# CHAOS! (of the digital library variety)
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chaos-of-the-digital-library-variety/565642
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [December 28, 2010, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chaos-of-the-digital-library-variety/565642 "2010-12-28T20:07:04Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Walmarticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walmarticus)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2010, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chaos-of-the-digital-library-variety/565642/1 "2010-12-28T20:07:04Z")
Now that I have a Kindle and can actually read ebooks without my eyes exploding, I’m going to build an epic personal library. I’m trying to plan out how I’m going to organize my books. I’m primarily looking for sorting techniques in Windows 7, or even some third party program. But, there’s a hitch.
I have about 5gb of books downloaded in various formats, from .txt to .mobi. There seems to be lots of variation in the naming conventions, sort of like:
Terry Pratchett, Dickworld
Pullman, Philip- The Golden Shower
Let’s all Masturbate, Ayn Rand
I’d love to come up with a way to organize them without having to rename several thousand files. I’m not too worried about converting .txt to .mobi because I’ll do that as I intend to read them. What should I do? Also, how do I get that musty old book smell for the ambiance?
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### Author:  [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2010, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chaos-of-the-digital-library-variety/565642/2 "2010-12-28T20:40:19Z")
Earlier thread on this:
> **[eBook File Names, Any Rational Constructions? - Squink, Inky A. (ed)](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=587273)**
>
> It being 2010, I’ve a modest collection of eBooks on my computer/iPad. Coming from a variety of sources, they are also named in a variety of of different styles: Title, Authorfirst Authorlast Title - Authorfirst Authorlast Authorfirst Authorlast...
Judging from the lack of answers there, we’re at the “roll your own” stage w regard to personal digital libraries.
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### Author:  [@Walmarticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walmarticus)
#### Post date: [December 29, 2010, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chaos-of-the-digital-library-variety/565642/3 "2010-12-29T17:58:46Z")
oh well, thanks. I never thought people would package these ebooks so haphazardly. I guess that’s what you get for reading on the cutting edge.
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### Author:  [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)
#### Post date: [December 29, 2010, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chaos-of-the-digital-library-variety/565642/4 "2010-12-29T18:59:27Z")
I can highly recommend calibre - it has a very versitile conversion program that lets you tell it how to rename your files when it converts and organizes them.
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### Author:  [@Kayta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kayta)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2012, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chaos-of-the-digital-library-variety/565642/5 "2012-05-22T12:12:38Z")
Well, it’s been nearly two years, does anyone have a good solution?
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### Author:  [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2012, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chaos-of-the-digital-library-variety/565642/6 "2012-05-23T00:56:49Z")
As I said last time, Calibre lets you change the metadata on your files. I just went in and converted a whole bunch of DRM locked MOBI files into EPUB unlocked through Calibre, then went through and tweaked all the metadata to format them all the way I wanted them done, then saved them all into a single folder and deleted all the old mobi filed that were on the harddrive, so the only mobi I have are burned to cd.
On my droid, I use aldiko to read the books.