Import Calibre library into Win 8.1 eReader

Kritz · 12-25-2014, 01:00 AM

Calibre's built-in connection to iTunes has made it easy to:

Add Books > Connect to iTunes > Send to Device > and then (from within iTunes) move the books to my (aging) iPad where iBooks recognises them.

Now I have a new Surface 3 tablet, so I need to replicate this functionality in Windows 8.1.

Unfortunately, for all its other virtues, Calibre is not a very good platform for actually reading ebooks, so I need to find a Win 8.1 equivalent to iBooks. I'm hoping for the simplicity and elegance of iBooks, but I'll settle for readability, if that's all I can get.

However, there's ONE FEATURE I CAN'T DO WITHOUT: being able to import my entire 1300-volume Calibre library into the new eReader. I'd settle for a batch import (based on an the ability to search my Calibre folder), even if that didn't yield a catalog that had everything I liked about iBooks.

I've looked at some of the newer eReaders (IceCream and Bookviser), as well as a few of the older stalwarts. Some are OK but they can't import as a batch.

I'm stumped. I can't import 1300 books by hand, nor do I want to give up Calibre's superb indexing and metadata handling capabilities.

Ideas? Thanks in advance.

eschwartz · 01-02-2015, 12:20 AM

This is more of a Related Tools subforum question, I think.

And in fact, there is a sticky there for: Minimalist Windows App for Calibre

It should act as a frontend for calibre's database and launch books via whatever configured reader you have.
calibre could do that also if you go to Preferences ==> Behavior and uncheck formats that you do not want calibre's ebook-viewer to handle. However, Marty_B's app should be more tablet-friendly.

Hope this helps. It isn't exactly what you asked for (a way to add books en masse to a reading app) but it does perform the same general function in a different way -- kind of like Calibre Companion for Android.

Kritz · 01-02-2015, 06:26 AM

Tried the Calibre Viewer program and it does just what I need done. Thanks for the tip!

eschwartz · 01-02-2015, 09:02 AM

Awesome! Happy to help.

12-25-2014, 01:00 AM	#1
Kritz Reader Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2014 Device: Surface 3/Win 8.1	Import Calibre library into Win 8.1 eReader Calibre's built-in connection to iTunes has made it easy to: Add Books > Connect to iTunes > Send to Device > and then (from within iTunes) move the books to my (aging) iPad where iBooks recognises them. Now I have a new Surface 3 tablet, so I need to replicate this functionality in Windows 8.1. Unfortunately, for all its other virtues, Calibre is not a very good platform for actually reading ebooks, so I need to find a Win 8.1 equivalent to iBooks. I'm hoping for the simplicity and elegance of iBooks, but I'll settle for readability, if that's all I can get. However, there's ONE FEATURE I CAN'T DO WITHOUT: being able to import my entire 1300-volume Calibre library into the new eReader. I'd settle for a batch import (based on an the ability to search my Calibre folder), even if that didn't yield a catalog that had everything I liked about iBooks. I've looked at some of the newer eReaders (IceCream and Bookviser), as well as a few of the older stalwarts. Some are OK but they can't import as a batch. I'm stumped. I can't import 1300 books by hand, nor do I want to give up Calibre's superb indexing and metadata handling capabilities. Ideas? Thanks in advance.

01-02-2015, 12:20 AM	#2
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85397180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	This is more of a Related Tools subforum question, I think. And in fact, there is a sticky there for: Minimalist Windows App for Calibre It should act as a frontend for calibre's database and launch books via whatever configured reader you have. calibre could do that also if you go to Preferences ==> Behavior and uncheck formats that you do not want calibre's ebook-viewer to handle. However, Marty_B's app should be more tablet-friendly. Hope this helps. It isn't exactly what you asked for (a way to add books en masse to a reading app) but it does perform the same general function in a different way -- kind of like Calibre Companion for Android. Last edited by eschwartz; 01-02-2015 at 12:23 AM.

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01-02-2015, 06:26 AM	#3
Kritz Reader Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2014 Device: Surface 3/Win 8.1	Tried the Calibre Viewer program and it does just what I need done. Thanks for the tip!

01-02-2015, 09:02 AM	#4
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85397180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Awesome! Happy to help.

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