Connect folders without moving your books
Keep your existing folder structure and let Papyrium add a library layer on top.
Keep your existing library
You do not have to reorganize your files before using Papyrium. Point it at a folder where your books already live, and Papyrium can add those books to your catalog without moving them.
This works well for existing book archives: a folder in Documents, a staging folder you clean up later, an external drive, a NAS share, a synced folder, or another app's library folder.
Your folders stay yours. Papyrium adds search, metadata, tags, categories, collections, reading lists, reading progress, highlights, notes, and duplicate detection on top.
Three ways to add books
Connect a folder
Papyrium indexes books where they already live — a folder in Documents, an external drive, a NAS share, or any path your Mac can reach. The files stay in place; you organize and read them inside the app.
Import files
Copies or moves files into a Papyrium-managed location — your choice. Useful for new additions or books you do not already have organized elsewhere.
Use the Inbox
A staging area for unsorted arrivals. Review, fix metadata, check duplicates, and decide where each book belongs before shelving it.
Import or connect?
| Situation | Best choice |
|---|---|
| Existing folder full of books | Connect folder |
| External drive or NAS | Connect folder |
| Trying Papyrium without a migration | Connect folder |
| New additions you want Papyrium to keep | Import files |
| Unsorted books to review later | Inbox |
You can mix all three. For example, connect your main archive, use the Inbox for new additions, and import a few books directly into Papyrium's internal library.
Example workflows
I already have a large archive
Connect the folder. Papyrium scans it, builds a catalog, and lets you organize the books without changing the folder layout.
I add new items throughout the week
Send them to the Inbox. Review them later, fix metadata, check duplicates, and add them to collections or reading lists.
My books live on an external drive or NAS
Connect that location. Papyrium can catalog it while keeping the files on the drive or network share. If the location is disconnected, opening a book requires the file to be available again.
I want to try Papyrium without committing
Connect a folder instead of importing. You can explore Papyrium's library tools without moving your files first.
What Papyrium adds on top
Folders are useful, but they are not the only way to understand a library. Once books are in your Papyrium catalog, you can organize them beyond their disk location:
- Tags and categories for subjects, workflows, and cleanup states
- Series, authors, publishers, languages, and other metadata
- Collections and reading lists for curated groups
- Filters and saved views for finding exactly the books you need
- Duplicate detection across imports and connected folders
- Reading progress, highlights, notes, and bookmarks
- AI agent access through the local MCP server
Duplicates
Papyrium checks for duplicate books after import, and you can scan for duplicates manually. It can detect matching ISBNs, identical files, and likely title-and-author matches.
This is especially useful when a book in the Inbox already exists somewhere else in your library. Duplicate resolution is review-based: Papyrium does not automatically delete books.
Coming from another library app
You can point Papyrium at an existing book folder and index the files in place. Metadata from another app may not carry over automatically yet, but connected folders let you try Papyrium without moving the files first.
Related
New to Papyrium? Start with Getting Started. Want AI agents to help organize your catalog? See AI Agents & MCP.