Library
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Help Sign in

Installing the app on your phone

Library works as a Progressive Web App — you can install it on your phone's home screen and launch it like any other app (full screen, no browser bar, keeps you signed in).

Android (Chrome)

  1. Open the app URL in Chrome.
  2. Tap the ⋮ menu in the top right.
  3. Choose Install app (or Add to Home screen on older Chrome).
  4. Confirm. An "L" icon appears in your launcher.

iOS (Safari only — not Chrome)

  1. Open the app URL in Safari (iOS Chrome can't install web apps).
  2. Tap the Share button (square with an up-arrow).
  3. Scroll down and tap Add to Home Screen.
  4. Confirm with Add.

Desktop (Chrome, Edge)

  1. Look for an install icon (a small monitor with a down-arrow) on the right side of the address bar — click it.
  2. Or use the browser menu → Install Library….

If the install option doesn't appear: make sure the page is loaded over HTTPS, the certificate is trusted, and you've reloaded after the latest update. On iOS, install only works from Safari.

Inviting a friend

Library is invite-only — there is no public sign-up. To bring someone in:

  1. Go to your profile (your name in the top right).
  2. Under Invite a friend, tap Generate invitation link.
  3. Copy the link and share it (SMS, email, Signal — anything). The link is single-use and valid for one hour.
  4. The friend opens the link, picks an email + password, and lands signed in.
  5. They're automatically added to your shared library, so each of you sees the other's books in "My library".

If a link expires or you want to cancel it, use Revoke next to it on your profile page. You can have several active invitations at once.

Adding a book

Open Add a book on the home page. You have two options:

  1. Type the title (and optionally author, cover URL, notes), then Save.
  2. Enter or scan the ISBN and let the app fill the rest from Open Library.

Scanning a barcode

  1. Tap Scan next to the ISBN field.
  2. Allow camera access when the browser asks.
  3. Point the rear camera at the EAN-13 barcode on the back of the book.
  4. On a successful read, the ISBN auto-fills and the title, author, and cover are fetched.
  5. Review the fields, then Save.

Batch scanning (lots of books at once)

Use ⚡ Batch scan when you want to add many books in one go.

  1. Tap ⚡ Batch scan (camera stays on) in the Add a book panel.
  2. Point the camera at each book's barcode. Each scan is saved immediately — you don't wait, just keep going.
  3. Tap Done when finished. The book list reloads with everything added.

Per-scan feedback:

  • ✓ green / high beep — added with metadata from Open Library or the local French dataset.
  • ○ amber / mid beep — added, but the ISBN wasn't found in either source. Saved as [ISBN ...] so you can edit the title later.
  • · grey / low beep — already in the shared catalog (skipped, not duplicated).
  • ✗ red / long buzz — invalid ISBN or network error. Try again.

The same barcode within 5 seconds is ignored automatically, so a steady hand on one book won't add it twice.

Reading status

Each book row has a status selector (unread / reading / read). Statuses are per-user — your status doesn't change anyone else's. Filter the list with the chips at the top.

Deleting a book

Only the person who originally added a book can delete it from the shared catalog.

Troubleshooting: scanner says “Permission denied”

The browser is refusing camera access. Most common cause on Android Chrome: Chrome doesn't have OS-level camera permission.

Android (Chrome)

  1. Android Settings → Apps → Chrome → Permissions → Camera → set to Allow.
  2. In Chrome on this site, tap the padlock left of the URL → Permissions → Camera → Allow.
  3. Reload the page and tap Scan again.

iOS (Safari)

  1. iOS Settings → Safari → Camera → Allow or Ask.
  2. Reload the page and accept the camera prompt.

Desktop (Chrome / Edge / Firefox)

  1. Click the padlock in the address bar → site settings → set Camera to Allow.
  2. Make sure your OS allows the browser to access the camera, and no other app is currently holding it.

Other scanner issues

  • “Camera in use” — close other apps that may be holding the camera (Zoom, Meet, Camera app).
  • Camera opens but won't read the code — make sure the barcode is well-lit, in focus, and fills roughly the middle of the frame. EAN-13 (the 13-digit barcode on the back of most books) works best.
  • ISBN read but nothing found — the book may not be in Open Library. Fill the fields manually and Save.