Library Management
Import, organize, and manage your e-book collection
Library management is the core feature of Rodel Reader's book module, helping you import, organize, and quickly locate e-books.
Interface Overview
The book module interface consists of the following parts:
| Area | Function |
|---|---|
| Sidebar | Virtual folders (All, Favorites), shelf list, data source entries |
| Title Bar | Breadcrumb navigation, search box, book count |
| Content Area | Book list, supports multiple view modes |
Importing Books
Rodel Reader supports multiple import methods, from local files to online libraries.
Local Import
| Method | Operation |
|---|---|
| Drag & Drop | Drag files or folders to the app window |
| File Selection | Click import button in title bar, select files |
| Folder Import | Select entire folder, recursively scan all e-books |
| Local Storage Source | Browse and import via local storage source in sidebar |
Online Data Sources
Rodel Reader supports multiple online data sources, found in the Data Sources area of the sidebar:
| Source | Description | Configuration Required |
|---|---|---|
| OPDS | Connect to OPDS format online libraries (e.g., Calibre, Kavita) | Server address, optional authentication |
| WebDAV | Browse and download books from WebDAV server | Server address, username/password |
| Legado | Connect to Legado 3.0 app, sync bookshelf | Server address, server type |
| Fanqie Novel | Search and download free books from Fanqie | No configuration needed |
| ZLibrary | Search and download e-books from ZLibrary | Email and password login |
Tip
OPDS, WebDAV, and Legado require data source configuration first. Fanqie Novel and ZLibrary are global sources that can be used directly.
Supported Formats
| Format | Description |
|---|---|
| EPUB | Popular e-book format with rich text and images |
| Portable Document Format, preserves original layout | |
| Mobi | Amazon Kindle format |
| FB2 | FictionBook format |
| TXT | Plain text format (supports encoding detection and chapter splitting) |
| CBZ/ZIP | Comic/image archive format |
Import Settings
Configure import behavior in Settings → Books:
- Auto-open after import: Automatically open the first book after import
- Auto-scrape on import: Automatically fetch book info from the web
Tip
During import, duplicate books are automatically detected (based on file hash) to avoid importing the same book twice.
Shelf Management
Shelves help you organize books by topic, genre, or reading status.
Virtual Folders
Two preset virtual folders are provided at the top of the sidebar:
| Folder | Content |
|---|---|
| All Books | Shows all imported books |
| Favorites | Shows books marked as favorites |
Creating Shelves
- Click the + button next to the "Shelves" area in the sidebar
- Enter shelf name
- Choose an icon (optional)
- Select parent group (optional)
Shelf Groups
Shelves can be organized into groups for easier management:
- Click the folder+ button next to "Shelves" to create a group
- Select parent group when creating or editing shelves
- Groups support expand/collapse
Shelf Operations
Right-click on a shelf for the following operations:
| Operation | Description |
|---|---|
| Edit | Modify shelf name, icon, group |
| Move Up/Down | Adjust shelf position in the list |
| Move to Top/Bottom | Quickly move to list top or bottom |
| Delete | Delete shelf (optionally delete books too) |
Adding Books to Shelves
- Single Add: Right-click book → Manage Shelves → Check target shelves
- Batch Add: Multi-select books → Right-click → Add to Shelf
- Drag & Drop: Drag books to a shelf in the sidebar
- On Import: When importing from a shelf page, automatically add to current shelf
Create Shelf from Books
After selecting multiple books, right-click and choose Create Shelf to create a new shelf with selected books in one step.
View Modes
The book list supports three view modes:
| Mode | Features | Use Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Cover View | Large covers, minimal info | Browsing covers, visual-oriented |
| Grid View | Medium covers + author, progress info | Daily use (default) |
| List View | Compact list, detailed info | Quick browsing, batch management |
View Settings
Configure in Settings → Books:
- Use global view mode: All shelves use the same view mode
- When disabled, each shelf can have its own view mode
Sorting and Searching
Sorting Options
Click the sort button in the title bar to sort by:
| Sort By | Description |
|---|---|
| By Title | Alphabetical order by book name |
| By Author | By author name |
| By Date Added | By import date |
| By Last Read | By last reading time |
Each sort option supports ascending and descending toggle.
Searching Books
The search box in the title bar supports real-time search:
- Enter keywords to search book titles
- Shows search suggestions (up to 15)
- Click a suggestion to open the book directly
Tip
Sort settings can be global or per-shelf. Configure in Settings → Books → Use global sorting.
Metadata Editing
Right-click a book and select Edit Metadata to modify book details:
Editable Fields
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Title | Book title |
| Author | Author list (supports multiple authors) |
| Subtitle | Book subtitle |
| Translator | Translator list |
| Publisher | Publisher name |
| Publication Date | Publication date |
| ISBN | International Standard Book Number |
| Description | Book summary |
| Cover | Upload local image or enter URL |
Cover Management
- Click the cover area to upload a local image
- Supports pasting images from clipboard
- Supports common image formats (PNG, JPG, WebP)
Book Scraping
The scraping feature automatically fetches book information from the web to complete metadata.
Scraping Sources
| Source | Suitable For |
|---|---|
| Douban | Chinese books |
| Google Books | English books |
| Fanqie Novel | Web novels |
| Qidian | Web novels |
| JJWXC | Web novels |
| Bangumi | Light novels, Japanese literature |
| Pixiv | Doujin works |
Using Scraping
- Right-click book → Scrape Book Info → Select source
- Auto-search by title (or manually enter keywords)
- Select matching result from search results
- Choose fields to apply (title, author, cover, etc.)
- Confirm and apply
Tip
With Auto-scrape on import enabled, newly imported books will automatically attempt to fetch info in the background without blocking the import process.
Batch Operations
After selecting multiple books, you can perform batch operations:
Selecting Books
- Single Click: Select one book
- Ctrl + Click: Add/remove from selection
- Shift + Click: Range selection
- Ctrl + A: Select all/deselect all
- Box Select: Hold left mouse button and drag to select multiple books
Batch Operation Menu
Right-click after selecting multiple books:
| Operation | Description |
|---|---|
| Add to Shelf | Add selected books to one or more shelves |
| Remove from Shelf | Remove from current shelf (only in shelf view) |
| Create Shelf | Create new shelf with selected books |
| Toggle Favorite | Batch add or remove favorite mark |
| Delete | Batch delete books |
Data Sources
The Data Sources area in the sidebar provides multiple ways to acquire books.
Local Storage
Local storage sources let you browse e-books in local folders without importing.
Adding Local Storage Source:
- Click the + button next to Local Storage in sidebar
- Select directory to browse
- Browse e-books in the folder
Supported Operations:
- Browse all e-books in folder
- Search by filename
- Sort by filename, modification time, file size
- Select files to import to library
Tip
Local storage sources support two import methods: Reference Import (no file copy) and Copy Import (copy files to library).
OPDS Libraries
OPDS (Open Publication Distribution System) is an open standard for distributing e-books. Many library software supports OPDS, such as Calibre, Kavita, Komga, etc.
Adding OPDS Source:
- Click the + button next to OPDS
- Enter source name and OPDS catalog address
- If authentication required, enter username and password
Using OPDS:
- Browse catalog tree structure
- Search books (if server supports)
- Select books to download and import
WebDAV
Browse and download book files from WebDAV servers.
Adding WebDAV Source:
- Click the + button next to WebDAV
- Enter source name and server address
- Enter username and password
Using WebDAV:
- Browse files and directories on server
- Search files
- Select files to download and import
Legado (Legado 3.0)
Connect to Legado 3.0 app running on Android devices to sync bookshelf content.
Adding Legado Source:
- Enable web service in Legado on your phone
- Click the + button next to Legado
- Enter source name and server address (e.g.,
http://192.168.1.100:1122) - Select server type (Legado App or Hectorqin Server)
Import Methods:
- Download Import: Download books as EPUB files to local library
- Online Import: Create online book reference, fetch content from Legado service when reading
Fanqie Novel
Search and download free books from Fanqie Novel platform.
How to Use:
- Click Fanqie Novel in sidebar
- Search by title or author
- Select book and click import
Note
Fanqie Novel only supports downloading free chapters. The download process may take some time.
ZLibrary
Search and download e-books from ZLibrary.
First Use:
- Click ZLibrary in sidebar
- Log in with email and password
- After login, credentials can be saved for auto-login
How to Use:
- Search by title, author, or ISBN
- Select book to download and import
- Supports quick import or selecting target shelf
Tip
ZLibrary supports custom mirror addresses, configurable in the login interface.
Book Information Display
Book cards display the following information:
| Info | Description |
|---|---|
| Cover | Book cover image |
| Title | Book title |
| Author | Author name (multiple authors separated by comma) |
| Reading Progress | Progress bar showing reading percentage |
| Last Read | Relative time (e.g., "3 days ago") |
| Reading Duration | Cumulative reading time (e.g., "2h 30m") |
| Favorite Mark | Star icon indicates favorite status |
| Scraping Status | Indicator shown during background scraping |
FAQ
Where are imported books stored?
Imported book files are stored in the Books/<ServiceID>/files/ folder within the library directory.
How to batch edit book information?
Batch metadata editing is currently not supported. You can enable Auto-scrape on import in Settings → Books to automatically fetch info for newly imported books.
Does deleting a book delete the file?
- Library Books (imported to library): Files are deleted when removing
- Referenced Books (from local storage sources, etc.): Only database records are deleted, original files remain
How to recover accidentally deleted books?
If files have been deleted, you need to re-import them. It's recommended to regularly back up your library directory.