How Do I Add Books To BookBuddy — Can It Scan ISBNs Or Import From Files?

Okay, let me be frank: importing from Word into iBooks Author is doable, but it usually needs a bit of tidying afterward. I often take long .docx drafts (lecture notes, short stories, or hobby zines) and drag them into a text box or use File > Import. Headings, bold, and italics usually come through, but paragraph styles, lists, and complex tables can get scrambled. Images embedded in Word sometimes land as separate files, so I reflow them into the iBooks Author layout and reapply the built-in paragraph and title styles. If you want consistent typography, set up your template first in iBooks Author and then paste or import chunks of Word content rather than dumping a full document in one go — that saves a lot of cleanup time and keeps page layouts predictable.

As someone who's worked closely with book distribution, I can say ISBNs are the backbone of global book indexing. They act like a unique fingerprint for every edition, making it effortless for retailers, libraries, and databases to track titles across borders. Without ISBNs, chaos would reign—imagine searching for 'Harry Potter' and getting mixed results for different languages or formats. The system standardizes metadata like author, publisher, and edition, streamlining logistics. Even small indie publishers rely on them to compete globally. Another layer is digital integration. ISBNs sync with online platforms like Goodreads or Amazon, ensuring accurate recommendations and inventory management. They also help in royalty tracking, which is crucial for authors. For niche genres like light novels or manga, ISBNs prevent confusion between similar titles. It's a silent hero in the literary world, keeping everything organized behind the scenes.

No, StoryGraph does not currently support scanning books via barcode. Unlike apps such as Goodreads or Libby, which allow users to add books by scanning ISBN barcodes with their phone camera, StoryGraph relies on manual search and entry to log books. Users can find books by typing the title, author, or ISBN into the search bar. Once located, the book can be added to your “Currently Reading,” “To Read,” or “Read” shelves. The platform also supports importing reading data from other services like Goodreads, which can help bulk-add books, but it still does not allow real-time barcode scanning. StoryGraph focuses on tracking reading habits, generating personalized recommendations, and providing statistics rather than physical book scanning features. While barcode scanning would be convenient for quickly logging physical books, it’s not part of StoryGraph’s current functionality.

As someone who spends a lot of time tinkering with digital books, I can confidently say that editing EPUB files to include manga illustrations is totally doable, though it requires some technical know-how. EPUBs are essentially HTML files zipped together, so if you're comfortable with basic coding, you can insert images just like you would in a webpage. Tools like Sigil or Calibre make this process easier, allowing you to add and position illustrations where you want them. One thing to keep in mind is file size—manga illustrations can be large, and cramming too many into an EPUB might make it sluggish on some e-readers. Optimizing images for web (like using JPEG or PNG with reasonable compression) helps. Also, consider the flow of the text around the images; you don’t want them disrupting the reading experience. If you’re adding full-page spreads, it’s often cleaner to place them on their own pages, similar to how they appear in physical manga volumes. With a bit of patience, you can create a beautifully illustrated EPUB that feels like a professional release.

Okay, here's the long, nerdy-but-handy version from me: I love tinkering with file types, so this is the list I actually use when shoving stuff into the Kindle app. Native Kindle-family formats are the safest bets: .azw, .azw3 (also called KF8), .mobi and .prc (the old Mobipocket files). Those keep features like reflowable text, chapters, and most formatting intact. There's also KFX, which is Amazon's newer enhanced-typesetting format, but it's handled specially by Amazon and may show different behavior depending on which Kindle app or device you're using. For personal docs and sideloaded books, the Kindle system accepts PDFs, plain .txt, and common document formats like .doc and .docx, plus .rtf and .html. PDFs are treated as fixed-layout files — great for scanned books or image-heavy pages, but they often won’t reflow nicely on small screens unless you convert them. Images for personal docs (JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP) are accepted too, which is handy for single-image pages or illustrations. A useful tip: if you send a PDF to your Kindle email with the subject line 'Convert', Amazon will try to convert it into Kindle format so text reflows better — results vary, but it's saved me tons of zoom-and-pan frustration. EPUBs are a special case: you can’t just drop an .epub into the Kindle app like you would on other readers, but Amazon does accept EPUB via its 'Send to Kindle' tools and will convert them into Kindle-readable format on import. So yes, EPUB content can live in your Kindle library after conversion. Comics and manga formats like .cbz and .cbr aren’t officially supported by the Kindle app the way dedicated comic readers handle them. If you want to read comics, convert them to PDF or use tools like Kindle Comic Creator to produce acceptable files. I usually use Calibre to convert things — it’s great for switching between .epub, .azw3, .mobi and tweaking metadata, cover art, and layout. Kindle Previewer is another useful tool if you want to see how a complex layout will render. A few caveats from my own trial-and-error: DRM-locks from other stores will prevent files from opening unless the DRM is removed (I won’t advise illegal steps here — if it’s DRM-locked, either buy the Kindle edition or use the store’s app). Also, advanced CSS/HTML features in an EPUB might not translate perfectly when converted to Kindle formats, so complicated ebooks (fancy fonts, columns, embedded interactive elements) can misbehave. If you care about typography and advanced styling, aim for .azw3/KF8 when possible. For archival images or precise layout, keep a PDF. For easiest everyday reading and smallest file fuss, convert to .azw3 with Calibre and sync it to the app. I tend to experiment a bit on my phone and desktop — it's oddly satisfying watching a messy pile of formats unify into a tidy Kindle library — and I hope some of these tips save you a few headaches and a lot of pinch-and-zoom time.

Oh, if you’re hunting for hardback copies of 'The Iliad', I’ve gone down that rabbit hole more times than I’d like to admit, so I can share a few practical tips and what to look for. First off: ISBNs are edition-specific, so there isn’t one magic number for 'The Iliad' hardback — every translator, publisher, and printing gets its own ISBN. That’s actually good news, because it means you can pick the style you want (dual-language, academic, poetic translation, modern prose) and then hunt the ISBN for that exact edition. If you want a quick strategy, start by choosing the translation you like and then search for that translator + “hardback” on library and book marketplaces. Some translators and editions to try searching for are Richmond Lattimore (classic, often scholarly), Robert Fagles (poetic and popular), Caroline Alexander (clear modern prose with solid notes), Stanley Lombardo (energetic, modern), and the Loeb Classical Library bilingual editions (Greek and English on facing pages). Use sites like WorldCat, Library of Congress, ISBN Search, BookFinder, AbeBooks, and publisher pages (Harvard University Press for Loeb, Penguin/Random House for many Fagles editions, University of Chicago Press for Lattimore in some printings) — those databases will show the exact ISBN-10 and ISBN-13 for hardback printings. A few practical pointers that save time: 1) Look for both ISBN-10 (10 digits) and ISBN-13 (13 digits). Post-2007 printings will always have an ISBN-13, but older collectors’ or academic copies may only list the ISBN-10. 2) If you want a dual-language scholarly edition, search for 'Homeri Ilias Loeb' or 'Loeb Classical Library Iliad' — the Loebs are almost always hardbound and will show clear ISBNs on catalog pages. 3) For deluxe or hardcover editions of popular translations (like Fagles), search publisher names plus “hardcover” — for example, 'Robert Fagles Iliad hardcover Penguin' — and then copy the ISBN from the publisher or retailer listing. 4) Different printings (first edition hardback vs later reprint hardback) will have different ISBNs, so be sure the page or listing matches the format (hardcover/hardback) you actually want. If you want, tell me which kind of reading experience you prefer — do you want facing Greek and English text, a literal scholarly translation, or something more poetic and readable for casual re-reads? I can point you at specific editions to search for and the sites where the correct ISBNs usually pop up. I personally love flipping between a Loeb bilingual for close reading and a Fagles or Lattimore hardback when I want to read epic lines aloud, so those are often my go-to search targets when I’m hunting a new copy.

BookBuddy is a smart personal library management app designed to help users organize, track, and categorize all their physical and digital books. You can create collections, tag genres, record authors, and add custom notes or ratings. The app automatically sorts your library alphabetically or by category, making it easy to locate books. It’s perfect for readers who own hundreds of titles and want a digital catalog of what they’ve read, loaned, or plan to read next.

I get asked this all the time by writer friends: yes, you can obtain ISBNs and generate barcodes yourself, but there are a few practical and legal details you should know before you dive in. First, the ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is something you usually buy or request through your national ISBN agency. In the US that’s Bowker, in Canada ISBNs are provided free through Library and Archives Canada, and other countries have their own agencies. Buying your own ISBN means you are listed as the publisher of record, which is great if you want to control metadata, distribution, and royalties. Many print-on-demand platforms like Amazon 'KDP' will offer a free ISBN, but it often lists the platform as the publisher, which can limit you in some channels. Each format (paperback, hardcover, ebook) needs its own ISBN, and a new edition or major revision usually requires another one. About barcodes: the retail barcode for a book is an EAN-13 that encodes the ISBN-13. You can generate a barcode image yourself using reputable tools (vector SVG/EPS preferred) or get a barcode file from many barcode services; make sure it’s high-resolution (300 dpi) with proper quiet zones and printing color (usually black on white). Some printers want a price add-on (5-digit code) or a specific size; check your printer’s specs before finalizing the cover. Finally, register your metadata properly—title, author, format, price—so retailers and libraries can find and order your book. If you want full control, buy your ISBNs; if you need convenience, POD platforms' free ISBNs work fine but come with trade-offs. Personally, owning your ISBNs made me feel like I actually owned the book, even when I did the cover and barcodes myself.