iBookshelf app for iPhone and iPad

4.4 ( 3824 ratings )

Utilities Book
Developer: Varietas Software, LLC

1.99 USD

Current version: 2.15.2, last update: 7 years ago
First release : 07 May 2009
App size: 23.51 Mb

The original top ranked book database in the app store!!

iBookshelf is your personal portable library reference. A comprehensive book database, created and continuously maintained through extensive feedback from readers like you.

Watch the demonstration video on YouTube! Search for iBookshelf.

iBookshelf is NOT an eReader. You do not load actual books into this app. Instead, iBookshelf is designed to help you keep track of your personal book collection, whether your books are physical or digital copies.

Books are displayed sorted by your preference. You can search for books in your library, and enter a "loan status" to remember who you loaned the book to or borrowed it from. A new book can be entered automatically (enter ISBN and remaining data is loaded from the internet) or manually. It will even tell you where you can buy the book and how much it costs and where you can find a library with the book!
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** Previously ranked #5 Paid App in the Books category in the US App store **

** Listed in "The Nine Best iPhone Apps For Readers" - Associated Content **

** Listed on CollegeDegrees.com as #1 in the 10 best iPad apps for students! **

"This application developed by Josh Pressnell is a must have for any book lover."

** 3.5 Mice in MacWorld **
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Features:
- Supports large databases. Tested with a database of over 8,000 records!
- Enter the ISBN to retrieve all available book data from the internet via 16 different data sources, including international sources! Even loads series information for most books!
- Scan barcodes directly into the app using the built-in and ready-to-use iOS or ZBar scanners! Can also use Pic2Shop as a separate app!
- Barcode scanning for older iPads! Requires Cue Cat USB scanner and the iPad USB Camera Kit. Search iPad Cue Cat for details!
- Enter the title and/or author to look up the ISBN and load remaining data from the internet
- Easily enter several books at once after doing a title/author search. Just select all the books you want to load and tap "Save".
- Find libraries near you which have books in your database! Powered by agreement with OCLC WorldCat! Select "Find" from the book view to search for all nearby libraries that carry the book!
- Read eBooks via integration with QuickReader and MegaReader!
- Built-in web browser lets you view, sort, and print your book lists!
- Set customizable app behavior in the iOS Settings app.
- Share your books on Facebook, Twitter, and via Email!
- Track book loans. Always know who you lent a book out to!
- Search the database by multiple space-separated keywords
- Tilt your device to landscape view and view your book covers in "shelf view" mode.
- Several different backup and restore options in the Utilities tab.
- Not sure what to read? While in cover view, shake your device and a random book will be chosen for you.
- Set the cover image using the device camera (if available)
- Optionally enable data pulled from ISBNDB.com (requires setup of free account) in the iOS Settings app.

** I am an avid book collector and reader, as well as a professional computer engineer. I develop and support my apps because I love the iPhone and iPad platform and I want my apps to be all that they can be. Think I can do something better? Would a slightly different or new capability increase your rating or motivate you to give me a positive review? Please email me. Im always open to suggestions! **

Pros and cons of iBookshelf app for iPhone and iPad

iBookshelf app good for

For owners of lots of books, this is a very nice tool. When I went shopping for books in the past, I had to bring ten Excel sheets (in small print) to check whether I already had the book. With this application I have instant access to me complete library. I have used several internet book databases, and found covers for practically all books. It remained four books, for which I have no cover. I would appreciate a facility to import scanned covers for such books. It was actually this application that made me (finally) buy the iPhone.

I really liked this app. Its easy to use and the integration with MegaReader and QuickReader is very nice too.

Easy to use and handy. Should also include a location resource

The App crashes too often and is sometimes a little buggy, e.g. when searching for a book which is already in the list or when choosing to use an existing author and then deciding to add the name manually, the selection fields stays displayed and no choice can be made. If these bugs will be fixed, then the rating will be improved to 4-5. Update: Working pretty good now. Thanks!

I chose this app because of the build-in scanner functionality and the functional style. I like the idea of chosing themes BUT PLEASE: dont use such ugly wallpaper... I had to replace it myself to turn it viewable ;-) (this might be subjective cause I study design.. But an option to add an own wallpaper would be nice). If I figure it out how to import a database from DeliciousLib from the Mac Im going to provide 5 stars.

This app is so clean and easy to use! Any chance we can sync with some sort of database so friends can see our libraries online without having to access via my phone?

Some bad moments

its a very useful tool to keep tracking of your reading - specially for people like me who is passionate about books. good reminder for those you lent and never heard of again! only problem is to find more accurate information of publications in French, Spanish, Portuguese and German. even the art work is not available unless was published also in English... shouldnt the developer consider that theres people capable of understand several tongues?

I bought this app because I wanted to import my library. Doesnt work at all. Im sure wont enter 2000+ books by hand.

The first day I used this, I thought it was great to keep track of my books and wish lists. However, I noticed lately its reading every ISBN code incorrectly. And the manual entry is kind of useless. I hope they can work the bugs out soon.

For the most part this was a good app. but it has started crashing all the time and now it wont let me change/update information without closing out. I have emailed the developer but heard nothing back. It would also be nice to be able to update on the computer too, as the whole backup/dropbox things doesnt work. Too bad! It started out good but has really gone down hill.

This app might be okay if you have a small book collection but having to enter thousands of books into the database, you become all-too familiar with the many problems. This app is slow, full of glitches and extremely annoying to use with books that dont have barcodes (and sometimes equally bad even when they do). It doesnt realize that (for example) Arthur Miller is the same person as Miller, Arthur so when searching for your own books in your collection you have to look up every possible combination (and given the slowness of the app its an unappreciated inconvenience). Searching by title is not much better. The genres are pretty much useless. And you cant even delete entries, which makes no sense. I would not buy this app again nor would I recommend it to anyone.

Buyer beware! This app is insanely glitchy - the most frustrating of all is that it changes book info (author, title, cover art) when scanning or manually searching for books. Kind of defeats the purpose of the app- to keep your library organized! Very disappointed.

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