1DebiCates
ADDING BOOKS TO YOUR LIBRARY
===========================================
Last updated 01/01/2026
If you flub up, you can always delete a book from your library and try again.
Once you have a book in your library, you can change any of the book fields to your liking. It won't affect anyone else, because they too have their very own copy in their library.
When you have edited your book fields, don't forget to press the green SAVE button at the bottom. (There is also a red DELETE button.)
FIVE WAYS TO ADD BOOKS
===========================================
1. Manually add a book to build a book for your library from scratch, usually best with the book sitting in front of you so you can fill in pertinent details. Many members do this as a matter of course for all their books. It's the most accurate way to reflect your precise edition.
__Here is a link to add a book manually
https://www.librarything.com/addnew.php
2. Add a book by searching for it in the universal search box "Search LibraryThing" located at the top right of every LT page.
3. If you see a book with a link anywhere and you want to add to your library, quick as a wink you click on the book title link, then click on the green button "+Add" and lastly the green button "+Add to your library." It's the easiest way to add a title to your TBR since you don't have an edition yet, that is unless you care about the exact edition you want to read. See the next possible option if that's the case.
4. To get the edition closest to matching your own without having to add manually, you can add a book by title, author and/or publication year, or ISBN by getting it from an outside source.. That source is a mere bibliographic record, likely logged somewhere in the world, logging its unique properties like published date, cover, etc. There are more than 4,000 possible sources, like Amazon, Library of Congress, New York State Library, Brooklyn Library, and tons more sources from countries around the world. This method lets you search sources, one by one, giving you that source's results. Although Amazon seems tempting, my suggestion (it's just a suggestion) is to add and use the source called Overcat. Overcat is a combination of hundreds of library sources and the data seems to be cleaner.
__Here is the link to add from sources. It is the exact same as the top navigation option after "Home", "Your books", "Add books"
https://www.librarything.com/addbooks
__This is a method I've come to use more for books I own but that came over really badly from GR's import. I use the easier #2 option (+Add) for new Wishlist or TBRs where I will decide exactly which edition after I have my hands on it.
5. Use the import from GR function.
__It's a great way to get all your books, ratings, reviews, and read dates into your GR "bookshelves."
__It is not so great for getting the cover/edition you had on GR.
__It will import book number of pages but I found there is a bug that will mean you cannot correctly sort your books by number of pages. It can be fixed, laboriously by hand, changing the number of pages type from Roman numerals to standard digits. A bug report has been filed, I'll update here when that has been fixed.
__If I were to do it again, I would try Overcat for the import source to see if it didn't provide better results than using Amazon. Part of the problem is Amazon's public data is, well, crappy. GR librarians work behind the scenes fixing things on GR so we are mostly unaware of how muddled Amazon is as a source.
_ I do recommend using the import but know that you will have some fiddling clean-ups to do depending on what sorts of things you care about (e.g. cover images representing your exact edition.)
__Here is a link explaining in detail the steps to Import that I wrote up as I did the whole process https://www.librarything.com/topic/375859
ANCILLARY ITEMS AND LINKS
===========================================
Your books (same as Your books at the top navigation bar)
https://www.librarything.com/catalog/MEMBERNAME
___This is where you browse your library of books, also called "catalogue" in LT, which falls under "Collections" (beyond having a collection of books, you can also use LT for your collection of music and movies). On the Your Books page you can sort your books by almost every conceivable option. Click on the column headings to sort, click again to sort the other way (ascending to descending and visa versa).
___Your books is where you can edit your books. To launch an edit of a book use the pencil on the right side. To make batch edits (only on tags) press and activate the lightning bolt icon near the top, it changes screens for tag editing.
___Also note the ABCDE options. Each of those letters represent a set of different fields in books--your own customizable sets of display fields for viewing your books. Use nearby option "setting" to customize those letter sets. (This is similar to GR, but I believe GR associates your settings by bookshelf. The LT way works better for me because I can easily switch to a view setting no matter what "bookshelf" I'm viewing.)
___To search for a book or types of books in your library enter your search term(s) on the top right in the little white box "Search your library." To the right of that is a drop down menu for what specifically you want searched, like Title/Author or Tags or your Reviews or Comments, or even All fields. To really unleash the full power of LT search, click on option at the bottom of that drop down menu, "Tips..." where you are taken to a wiki page that explains the many powerful features you can avail yourself of in the little white search box.
___There's a lot one can do and I've not included all the options, but this should be the gist of it.
Checkmarks, green
___Everywhere you see a green checkmark checked on a book being displayed, LT is reminding you that you have that book in your own LT library data.
___There are other different indicators, too, like for books on your Wishlist and Read but Unowned. See the legend in the LT wiki https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/Checkmarks
Wiki
___Speaking of wiki, yes, LT has a big wiki. When you key in a search in the Universal search box that is on every page ("Search LibraryThing") the results will also include wiki references. Scroll down the left side of the search results page. "Wiki" is one of the categories of search results. Click on "Wiki" and see that category only results.
___Once you land in wiki, to get back to LT press the LibraryThing logo top left. Or your browser's back button, of course.
Sources for book data
___Once in "Add books" scroll down, on the left side click the link to "Add from 4,967 sources" that will give you a pop up listing all the available sources. In that pop up, see "Most Popular" for the most likely sources you will want to use. Click to add a source to your default "Add books" source options. You can even change the order (and thus the first default) in that same pop up, at the top "Your sources" and click that. You will see then the sources you've added with the ability to use the up/down arrow on the screen to rearrange them. In particular you will want to move your (current) favorite source at the top spot. I've made my top position Overcat.
__If interested, you can read this thread where a few long-time members answered my question about which was the "best" source (along with certain pitfalls) https://www.librarything.com/topic/376341#9040715
"Work pages" concept Click on link "Work" to the right of any book. This is worth understanding.
___LT founder and developer Tim Spalding once described it as if 5 people are at a party discussing a book, it doesn't matter whether they all read the same edition or not--they are discussing the same work. In GR, it was librarians who combined the many different editions under a single work. In LT, the work page can be maintained by anyone who is willing to learn how. For now, though, I suggest if you run into trouble with your book not properly combining under the correct overarching "Work," go to the Combiners group and describe your issue https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/460/Combiners%21
===========================================
Last updated 01/01/2026
If you flub up, you can always delete a book from your library and try again.
Once you have a book in your library, you can change any of the book fields to your liking. It won't affect anyone else, because they too have their very own copy in their library.
When you have edited your book fields, don't forget to press the green SAVE button at the bottom. (There is also a red DELETE button.)
FIVE WAYS TO ADD BOOKS
===========================================
1. Manually add a book to build a book for your library from scratch, usually best with the book sitting in front of you so you can fill in pertinent details. Many members do this as a matter of course for all their books. It's the most accurate way to reflect your precise edition.
__Here is a link to add a book manually
https://www.librarything.com/addnew.php
2. Add a book by searching for it in the universal search box "Search LibraryThing" located at the top right of every LT page.
- From the resulting books click on the one that best matches your copy. The page changes to a "works" page.
- There click the top right green button "+Add" and it gives one more screen.
- Click the green button "+Add to your library."
3. If you see a book with a link anywhere and you want to add to your library, quick as a wink you click on the book title link, then click on the green button "+Add" and lastly the green button "+Add to your library." It's the easiest way to add a title to your TBR since you don't have an edition yet, that is unless you care about the exact edition you want to read. See the next possible option if that's the case.
4. To get the edition closest to matching your own without having to add manually, you can add a book by title, author and/or publication year, or ISBN by getting it from an outside source.. That source is a mere bibliographic record, likely logged somewhere in the world, logging its unique properties like published date, cover, etc. There are more than 4,000 possible sources, like Amazon, Library of Congress, New York State Library, Brooklyn Library, and tons more sources from countries around the world. This method lets you search sources, one by one, giving you that source's results. Although Amazon seems tempting, my suggestion (it's just a suggestion) is to add and use the source called Overcat. Overcat is a combination of hundreds of library sources and the data seems to be cleaner.
__Here is the link to add from sources. It is the exact same as the top navigation option after "Home", "Your books", "Add books"
https://www.librarything.com/addbooks
__This is a method I've come to use more for books I own but that came over really badly from GR's import. I use the easier #2 option (+Add) for new Wishlist or TBRs where I will decide exactly which edition after I have my hands on it.
5. Use the import from GR function.
__It's a great way to get all your books, ratings, reviews, and read dates into your GR "bookshelves."
__It is not so great for getting the cover/edition you had on GR.
__It will import book number of pages but I found there is a bug that will mean you cannot correctly sort your books by number of pages. It can be fixed, laboriously by hand, changing the number of pages type from Roman numerals to standard digits. A bug report has been filed, I'll update here when that has been fixed.
__If I were to do it again, I would try Overcat for the import source to see if it didn't provide better results than using Amazon. Part of the problem is Amazon's public data is, well, crappy. GR librarians work behind the scenes fixing things on GR so we are mostly unaware of how muddled Amazon is as a source.
_ I do recommend using the import but know that you will have some fiddling clean-ups to do depending on what sorts of things you care about (e.g. cover images representing your exact edition.)
__Here is a link explaining in detail the steps to Import that I wrote up as I did the whole process https://www.librarything.com/topic/375859
ANCILLARY ITEMS AND LINKS
===========================================
Your books (same as Your books at the top navigation bar)
https://www.librarything.com/catalog/MEMBERNAME
___This is where you browse your library of books, also called "catalogue" in LT, which falls under "Collections" (beyond having a collection of books, you can also use LT for your collection of music and movies). On the Your Books page you can sort your books by almost every conceivable option. Click on the column headings to sort, click again to sort the other way (ascending to descending and visa versa).
___Your books is where you can edit your books. To launch an edit of a book use the pencil on the right side. To make batch edits (only on tags) press and activate the lightning bolt icon near the top, it changes screens for tag editing.
___Also note the ABCDE options. Each of those letters represent a set of different fields in books--your own customizable sets of display fields for viewing your books. Use nearby option "setting" to customize those letter sets. (This is similar to GR, but I believe GR associates your settings by bookshelf. The LT way works better for me because I can easily switch to a view setting no matter what "bookshelf" I'm viewing.)
___To search for a book or types of books in your library enter your search term(s) on the top right in the little white box "Search your library." To the right of that is a drop down menu for what specifically you want searched, like Title/Author or Tags or your Reviews or Comments, or even All fields. To really unleash the full power of LT search, click on option at the bottom of that drop down menu, "Tips..." where you are taken to a wiki page that explains the many powerful features you can avail yourself of in the little white search box.
___There's a lot one can do and I've not included all the options, but this should be the gist of it.
Checkmarks, green
___Everywhere you see a green checkmark checked on a book being displayed, LT is reminding you that you have that book in your own LT library data.
___There are other different indicators, too, like for books on your Wishlist and Read but Unowned. See the legend in the LT wiki https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/Checkmarks
Wiki
___Speaking of wiki, yes, LT has a big wiki. When you key in a search in the Universal search box that is on every page ("Search LibraryThing") the results will also include wiki references. Scroll down the left side of the search results page. "Wiki" is one of the categories of search results. Click on "Wiki" and see that category only results.
___Once you land in wiki, to get back to LT press the LibraryThing logo top left. Or your browser's back button, of course.
Sources for book data
___Once in "Add books" scroll down, on the left side click the link to "Add from 4,967 sources" that will give you a pop up listing all the available sources. In that pop up, see "Most Popular" for the most likely sources you will want to use. Click to add a source to your default "Add books" source options. You can even change the order (and thus the first default) in that same pop up, at the top "Your sources" and click that. You will see then the sources you've added with the ability to use the up/down arrow on the screen to rearrange them. In particular you will want to move your (current) favorite source at the top spot. I've made my top position Overcat.
__If interested, you can read this thread where a few long-time members answered my question about which was the "best" source (along with certain pitfalls) https://www.librarything.com/topic/376341#9040715
"Work pages" concept Click on link "Work" to the right of any book. This is worth understanding.
___LT founder and developer Tim Spalding once described it as if 5 people are at a party discussing a book, it doesn't matter whether they all read the same edition or not--they are discussing the same work. In GR, it was librarians who combined the many different editions under a single work. In LT, the work page can be maintained by anyone who is willing to learn how. For now, though, I suggest if you run into trouble with your book not properly combining under the correct overarching "Work," go to the Combiners group and describe your issue https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/460/Combiners%21
2Bookmarque
Pretty good summation - it feels complex, but mostly isn't.
One thing I would expand is the concept of the green checkmarks - those indicate the library collection, but others indicate Read but Unowned and Cataloged in general, which means another collection. In my case it could be Movies or TV collections.
One thing I would expand is the concept of the green checkmarks - those indicate the library collection, but others indicate Read but Unowned and Cataloged in general, which means another collection. In my case it could be Movies or TV collections.
3DebiCates
>2 Bookmarque: Having only books and not using the Read but Unowned (I might reconsider that) I haven't seen other checkmarks. I see checkmarks for books I've read but don't own, which is my preference--keeps me from frogetting and buying again! ha But, I'm not sure that is the only way to accomplish that.
If you have collections other than books, are those items you have in your Collection also a green checkmark?
If you have collections other than books, are those items you have in your Collection also a green checkmark?
4Bookmarque
No, the symbols are a little different but show up in the same places. I use a number of collections so I don't buy stuff over - DNF, Kicked to the Curb, & Read but Unowned. When something shows up in one of those, it has a little mark next to it -
The little blue book and green check are indicating RbU and Library and the gray dots are for my Corralled collection which are books held in an omnibus or anthology (the green check book is the anthology itself, but I catalog each work contained within if that makes sense). Having them cataloged separately also keeps me from buying repeat books.
The little blue book and green check are indicating RbU and Library and the gray dots are for my Corralled collection which are books held in an omnibus or anthology (the green check book is the anthology itself, but I catalog each work contained within if that makes sense). Having them cataloged separately also keeps me from buying repeat books.
5Bookmarque
And here's how it looks with my TV collection - same gray dot symbol (looks like a pile of cannonballs to me!) because it just means cataloged, but indicates a custom collection of a user's own invention.
6GraceCollection
The wishlist also has a symbol that shows up, but unfortunately I don't remember what it is because I don't use that collection. I believe it's purple?
7DebiCates
>5 Bookmarque: >6 GraceCollection: I think I saw somewhere where there is a legend. I need to find that again and link it in my How To above. I also want to clarify how my own Collections (I have custom ones) impact the green checkmark to make sure I'm getting it as I would like.
Thank you for your help! Those screenshots are great >4 Bookmarque: >5 Bookmarque:
Thank you for your help! Those screenshots are great >4 Bookmarque: >5 Bookmarque:
8lilithcat
>1 DebiCates:
You really need to make it clear that the "Add to your Library" button is not the best way to add a book, particularly if you are concerned about accuracy.
You really need to make it clear that the "Add to your Library" button is not the best way to add a book, particularly if you are concerned about accuracy.
10DebiCates
>8 lilithcat: "Best" depends on one's intention, don't you think? I like manual for new books I have in hand. But for adding a book just for TBR, I don't know the exact edition I will get, so the quicker "Add to your library" suffices.
A related experience I am having is cleaning up my imported GR library. Ugh! Sometimes I just delete the book and start over by trying to find the best choice via Add books (Overcat is my new first go-to) and then edit if needed. Sometimes I just don't care about the edition of a past read. Meantime, new books I read I do plan to fiddle with until they are the edition I read.
On GR, we had limited options so that all the LT choices are both a wonderous pleasure and a new complexity. I think as GR users acclimate, they will either continue to be happy with laissez-faire, or get picky, or find their own satisfactory mix.
A related experience I am having is cleaning up my imported GR library. Ugh! Sometimes I just delete the book and start over by trying to find the best choice via Add books (Overcat is my new first go-to) and then edit if needed. Sometimes I just don't care about the edition of a past read. Meantime, new books I read I do plan to fiddle with until they are the edition I read.
On GR, we had limited options so that all the LT choices are both a wonderous pleasure and a new complexity. I think as GR users acclimate, they will either continue to be happy with laissez-faire, or get picky, or find their own satisfactory mix.
11lilithcat
>10 DebiCates:
"Best" depends on one's intention, don't you think?
That's why I said "if you are concerned about accuracy". I know a lot of people don't care, or don't always care (if I'm adding a book to my Wish List, the edition doesn't usually matter). But if I'm adding a book I own, or have read, I want that edition.
My point really is that if you are going to tell people different ways to add books, it's important to provide the pluses and minuses of each.
"Best" depends on one's intention, don't you think?
That's why I said "if you are concerned about accuracy". I know a lot of people don't care, or don't always care (if I'm adding a book to my Wish List, the edition doesn't usually matter). But if I'm adding a book I own, or have read, I want that edition.
My point really is that if you are going to tell people different ways to add books, it's important to provide the pluses and minuses of each.
12DebiCates
>11 lilithcat: I see your point. I'll amend with some pros/cons--I am still figuring things out myself so I am reluctant to guide too strongly. But, yes, you are right, more contextual info could be helpful to the GR audience.
13DebiCates
>11 lilithcat: I made some adjustments to 1 and 2, giving contextual information. The others had a sufficient amount already, I think. Thank you for taking time to read and for the suggestion! If you think of anything else that would improve it, I'm amenable and appreciative.
ETA: I also just tweaked #3.
ETA: I also just tweaked #3.
14Charon07
>7 DebiCates: Here’s a guide to the checkmarks from the wiki: https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/Checkmarks
15DebiCates
>14 Charon07: Yay! You are so kind. A big thank you for that. I'm going right now to edit the How To above.
