JBookShelf

Sure enough the computer managed to evolve and become a multifunctional tool. However, regular activities adapted as well. For instance, books are now found in electronic format. With the right set of applications like JBookShelf it’s easy to keep a record of your entire collection, and even read entries.

On the one hand, the application doesn’t even need to be installed in order to function, and you can easily store it on a thumb drive in case you want to carry the entire collection with you. On the other hand, the target computer needs to be equipped with Java Runtime Environment to ensure functionality.

The workspace is empty by default. You can set a default working directory so it’s automatically scanned for new items. However, you still need to go through the process of manually adding each item. The dedicated dialog isn’t difficult to use, with a few fields to fill in such as book name, author, category, file, as well as the default viewer, which can be internal or an application of choice.

All entries show up in an organized environment with tabs to quickly access books, authors, and categories. There’s also a search field which allows you to easily look up items of interest, including content. Each book can be fitted with one or more notes. For more info, a dedicated function brings up your web browser with Google results.

The database can be backed up and imported later on. All files you open with the editor are marked as read, but this can be changed. The viewer helps keep track of reading sessions through a built-in bookmarks manager.

Taking everything into consideration, we can say that JBookShelf is a neat tool with which to keep your electronic books in order. The visual design is appealing and quickly gets you up and running. File support might not be an advantage here, but portability and online lookup tools are sure to come in handy.