How to import Libib into SHELVD
Libib is built for cataloging collections, including more than books. If you want to track your reading in SHELVD, start with a collection CSV. You do not need to delete your Libib collection or give up its lending tools.
This is a one-time import. Review what transfers below before you move anything, and keep your original export as a backup.
1. Export your Libib library
- Sign in to the Libib website. Open Settings, then Collections, and choose Export Collection Data (csv).
- Choose the collection you want to move. Libib exports one collection at a time, so download a separate file for each collection.
- Keep the original files. Use the item-level collection export, not a barcode-label export, patron list, or lending report. Import one CSV at a time in SHELVD.
What transfers to SHELVD
| Data | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Books and editions | Book titles, authors, and valid ISBNs help match your editions. Non-book media, such as movies and music, are reported as skipped rather than imported as books. |
| Reading status | Not begun maps to Want to Read, In progress to Currently Reading, Completed to Completed, and Abandoned to Set Aside. An empty status defaults to Want to Read; review shelf mapping before confirming. |
| Ratings and reviews | Written reviews transfer when present. Ratings round to the nearest whole star, so a half-star rating will change. |
| Dates | Complete completion dates and added dates can transfer. A began date helps infer reading status but does not create reading sessions or a start-date history. Partial activity dates are not treated as exact dates. |
| Book details | Supported publisher, publication year, and length information can transfer. Use the preview to check editions before confirming. |
What does not transfer
Collection names, groups, tags, private notes, copy counts, prices, lending records, and review timestamps are not recreated. SHELVD imports the supported book information, not a replacement for Libib circulation management. Keep the original CSV and Libib account if you need that inventory detail.
2. Preview and import the CSV
- In SHELVD, open Settings > Data or the Add Books import flow and upload the original CSV.
- Check that the preview recognizes Libib. Review book matches, editions, and shelf mapping. Stop and get help if the source or matches look wrong.
- Confirm the import, then check its completion report for imported, skipped, and failed rows. Do not assume a submitted file is already finished.
- Open a few familiar books and check their status, ratings, and dates. Compare the report with the original file before deciding whether to retry any rows.
Once your books are in SHELVD, you can keep tracking there. A CSV cannot reconstruct daily reading sessions or page-by-page progress that the importer does not support.
Questions before you switch
Does each Libib collection become a SHELVD shelf?
No. Collection names and tags are not recreated automatically. Reading status supplies the initial shelf mapping, which you should review in the preview.
Will my movies, music, or games transfer?
No. This importer handles books. Rows explicitly marked as other media are skipped and should be checked in the import report.
Other migration guides
Bring your books, then keep reading
Start with a free SHELVD account, then open Settings > Data to preview your CSV.
Import your Libib library