Book Collector 3 for Mac OS X is here!

We are happy to announce the arrival of Book Collector 3, a major step forward for our book cataloging software.

This version introduces our new Collectorz.com online book database.

Yes, after creating our own online media databases for movies, CDs, games and comics, we finally went for the big one: BOOKS.

Read on for full details on what this means for Book Collector and, more importantly, for you. (In short: it makes it way easier to add books.)

Upgrading to version 3

If you already own an earlier version of Book Collector (version 1 or version 2, Standard or Pro), you can upgrade to the PRO version 3 for only $24.95, a 50% discount. Just enter your license key in the box on the right and click Buy Now.

What's New in Book Collector 3 for Mac OS X?

Fully Compatible with Snow Leopard (new in version 3.2)

Book Collector 3 is fully compatible with Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard).

Export to iPhone / iPod Touch (new in 3.1 PRO)

• Browse your book collection on your iPhone or iPod Touch with the new Clz Books app
• Use File | Export to iPhone / iPod Touch to transfer your data to the Clz Books app (Requires Wi-Fi connection on your iPhone or iPod Touch, connecting to the same local network (LAN) that your Mac computer is in.)
• Clz Books is available in the iTunes AppStore here for $9.99 or €7.99. After purchasing the app, use iTunes to sync your Applications to your iPhone or iPod Touch.
  Alternatively, open the AppStore on your iPhone or iPod Touch and search for "Clz Books". This way you can buy the Clz Books app and have it installed automatically.

New Add Books Automatically screen

• New easy-to-use screen combines both Wizard Mode and Advanced Mode
• All searches are done "via" the Collectorz.com database, no more need to select results from multiple sources, just enter ISBN or Author & Title, click Search, select a result, click Add Selected. The Collectorz.com server will automatically give you the best data possible.
• Select your Region(s) to:
  • control which sources the Collectorz.com server will use (when needed)
  • filter the results of Author & Title searches
• Available Region list is updated from the Collectorz.com server on a daily basis.
• Hide / Show Search Queue button to switch between "Search Now" and "Add to Queue" mode
• Add multiple books from one Search: just check the checkboxes in front of multiple matches and click Add Checked.
• Edit searches in Queue with new Edit Search Criteria screen (right-click menu). (This replaces the Update in Queue button)
• You can now double-click a queue entry to perform a "Search Selected"
• New "Add Anyway" button to add a book anyway when no results are found, using the ISBN or Author & Title you entered for the search.
• New multi-column view for Search Results, with separate ISBN, Author, Title, Publisher, Format and Cover columns
• Search results can be sorted by clicking the column headers
• Search by LC Classification Number: Find older (pre-ISBN era) books by entering their LC Classification Number
• New search result preview template

New: the Collectorz.com online book database system

• Book Collector now uses the Collectorz.com online book database to search and download book information and cover images
• When a book is not found in this database, the Collectorz.com server automatically goes out to search multiple online book stores and national libraries.
• Results returned from other sources are saved ("cached") for future searches, automatically building a fast and reliable source of book information.
• The new system makes it possible to add extra info sources "server side", that is, without releasing a new version of the Book Collector software.

Info sources (used "indirectly", through the Collectorz.com server)

• Improved for US: Library of Congress (loc.gov)
• Improved for Netherlands: National Library Netherlands (kb.nl)
• Added for Spain:
  • UNED Spain
  • Spanish Congress
  • Public Library Palencia
• Added for Italy:
  • SBS
  • University of Siena
• Added for Denmark:
  • Public Library Kolding Denmark
  • National Library of Education Denmark
• Added for Switzerland:
  • IDS Zurich University Switzerland
  • IDS Basel Bern Switzerland
• Added for Portugal:
  • Public Library Portugal

Main screen

• More polished and space efficient layout
• Title sorting takes numbers into account ('book 9' sorts ascending before before 'book 10').
• Better key bindings:
  • Apple-F focusses the toolbar search field, if possible.
  • Apple-Option-N opens the new 'Add Automatically' screen.

Database Changes

• New field: Quantity, the number of identical copies in your collection
• New field: Tags, for adding free-form key phrases to books
• New In Collection Status value 'On Order'

Edit Screens

• Improved layout of the edit screens for books and sections.
• Edit Book screen: High quality artwork is now shown at its optimal size.

Barcode Scanners

• Find Scanner function for detecting CueCat, Flic and Opticon scanners (replaces 'Initialize Flic Scanner')