How to Manage your Library in Apple Books on iPhone and iPad?

Are you an avid reader who loves to keep your digital library organized? Look no further than the Apple Books app on your iPhone and iPad. Not only does it provide a vast collection of ebooks, audiobooks, and PDFs, but it also offers powerful organizational features to help you keep your virtual bookshelf in order. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the step-by-step process of managing your library in Apple Books.

Let’s dive in and explore each of these features in detail.

Adding a New Collection

The Books app on your iPhone and iPad comes with default collections, such as “Audiobooks” and “Finished.” However, you can create your own collections to further organize your library. Here’s how to add a new collection:

1. Launch the Books app from your home screen.
2. Tap the Library tab.
3. Scroll down and tap Collections.
4. At the bottom of the list, tap New Collection.
5. Enter a name for your collection.
6. Tap Done.

You can create collections based on authors, genres, or any other criteria that make sense for your library. Plus, you can assign the same book to multiple collections, offering even more flexibility in organizing your titles.

Adding Books to a Collection

Empty collections are no fun! Once you’ve created a collection, it’s time to populate it with books. Here’s how to add books to a collection:

1. Open the Books app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap the Library tab.
3. Tap Edit in the top right corner.
4. Select the book(s) you want to add to a collection by tapping on them.
5. Tap Add to… at the bottom of the screen.
6. Choose the collection you want to add the books to.

You can also add a book that is already in one collection to another collection using the same process. This gives you the flexibility to organize your books in a way that suits your reading preferences.

Reordering Collections

If you have a long list of collections, you may want to prioritize certain ones by reordering them. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open the Books app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap the Library tab.
3. Tap Collections.
4. Tap Edit in the top right corner.
5. Press and hold the reorder button (two lines) next to the collection you want to move.
6. Drag the collection to its new position.

By reordering your collections, you can easily access the ones that are most important to you without scrolling through a long list.

Deleting Collections

If you no longer need a collection or want to declutter your library, you can delete collections. Here’s how:

1. Open the Books app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap the Library tab.
3. Tap Collections.
4. Tap Edit in the top right corner.
5. Swipe left on the collection you want to delete.
6. Tap Delete to confirm.

Deleting a collection does not delete the actual books or PDFs contained within it. They will remain in your library but will no longer be organized under that specific collection.

Sorting Books

With a large library, finding a specific book can be a challenge. Luckily, the Books app offers sorting options to help you locate your titles with ease. Here’s how to sort your books:

1. Open the Books app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap the Library tab.
3. Tap Sort at the top of the screen.
4. Select your preferred sort preference from the options: Recent, Title, Author, or Manually.

If you choose the “Manually” option, you can even rearrange the order of your books by long-pressing on a thumbnail and dragging it to your desired position. This allows you to create your own custom order for a more personalized library experience.

Deleting Books

If you want to remove a book from your library, whether it’s to free up storage space or declutter your collection, here’s how to delete a book:

1. Open the Books app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap the Library tab.
3. Tap Edit in the top right corner.
4. Select the book(s) you want to delete by tapping on them.
5. Tap the Delete button at the bottom of the screen.
6. To completely remove the book from your device, tap Remove Download.

Deleting a book from your library does not delete it from your Apple ID account. You can always re-download it in the future if you change your mind.

Hiding Books

If you have books that you no longer want to see in your library but don’t want to delete permanently, you can hide them. Here’s how to hide a book in the Books app:

1. Open the Books app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap Edit in the top right corner.
3. Select the book(s) you want to hide by tapping on them.
4. Tap the Delete button at the bottom of the screen.
5. Tap Hide Book.

The hidden books will no longer appear in your library but can be accessed and unhidden if desired.

Unhiding Books

If you want to unhide a book and make it visible in your library again, here’s how to do it:

1. Open the Books app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap the Reading Now tab.
3. Tap your profile picture in the top-right corner.
4. Tap Manage Hidden Purchases.
5. Enter your Apple ID password if prompted.
6. Tap Unhide next to the book you want to unhide.

Unhiding a book will restore it to your library, making it accessible for reading and organizing.

Re-downloading Deleted Books

Accidentally deleted a book from your library and want to re-download it? No worries! Here’s how to re-download deleted books in the Books app:

1. Open the Books app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap the Reading Now tab.
3. Tap your profile picture in the top-right corner.
4. Tap Books or Audiobooks.
5. Tap Not on this iPhone/iPad.
6. Tap All Books.
7. Tap the download button next to the book you want to re-download.

The book will be downloaded and added back to your library for your reading pleasure.

Syncing Books Across Devices

If you have multiple Apple devices, you’ll be pleased to know that Apple Books syncs your library, bookmarks, highlights, and Reading Now collection across all your devices. To enable syncing, follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap your Apple ID at the top of the screen.
3. Tap iCloud.
4. Scroll down and enable the toggle for Books.
5. Go back to the previous screen by tapping < Apple ID.
6. Tap < Settings to go back one more screen.
7. Scroll down and tap Books.
8. Turn on the toggles for Reading Now and iCloud Drive under SYNCING.

On your Mac, you can enable syncing by opening System Preferences, selecting your Apple ID, clicking on iCloud, checking the box for Books under iCloud Drive options, and enabling sync for collections, bookmarks, and highlights.

With syncing enabled, you can seamlessly switch between devices and continue reading where you left off, knowing that your progress and preferences are always up to date.

Customizing Your Reading Experience

The Books app offers several customization options to enhance your reading experience. Here are some features you can tailor to your liking:

• Font Size and Type: While reading a book, tap on the AA button to adjust the font size and choose from a selection of fonts.
• Background Color: Change the background color of the book by selecting a different color from the settings menu.
• Scrolling View: Instead of turning pages, you can switch to a scrolling view by tapping on the screen and selecting the scrolling option.
• Navigation: Access the table of contents, bookmarks, and notes by tapping on the three horizontal lines icon in the upper left corner of the screen.
• Search: Easily search for specific words or phrases within a book by tapping on the magnifying glass icon.
• Reading Goals: Set reading goals to track your progress and stay motivated. Tap on Reading Now, scroll down, tap inside Today’s Reading, adjust your goal, and tap Done.

These customization options allow you to personalize your reading experience and create a comfortable environment for enjoying your favorite books.

Other E-reading Apps

While Apple Books is a fantastic app for managing your library, there are other e-reading apps available for iPhone and iPad that offer unique features and interfaces. Some popular alternatives include Kindle, Nook, and Kobo. These apps may provide different organizational options and reading experiences, so explore them to find the one that best suits your needs.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Apple Books app on your iPhone and iPad offers a comprehensive set of tools for managing and organizing your digital library. From creating collections and adding books to customizing your reading experience, you have all the tools at your fingertips to curate a library that suits your preferences. So go ahead, dive into your favorite books and enjoy a well-organized reading experience with Apple Books.

Remember, knowledge is power, and with Apple Books, you have the power to organize your library like a pro!