas?

I organized mine via Ebay :)
What little remains I organize by
Scrappy
Applique
Historical

............ and made more $$ for stash!
Now there's a Win-Win Solution! :):)

My DH has an app for the Iphone where he can scan UPC barcodes on movies and I think it works for books. I know i've purchased books and patterns and even fabric more than once! I blessed my friend with the extra books.

You could use excel and make a spread sheet. I use the "organized quilter" on the computer be careful the dl has a virus in it.. Or if you have access create a database for your quilting stuff. I also use evernote on my devices. You can put it on the pc the devices etc. It sinks nicely. I also use drop box for my UFO's. Luann

I am a die-hard bibliophile and I read a LOT, so I actually purchased computer software and a barcode scanner (back before I had a smart phone!) and keep a database on my PC of all of my books.

I like it because I can do a .csv extract from my database and load that doc onto my phone (or in my pre-smartphone days, print it out) and avoid buying duplicate books.

Last time I checked I had over 1,000 books in the 'library'. Mostly sci-fi and fiction; and I've read every single one of them at least once!

My art & crafting books are kept separately from all my fiction; I organize them first by art/craft category (drawing/painting, bookbinding/paper crafts, soap making, beading/jewelry making, polyclay crafting, quilting, general sewing, etc.) and then for the ones where I have a lot, I sub-divide by specific topic - my quilting books are grouped by things like kids/baby quilts, traditional quilts, modern quilts, art quilts, scrappy quilts, bargellos, books of blocks, books about quilt history, etc. I keep these in my "design studio" (which is newly separated from my "sewing room"). I probably only have about a hundred or so art/crafting books overall; maybe 30 or so quilting books, so it's only a small percentage of my 'library'.

I don't like to borrow books because I'm a re-reader, and I like to flag things for later. Lots of my crafting books have post-it note flags sticking out of them. I can't quite bring myself to write IN a book, unless I find a mistake that needs to be corrected. I do the same with my quilting magazines, but I don't scan those into the library software. I do get rid of magazines eventually, but almost never get rid of books.

I organize my books by quilting techniques, blocks, baby/child, seasonal, quilts for home decoration, general(my largest category), wool applique, Americana( stars and stripes), reproduction with quilt rooms, designer,

I use excel and have my quilting/craft things by author last name. I have the quilting books in one section, knitting in another, and DVDs on quilting in another, etc. I have this printed out and put into plastic sleeves and hanging by my bookcase.

I purchased an address book (purse size) and list books, patterns, rulers, template sets by name/author and cross check before purchase most of the time.... Also I'd I bought just the pattern or pattern and kit. Sometime I have the pattern but did not get a fabric kit.

I have only two shelves for books and mags. One for books that I HAVE made a pattern from and the other books I have not used and no I will not tell you if the shelves have an equal number of books.