What is this?
Collectorz.com provides software to help organize all of your home media. This intuitive, easy to use software will help you catalog your family’s library. You simply enter the barcode from the book, and in most cases it does the rest of the work for you! Once you have entered your books you will have a database that lists all your books. You can also add your e-Book and audio books to your inventory and once added you can access them right from Collectorz. Here are of the some of the key features:
Browse your home library by Title, Author, Genre, etc.
Loan Manager to keep track of books you loan out to friends
Print your book list or
Export to your smart phone using CLZ books (additional cost)
Create a wish list of books you like
View statistics of your library
Lists for insurance purposes with published prices
In our experience…
It was very easy to add books to the library. You simply type in the barcode, click “Search Now,” and a list of potential matches appears. After selecting the book that matches, you click “Add Checked” and it is added to your library database.
For example, here is a book that I added to my library:
A cover image and all the pertinent data available thru the Collectorz database is entered automatically into your library. Some books have more information available than others, but you can add notes and any other personal information you would like by clicking the book on your list. Take a look at the Edit Books window from the book I added above:
So from just the bar code, I was able to acquire the Title, Author, Subjects, Number of Pages and even the plot of the story! The other tabs in this window are: Details, Personal, Credits & Characters Contents, Plot & Notes, Covers, and Links. This is where you can add details until your heart is content. It appears they have thought of everything! There is potential for a great student projects in the Edit Book section. Why not have the kids enter the credits and characters, a plot if not provided, even a short synopsis and a rating. The ideas are as endless as your imagination!
A complete library looks something like this:
My Observations:
If you have a substantial home library there are obvious benefits to this type of inventory system. These are the top ones for me:
-
Knowing what books I already have so I don’t re-purchase
-
Being able to set up Genres and/or sort by time period or subject
-
Ability to add my audio and e-books into one complete library
-
Keeping track of books loaned out
-
Setting up a wish list for future purchase or gifts
-
If I really want to get physically organized, many of the books already have Dewey numbers…I’m not sure I’ve ever be THAT organized, but it’s nice to dream about
-
Potential projects for students in making a more complete library and including their review
Purchasing Information:
There is tremendous versatility in purchasing options; most important being a 30 Day Free Trial! If you like taking things for a test drive before committing, this is a great way to get a feel for how it works and see what the software can do for you.
An annual subscription for $19.95 per year. With this option, your library is stored on the Collectorz servers and you can access it from anywhere you have internet access. There is also a Standard edition available for $29.95 and Pro edition with additional features for $49.95. To find a comparison of the features for Standard vs. Pro, go to the Collectorz Online Shop.
Who should consider this software?
I think anyone with a fairly substantial home library would benefit from this type of organizational system.
What other products are available?
Collectorz has different software for most types of media collections. In addition to Book Collector, there is Music Collector, Movie Collector, Comic Collector, Game Collector, MP3 Collector and even Photo Collector! (I don’t know about you, but I could really use a little help organizing my photos too!) If you own a smart phone and are considering the Pro edition, you should definitely check out CLZ Book. With CLZ app, your inventory is always with you when you’re on the go! (That’s one I’d really like to have when I’m at a home school convention, book store, or curriculum sale.)
This shows the app for iPhone, apps for other phones available
To purchase Book Collector or for more information:
More reviews on this product are available at:
Disclaimer: Members of the TOS Crew were given copies of Collectorz.com Book Collector Pro in exchange for their honest reviews of this product. No other compensation of any kind has been received.
Mindful Ramblings 
